The process that works the fastest for obtaining an estimate is to contact us directly on our cell phones. We are a two-man business, which means everything we do is with the intent to keep it simple. If you don’t need an immediate response, but would like one within 24 hours you can simply click here and we’ll contact you as soon as possible. We look forward to talking to you.
Deck Restoration:
Do I Need Deck Restoration?
Take a look at your deck. Are you seeing spots where stain is no longer present? Are you seeing graying of your wood? Possibly a greenish algae growing on its surface? If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions then you’re a good candidate for our deck restoration services.
What part do I play in this whole process?
You are our customer and you’re valued more than you know. Every customer we have in our database is not just another name or customer ID number. We consider every customer to be a family member of ARK Home Maintenance Cleaning. If there is anything you would like to move yourself before we come out feel free. But if you’d just like us to move your deck furniture, potters and anything else then that’s not a problem. We’re two very physically capable men.
What’s Your Cleaning Process?
Our process is very complete and concise. We do not cut corners. We do not take shortcuts. Our process consists of four major steps:
1) Pre-wash and strip: We pre-wash your deck and remove any loose particles and debris that will inhibit the stripping solution from doing its job properly. We then apply the solution with rollers and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, making sure to keep it damp so it can fully lift any old stain that may be on your deck from years past. After it sits for 5-10 minutes we gently scrub it down with deck brushes to loosen up any remaining stain that hasn’t totally come up. We then use your tap water and a pressure tip (not pressure washer) to rinse the solution off.
2) Once the solution is removed we then treat your deck with one of the most important treatments your deck can have – a brightener and conditioner. This takes the remaining tannin out of the wood and restores it to its natural tone again. It also neutralizes the prior application to allow the stain to take.
3) We then let the deck dry overnight for maximum dryness to allow the stain to take to the deck. When we return the next day we gently take sand paper over your deck to assure no splintering. Once this is done the final step comes into play.
4) The final step is to apply the stain to your deck. This is done with rollers and brushes to assure no stain overspray that occurs with a sprayer. This keeps the site neat and clean at the finish of the project. One application is usually all it takes. However, some customers request two. This is done with no problem.
Does Your Company Pressure Wash Decks?
NO! We NEVER pressure wash decks. This causes un-needed splintering and the composition of the wood to break down prematurely, causing repairs that don’t need to be done.
When’s The Best Time To Start My Restoration?
The best time to start the process is in the beginning of the Spring time. We recommend that you start your project mid March and finish it in mid April. This allows the wood to season just a bit, which is healthy for it. Wood was naturally made to be nourished by the elements, but in a more controlled nature. That’s where we come in! So if you would like to make sure your deck is in top condition by the Summer time give us a call. We’d love to make you another happy member of the Ark HMC family!
Gutters:
What can I expect when you come clean my gutters?
The following is our gutter cleaning procedures. You will see that it is much like what
you’ve seen before, but with a couple additives.
1) We will hand-scoop every gutter and bucket the debris, later placing it
in your yard debris bucket when needed. Other arrangements can be made at
the time of your estimate including disposing the debris in a compost pile,
or bagging it up and hauling it away ourselves. If you do prefer for us to
bag it up and haul it away we only ask $3 per bag hauled. The typical gutter
cleaning project only takes about 2 bags, so that’s only an extra $6 average
addition to your bill.
2) After all the debris is scooped out of your gutters we then run water
through them, totally flushing them and clearing all small debris left.
While flushing we have one man on the ground inspecting for leaks. If we do
find any we will consult you and give you the option to have it taken care
of. Prices will be discussed with you at that time and will vary depending
upon if it’s a small hole that can just be patched by a dab of gutter
sealing calking, or if the problem necessitates a larger patch up. Either
way, we promise to not overprice what we’re doing. Our job as your service
provider is to leave you at the end of the project feeling happy, not
feeling broke.
3) Upon finishing the flush of your gutters we then check all downspouts to
make sure there are no clogs. If there are clogs they will be taken care of
to the best of our ability. Once in a while our partnering rooter company
needs to come out to flush a deeper clog, usually under ground. But this is
a small percent of the time.
4) When we’re finished with the cleaning process we then check the slope of
your gutters to make sure it’s correct, re-nail loose nails if needed, rinse
the front of your gutters and clean up the grounds. Since many customers
can’t see into their gutters to make sure they’re cleaned properly we snap a
photo into your gutter and show you upon completion they are indeed clean
enough to eat out of most of the time.
We do install a couple different types of gutter guards, depending on the existing debris type. If you simply have a leaf problem we install a plastic covering into the top of your gutters that keeps larger debris such as leaves out. If you have more of a needle problem then the typical gutter protection system we use is called leaf defier. This is more of a foam insert that sits down in your gutter. It’s made up of tightly interwoven polyurethane strands that keep all small and large debris out and let water safely flow through. For more information on this product you can ask up at time of estimate and we would love to answer any of your questions.
Do you offer any type of guarantee on your gutter cleaning?
We do offer a 90 day/no questions asked guarantee that your gutters will no clog with all jobs that are full gutter jobs (not just smaller sections) and no guards have been installed. We offer a one year no-clog guarantee with EVERY guard installation. That means that if there is a problem with clogging in the time periods listed above, we will come out and take care of it at no extra cost to you.
Do you install gutters?
No, we do not, we install vinyl and aluminum downspouts, and we repair small sections of gutters. All materials are purchased locally. We however, are not equipped or licensed for gutter install.
Roof Cleaning
What can I expect when you clean my roof?
The first thing you can expect is fast and friendly service. But as to the process of cleaning your roof for you, that depends on the type of cleaning. We have two types of cleaning that we perform on roofs. They are as follows:
1) General Maintenance (removal of loose debris)
We will get up on your roof and either blow it off and spray it off to rinse
away loose dirt buildup, or we will sweep it off and of course spray it off.
Most of the time, to limit grounds damage and cleanup we will sweep it off
and rinse it. Though it does take a little more time, we prefer the last
type of cleaning simply because it gets us more up close and personal with
your roof.
2) Moss Removal
The second type of roof cleaning we do is removing moss. Though there are
“green roofs” out there, I can tell you right now moss is not roof friendly.
It can lead to many problems with your roof including eventually having to
replace the whole thing. We use the method that was taught to us by our
mentor and have found this to be the safest way of removing moss without
causing damage to your roof.
This cleaning process starts with us clearing your gutters if needed to
avoid a muddy mess in the end. We then start from the bottom of the roof
near the gutter line and with wire bristle brushes remove the moss on the
horizontal and vertical lines on your shingles. We NEVER put the brushes
flat down on the top surface or your shingles, thus removing valuable rock
that’s the health and vitality of your roof.
After the moss on the roof is all loosened we then start from the peak of
the roof and rinse all the moss to the gutters. Once this is done we, again,
clean your gutters, check your downspouts and check for loose nails and
leaks.
Yes. Moss needs two environmental factors to grow. The first one is moisture. Anywhere where there is moisture you have a good growing ground for moss. The second is shade, or reduced direct sunlight. Now if you look at the makeup of your roof you can see that not all of your shingles are going to be totally flat to the surface of your roof. So this means that under the front surface of your shingles is where the moss is going to grow. When the moss matures more you will find lifting of the shingles that are there to protect your roof. With the moisture that moss retains, and now with the shingles on your roof not fully doing their job you can begin to have moisture escaping down under your shingles onto the wood surface underneath. This can cause wood rot and eventually lead you to having to have costly roof repairs done. That’s why we offer you this service: spend a little money now to avoid spending A LOT of money later.
You say that you use brushes to remove the moss… Do you ever pressure wash roofs?
NO! Whenever a roof is pressure washed – even with “low pressure” – you’re removing precious rock off of your roof, lessening its longevity and life-span anywhere from 2-5 or more years. Also if you’re the original owner of the house or you’ve had your roof replaced, there’s usually a pressure washing clause in your roof’s warranty that states any type of high pressure washing will void your warranty. That means that any repairs that would usually be covered in your warranty will now not be covered. There are always alternatives to pressure washing a roof.
A lot of companies offer a guarantee on their moss removals. What about you?
Our guarantee is that you’ll always be taken care of when you go with ARK HMC. The fact is that there are a lot of companies that will promise you that the moss will not return within 1-3 years. Unfortunately, with Oregon’s climate and the fact that the factors of moss growth are always present, we don’t want to get your hopes up that the moss will not return. But with our yearly return maintenance program we can assure you’ll be taken care of. Please see our pricing schedule for further details.
Do you repair roofs?
We do minor repairs to vents and boot jacks, however, actual roof repair and replacement we do not handle.
If you have any other questions that we may offer an answer to please click here and fill out the form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. As we were taught by our mentor, educating your customer is number one in our industry, and we have carried that on to our own practices. Thanks for viewing our FAQ’s page and we look forward to hearing from you!
Paul Downs
Owner
ARK Home Maintenance Cleaning