​Whew, here in Southwest Florida it is hot and wet right now! That humidity and rain we get every day in the summer really has the plants and yard growing, and pretty much anything that thrives on heat and humidity. And if you’ve lived here long enough, you know that that means mold, mildew and algae growth is kicked up everywhere. There’s a good chance you’ve noticed that your pool enclosure screens and struts have a greenish or blackish tinge to them or outright fuzzy growth on them. Not just ugly stuff, but also corrosive and detrimental to the long-term wear of your cage and screens. 

Here’s what else happens to your screens this time of year in SWFL. While screen enclosures do an excellent job of keeping bugs, wildlife and yard debris out of your outdoor living spaces, their exteriors don’t repel pollen. Over time, pollen can accumulate on the structure’s surfaces, forming a disgusting film that makes your enclosure look old or dirty. So that’s the other thing that may be making your screens look terrible.

Cleaning your enclosure is key to preserving the life of your screens, as well as the frame. However, those screens are delicate! So straight up pressure washing is not the answer. A pressure washer on full power can etch into concrete, so it will definitely blow a tear into a screen.  That’s why when it comes to your lanai and pool screen enclosure, we use a soft wash system.

Our team at Under Pressure is on the job to:

• Remove algae, mildew, pollen, and dirt
• Kill bacterial growth
• Remove leaves and other debris

At Under Pressure, we use a soft washing system to deliver the highest level of clean without negatively impacting your lanai pool enclosure. Screening is a delicate surface and should never be exposed to high pressure washing technology. Our soft wash service protects the material and enhances its appearance with a low pressure cleaning alternative.

We use cleaning products that are formulated to be tough on buildup. They kill spores, break down dirt buildup, and deliver the “deep clean impact” your screening needs to last season after season.

A soft wash incorporates special low-pressure nozzles on the end of a pressure washing gun or wand. That’s combined with a biodegradable chemical that removes the biological elements (mold, algae, pollen, dirt, moss) and other stains without damaging surfaces on your lanai or killing your plants.
​
If your pool cage is looking black or green or if you just want to be sure all of it is sparkling, give us a call at give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

​It’s that time of year here in Southwest Florida when it rains just about every day. Combine that with our summertime heat and humidity and you’ve got the perfect climate for mold, mildew and bacteria to leave ugly streak marks on your roof. That’s why the roof cleaning industry started right here in the state of Florida in the late 1980s.

Originally, roof-cleaning companies used pressure washers to clean roofs, and unfortunately, many of our competitors still do. However, pressure washing is really bad for all types of roofs, so we really don’t recommend you do that, and at Under Pressure, we never pressure wash a roof. For years we’ve used a soft-wash technique. We love to run ahead of the pack though, and we do that through always keeping up with cutting edge technologies and techniques. To that end we recently added a new “green” cleaning solution and application process to clean roofs in a way that kills algae, but not your plants, and not only removes those black streaks but kills the mold, mildew and algae at the root, and continues to kill new growth.

Let’s start by discussing those black streaks for a moment, because pressure washing may make it look like its gotten rid of them, but it will only be a few months before you start to see those ugly streaks again. That’s because the black streaks aren’t “dirt.” The main culprit of those black streaky roof stains is a bacteria called Gloeocapsa Magma. It’s a bacteria! That means it’s a living organism—it’s a plant that will put down roots. Other forms of microorganisms can be found in union with the bacteria, including mold, fungi, algae, mildew, lichen, and moss. When you pressure wash, you do not blow the roots off the roof, so the bacteria, mold and mildew grow back quickly.

The filament root system of the fungi and algae are growing on, and digging in to your roof. Fungi and algae that are growing on a roof have root systems that can cause damage to shingles such as uplifting, spreading of shingles, and decomposition. The roots open up tiny cracks in the shingles, tiles or other roofing materials. Many of these organisms growing on roofing surfaces do much of the same thing. They spread the shingle like a fan. Because the shingle is attached on the back, the front ends of the shingle flare and roll. This is because the shingle is widened at the front more so than the back.

Many roofing surfaces are made with materials that can be metabolized by these microorganisms. For example, shingles contain limestone, which contains phosphates, an excellent source of nutrients for algae, mildew, and bacteria to feed on. These microorganisms will break down a roofing surface and cause decomposition. This in turn, will also aid the process of erosion caused by running water such as rainfall.

The good news is that through a new cutting edge solution we use here at Under Pressure called Earth EZ BioWash, these microorganism stains can be safely removed! The new solution is completely safe for all of your landscape plantings and grass because it’s biodegradable. It’s effective on all kinds of roof tiles. The formulation of the product and the application techniques the company trained us in allows the cleaning solution to have a longer dwell or linger time, which means less run off, and increased results from just one application. The product does not damage tiles and returns them to their original color over time. One of the best things about this product, is that it continues to work over time, deeply cleaning and preventing the stains from returning, when you schedule regular preventative services with us.

Our Earth EZ BioWash service is an industry first, and we hope you’ll call us today to clean your roof with this environmentally and roof friendly product. If you’re interested in having the black stains on your roof removed safely and with  long-lasting results, give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

It’s fairly easy to be hired to pressure wash driveways, pavers, roofs, sidewalks and lanais for individual homes. But it’s not as easy to get in good with Home Owner’s Associations or property managers for large housing and apartment developments. That requires a consistency in delivering a very high quality of service. At UnderPressure, consistency of service is one of the things we really pride ourselves on. But honestly, you don’t have to take our word for it. We’d much rather let you hear it from some of the property managers for large complexes in our area. After all, their honest opinion of us is the only opinion that counts. So let’s hear what they have to say about UnderPressure.

Bob Delaney, Property and Portfolio Manager for Resort Management

Pete and UnderPressure have been providing services for a number of my properties for around four years. They’ve done a variety of different types of services for my homeowners, from cleaning and sealing driveway pavers to cleaning roofs. My first impression of Pete and his team is that they were very professional in the way they handled themselves. Whenever I have Pete come bid on a job, he shows up to look over the building on time, and he gives me a reasonable price. It may not be the cheapest price, but then when I get bids for a job, I rarely go for the cheapest bid, because quality of work is also important. 

Pete is very ethical and trustworthy. When he gives me a bid, it’s a real bid, and the price is what he says it will be. He never low-bids me and then comes back later for more money, and yes I’ve had other companies do that. What I tell the vendors who win the bid is this, “Get it done right the first time. I don’t want my phone to ring after you are done. I have a lot of work to do myself and I don’t want to spend my time answering annoyed resident’s phone calls.” Pete and his team are great about getting it done right the first time, and they are very responsive. There are a lot of non-responsive contractors out there, but Pete is great about responding really fast, to any questions or complaints or bidding opportunities I have. If I contact him, Pete will be there in a day to bid on a job, and then he gets the bid back to me quickly as well.  And he’s very flexible about things, and completes every job in a timely fashion, which is good because we are always in a rush.

Pete is extremely responsive and calls me back right away when I need anything. He also tells me right away if he can’t do something I’m asking for, and he always has suggestions for ways to improve on how we are doing things. For example, we have a number of single family homes who are all responsible for paying for their own roof cleaning and paver cleaning, and if I ask Pete to offer a discount to them for his services, he is always willing to do that and to offer me a coupon for those homeowners.

What some vendors don’t understand, and Pete does, is that the officers of the HOA’s all talk to each other all the time and compare notes about vendors their community has been using. They know when a job is well done and when it’s poorly done, even if it’s not in their own community. So if you do good by one HOA, then chances are very good, they will mention you to other HOA’s who are near by and you’ll get lots of business that way. 

It’s my reputation on the line if I hire a company for our properties. If I recommend a vendor and say they will do a great job, then they better do just that, because I’m not going to put my reputation on the line unless a company is worthwhile. And UnderPressure has always come through for me, which is why I request bids from them regularly. 

Scott Monk, former Property Manager for Castle Group Property Management

I worked with Pete many times over about a three-year span. I got his name and number from another property manager. That kind of referral goes a long way with me and with other property managers. He told me Pete was straight forward, knows what he’s talking about, and fairly priced. But the thing he said that made the biggest difference was, “Pete will meet with you at the beginning to look over the job and bid on it, and he’ll meet with you to go over the job at the end and make sure you are both on the same page and to make sure it was done right and we are happy with the work.” Not everyone will take this extra step, but Pete does every time.

Pete is also really flexible. We ask for bids from several vendors for each job. Sometimes there’s things that need to be pressure washed that are not part of the original job. For example, if I get the club house pressure washed, I also want the little bus stop in front of it to be cleaned. Nine times out of ten Pete will throw that in without going out there with a measuring tape and nickel and diming me to death.
​
I’ve never had a problem with any of the jobs I’ve trusted to Pete and Under Pressure. He has a high level of integrity and is honest about what he can and cannot do. Often pressure washing guys will come in and just yes you to death. For example the area they are cleaning might have an oil stain. And I’ll ask if they can get rid of it and they just tell me yes, they can disappear it. Pete will tell me the truth, that oil stains never completely disappear when pressure washed, though he will do the best he can. He doesn’t try to sell you lies just to get the job.
My experience with Pete has been fantastic. We have to get our properties washed at least two times a year, and it can get pricey. We have to bid out those jobs every time we do it. Pete is always on the money when it comes to price, and that just means that his pricing is really very fair. 

​Roof cleaning is fairly new and only became an industry in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. It was primarily started up in the Southern United States, with the state of Florida being one of the main areas of growth for the industry. And no wonder, because down here in Southwest Florida (and the rest of the state), we have the primary ingredients that make bacteria, mold, and mildew grow. . . namely heat and humidity.

Initially, roof cleaning companies used pressure washers to clean the ugly black streaks from people’s roofs. However, if you read our last month’s blog post, you learned how bad pressure washing is for all roofing materials. Any type of pressure washing on shingles literally sprays 10-15 years off the life of your roof. The high pressure removes most of the granules of the shingle, and usually voids the roof's warranty. Pressure washing on tile roofs is just as damaging. The high pressure actually shifts the tiles out of place or cracks them.

Plus, pressure washing does not really take care of the root of the problem, and it will only be a few months before you start to see those ugly streaks again. That’s because the black streaks aren’t “dirt.” The main culprit of those black streaky roof stains is a bacteria called Gloeocapsa Magma. It’s a bacteria! That means it’s a living organism—it’s a plant that will put down roots. Other forms of microorganisms can be found in union with the bacteria, including mold, fungi, algae, mildew, lichen, and moss. When you pressure wash, you do not blow the roots off the roof, so the bacteria, mold and mildew grow back quickly.

The filament root system of the fungi and algae are growing on, and digging in to your roof. Fungi and algae that are growing on a roof have root systems that can cause damage to shingles such as uplifting, spreading of shingles, and decomposition. The roots open up tiny cracks in the shingles, tiles or other roofing materials. Many of these organisms growing on roofing surfaces do much of the same thing. They spread the shingle like a fan. Because the shingle is attached on the back, the front ends of the shingle flare and roll. This is because the shingle is widened at the front more so than the back.

Many roofing surfaces are made with materials that can be metabolized by these microorganisms. For example, shingles contain limestone, which contains phosphates, an excellent source of nutrients for algae, mildew, and bacteria to feed on. These microorganisms will break down a roofing surface and cause decomposition. This in turn, will also aid the process of erosion caused by running water such as rainfall.

The good news is that through a technique we use here at Under Pressure called soft washing, these microorganism stains can be safely removed! We at Under Pressure strictly use only Roof Cleaning Institute of America approved techniques to clean roofs. Those black streaks are an organic pest that are better addressed with algaecides such as you would address a fungal infection in your garden. Soft washing simply uses a cleaning solution to clean your roof. Our Under Pressure technicians simply spray the solution on your roof at around the pressure of a garden hose, and let the chemicals do the work. The solution sprays around forty feet so there is minimal walking and movement on your roof. Most importantly, the cleaning solution actually kills the algae growing on your roof all the way down to the spores. Because of this “non-pressure” technique, your roof will stay clean for years and you won’t need to worry about any damage to your roof.

As you can see, at Under Pressure, our roof cleaning products do the work for us. They even continue to work after we drive away. Every time it rains your roof will get cleaner and release a protective barrier from the algae that actually stains your roof. These methods have been tested and used for several years, and thousands of roofs and has been proven the best and most effective.

Another thing that’s important, at Under Pressure we demand that our policies and techniques follow the safest routes to protecting Mother Nature. When chemicals are used to enhance and speed up the cleaning process in roof cleaning, pressure washing and power washing, we go the extra mile to ensure that we use ONLY biodegradable materials that are environmentally friendly.
​
If you’re interested in having the black stains on your roof removed safely and with a long lasting results, give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

Under Pressure uses a pressure-free method that’s good for your roof!


Let’s talk about some fun stuff like algae and bacteria! What, that’s not a fun topic for you? Well it’s certainly a fascinating topic for us here at Under Pressure. Because algae and bacteria are what make up those black streaks on your roof! And we have a great solution for taking care of them.


But why should you even bother with that? I mean if you’re not selling your home anytime soon, maybe curbside appeal is not as important to you. But the truth is that those streaks are more than just unsightly. . . they are eating away at your roof! Your roof is one of the most expensive components of your house to repair or replace.


That’s right, if your roof isn’t cleaned regularly, especially if algae is visible on it, it can lead to rapid deterioration of your shingles. Shingles help block UV rays, which as you know, we get a lot of here in Southwest Florida. And without being properly blocked, UV rays lead to less energy efficiency and higher electrical bills as you will end up having your air conditioner running more to keep the house cool.


Not only that, if your roof is being eaten away by algae and bacteria, then you’ll have to replace your roofing much sooner than you should need to. Have you priced out roofing lately? It can cost more than $10,000 to get your roof replaced!


So, now that you know this, you want that black streak off your roof right away don’t you? And there are plenty of options in how to get rid of it. There are several techniques used to clean tile roofs in Southwest Florida, but the most common is pressure washing. The problem is . . .
You should never pressure wash a roof.
Here are some reasons why:


1. When you pressure wash a roof, only the top layer of algae is removed while the spores remain alive in the porous tile. So that black streak may be gone, but only for a short period of time. The stains usually reappear within a year and you will need to get your roof cleaned again. And meanwhile, that algae is still eating away at your roof.


2. Another thing that you should be aware of is that pressure washing can cause a lot of damage to your roof. When using a pressure washer to clean a roof, the technician is applying up to 4500 psi of water to your tiles. That can easily cause tiles to shift and a large amount of water to spray underneath the tile and ultimately shorten the lifespan of your roof. Technicians also have to walk a great amount on almost every tile to ensure they are all clean. This causes broken, cracked and shifted tiles on your roof.


3. For red tile roofs (such as you often see here in SWFL), pressure washing can remove or dull the glazing on the tiles. Once that glazing is removed, the coloration of the tile begins to fade, leaving you with a pinkish roof. Eventually, it will start showing the bare cement, leaving you with an unsightly roof.


4. And if you have a shingle roof, the pressure washer can damage those shingles even more than tile. Any type of pressure washing on shingles literally sprays 10-15 years off the life of your roof. Using high pressure can remove the aggregate from the asphalt shingle leaving them unprotected from the elements. High pressure will not only damage the shingles but it will void your warranty.


5. Surface cleaners, water brooms or any type of "low pressure" washing is still pressure washing and very harmful to the life of your roof.
For these reasons, you should always hire someone who knows what they are doing (hint: That would be us at Under Pressure! Don’t be fooled by the name, we pressure wash the areas of your home that are safe to pressure wash, such as your driveway, but never the roof.). Professional roof cleaning is a relatively new industry and a lot of people just go in there and they think that if they have a power washer that they are able to clean a roof. You should never allow anyone who utilizes a power washer or pressure washer to clean your roof.
​

​We at Under Pressure strictly use only Roof Cleaning Institute of America approved techniques to clean roofs. We do not use "high pressure" or "low pressure" washing on roofs. We clean with no pressure applied to the roof. Also, we use minimal walking on roofs to maintain the integrity of the roof. The products applied to the roof do the work for us. They even continue to work after we drive away. Every time it rains your roof will get cleaner and release a protective barrier from the algae that actually stains your roof. These methods have been tested and used for several years and thousands of roofs, and have been proven to be the best and most effective methods for cleaning a roof.

​

To state the obvious, here in Southwest Florida, it is very humid. We also have a high water table to contend with. That means there is constantly moisture trying to escape from the ground, as well as moisture in the air. What does all this have to do with the brick pavers in your driveway and lanai? Well in most places in the U.S. people can use solvent-based sealers to keep their pavers looking beautiful, but here in Southwest Florida that just doesn’t work, and that constant humidity is why.

A lot of people think that the solvent-based sealers, which are designed to keep water and moisture out of your pavers, are good for your pavers, but they are wrong. There are several problems with trying to use solvent-based sealers here. To begin with, most of these sealers require 2-5 days to complete the job, depending on weather and drainage conditions. After pressure washing, the pavers have to dry completely, the joints have to be re-sanded, and then the solvent-based acrylic sealers can be applied. The dependency on weather resulted in loss of time for us at Under Pressure. As in most businesses, time is money for me, plus, do you really want to have to wait several days for your driveway or lanai to look fantastic?

We used to run from one job site to another several times per job to determine if a paver area was dry enough to be sealed. Even after ensuring the surface was dry enough, we still incurred problems with the pavers. Which leads me to mention the second more important issue with solvent-based sealers, which is that they also trap water and moisture in the paver. This moisture and water will begin deteriorating the bond that the sealer has with the paver and when this happens your sealer turns a white color. That white color is an indication that the sealer has detached from the paver and there is water trapped between the sealer and paver. Once this happens, the sealer pretty much needs to be stripped, and a new sealer applied.

That’s why we began testing some of the water-based sealers available in the marketplace. I wanted a sealer we could apply immediately after pressure washing, but one that would not turn white. My goal was no more down time, immediately beautiful results, and pavers that looked enhanced and gorgeous for a long time.

We were excited to find a company in Florida that manufactures water-based sealers. Seal ‘n Lock manufactures their products right here in Tampa, FL, which means they truly understand the limitations of our local weather and environment. We most often use the Seal 'n Lock Super Wet sealant, which is a water-based urethane modified acrylic sealer that penetrates the pavers and provides a protective barrier, wet-looking surface and excellent joint stabilization.

This product is also consistent with our dedication to being responsible with the environment. Our product is not harmful to any vegetation, and does not produce any toxic odor. The sealing of paver driveways with this system not only protects the brick pavers, but it also ensures structural performance while inhibiting insect and weed infestation. Under Pressure's use of this system definitely provides the highest quality product with the best application process. The other thing I love about Seal ‘n Lock is that they annually offer myself and my employees the opportunity to continually educate ourselves about sealers. That’s why our employees at Under Pressure go through training once a year with the Seal n Lock company to ensure we know the best products to use and how to apply them correctly.

The fact is this, if you have brick pavers, you need to get them professionally sealed. Our sealer protects the surface of your pavers from the weathering caused by those high-powered UV rays we get here in the South. While the concrete pavers themselves are highly durable, the colored pigments in the pavers can slowly fade over time, due to the UV ray exposure. Sealing the pavers helps to keep the paver’s colors vibrant even in bright sunlight.
​
Let us help you keep your brick pavers looking great and lasting for more than 30 years! By letting Under Pressure deep clean and seal your brick pavers every two years, your driveway, walkway or lanai will better resist dirt and oil, keep weeds from growing and prevent cracks from forming, providing your home with gorgeous curbside appeal!

​

Cleaning and sealing the pavers in your driveway will make them look like new. Where else can you spend so little to change so much? The difference is striking. Sealing adds value and curb appeal to your home or business. There are many reasons to have your driveway cleaned and sealed (we’ll go more in depth into that in a later blog), but here are just a few:

• Sealing helps protect you against water damage. Water causes more damage to driveways than any other single thing.

• Sealing helps protect your pavers against oil spills, antifreeze spills, and other spills by preventing these substances from penetrating.

• Sealing just plain makes your driveway look great! Imagine turning a completely unattractive surface into an elegant and beautiful surface once again.

Now that you’ve decided you simply must have your brick paver driveway cleaned and sealed, here are a few things you need to do to prepare for us to come and do that job.

1. Free up your driveway. Several of the steps we take in sealing your pavers require lengthy waiting times when you will not be able to use your driveway. Before beginning this maintenance process, make sure you have another place to put your cars! Clear your driveway of all vehicles, including trailers.

2. Clean up your driveway. Make sure that all of the debris is cleared off of the surface of your driveway, this includes children’s toys, bicycles, lawn furniture, planters, garbage, trash cans and any other items that might be on the surface we need to seal.

3. Take care of the lawn ahead of time. If the lawn adjacent to the driveway looks overgrown, mow the lawn and trim any vegetation growing along the paver’s edge. If you have a scheduled lawn maintenance, please be sure they will not be coming until at least 48 hours after the pavers have been sealed.

4. Rinse/wash off the area 2-4 days before, if there is any chalk or fertilizer present on the driveway.

5. Don’t water your lawn. Turn off your sprinkler/irrigation system for at least 24 hours after the sealing job.

6. No deliveries. Notify delivery truck drivers that your driveway area will be inaccessible until the sealcoating job and process is complete. Reschedule or make alternative arrangements for deliveries.

7. Let it dry. Wait at least 3 or 4 hours before walking on your newly sealed driveway, and at least 48 hours before driving on it.

Sealing your driveway at least every two years will provide the best protection against the elements and keep your brick pavers looking good for years to come. Give us a call at 239-218-5085, and have us come out and give your brick paver driveway new life with an Under Pressure seal coat, to return even your older brick pavers back to their original shine and beauty.

​