Spring Gutter & Roof Cleaning

 Jeffrey Hausmann, pressure supervisor at Custom Window Cleaning and Property Maintenance, scrapes the moss off of a roof in Eugene. For many window cleaners in the US, winter/spring is the perfect time to offer roof/gutter cleaning.

Time to tidy up the roof - Dos, don’ts from Lane County experts for removing moss and keeping gutters flowing free: Trees can be hard enough on roofs, what with their falling needles, leaves and limbs. But even worse, usually, is a silent plague bred by dark and moist Willamette Valley days.

“The last two winters have been ridiculous,” declares roof-maintenance specialist Doug Holston. “Moss has grown on everything. If you have wet, warm, mild winters, you’re going to have more moss growing.” The only way for homeowners to know how their roofs have fared against moss, debris and wind over the winter is to have a look.

Workers use harnesses and safety ropes when cleaning a steep roof.

Leave inspections of steep roofs to the pros, implores Holston, owner of Custom Window Cleaning and Property Maintenance in Eugene. His crews harness themselves to anchored ropes for their own safety on slippery pitches.

Homeowners with milder roof pitches — 5/12 or less — can venture a look-see themselves if confident of their balance on both roof and ladder. “Be sure it’s not too steep and slippery, and that you have your tennis shoes on,” advises John Davey, co-owner of long-time River Roofing in Springfield.

Autumn and spring are the best times to go up top and inspect. “At least get up there once a year,” Davey advises. “This is a great time right now, with spring arriving. You can check on any damage from winter weather and clear off debris that’s accumulated up there.”

Moss actually eats away at the roof, causing it to deteriorate faster.

Kill and remove moss

The bane of rooftops in Oregon is moss. When dampness accumulates on a shaded area, moss breeds, potentially causing long-term damage to roof shingles and support structure. Before moss digs in and spreads, kill the growth.

Most moss-control products contain zinc sulfate. “Green” treatments, such as sprays of diluted white vinegar and baking soda, can be effective, too. However, alternative moss control solutions can void the warranty on some brands of asphalt shingles, so be sure to read the fine print before application.

“Whether you use those natural products or a chemical moss killer from the store, in about six weeks the moss will die and then you can go up there and scrape it off,” Davey says. What you absolutely must not do with a composition shingle roof is use a pressure washer to remove debris. Pressure washing can damage asphalt shingles and cause the roof to leak. Davey recommends a stiff broom and a small, light steel brush. “Work (the moss) loose, but don’t get too aggressive with it,” he says.

Pressure washing is OK on roofs of cement, steel, concrete or metal, but even then Davey recommends an initial cleaning followed by a light wash.

While pressure washers should never be used to clean an asphalt-shingle roof, it is OK to remove debris with an air blower.

Clean gutters crucial

Clogged gutters can cause rainwater to seep under a roof’s fascia and rot the wood. Gutters and downspouts should be cleaned at least once a year. Examine both the gutters and the downspouts for leaks and gaps in the seams.

“Gutters used to be installed with silicone, but now we use an aluminum-based sealant that stays pliable during temperature changes,” says Kelly Carter, who, with her husband, owns and runs Hedge Carter’s Continuous Gutter Service based in Dorena. “You won’t get the leaks you did in the past.”

Larger gutter spouts also are now available, “and that makes it much easier to clean and maintain,” she adds. Wire-mesh screens and some other gutter coverings can help keep needles, leaves and limbs from clogging drainage. But any covering requires periodic cleaning.

“There is no maintenance-free gutters, screens or anything else, no matter what anyone tells you,” Holston says. “Nothing is maintenance free.” Always make sure that gutters and downspouts lead water away from the home and its foundation, and that brackets hold downspouts tightly against the house.

Maintenance on steep roofs should be left to pros with proper safety equipment. Upkeep on roofs with milder pitches, at 5/12 are less, is within the realm of homeowners confident of their balance on roof and ladder. 

Check for wear and tear, too

With spring, also check your roof for missing or damaged shingles. Quick replacement helps to prevent water damage that might result when rainwater pools around curled or missing shingles. Also, be sure metal flashing remains intact around vents, exhaust pipes and chimneys. Check to see that the flashing isn’t bent, and existing sealant isn’t dried up or loose.

Seal cracked mortar or caulking around joints and chimneys if there are signs of deterioration. New sealants are extremely flexible in hot and cold weather, and are much more durable than their predecessors, Davey says.

He suggests using polyurethane sealants rather than the more traditional roof mastic. “These newer polyurethane options have a tendency to stick better to brick, glass, wood and shingles,” Davey explains, “and they have a longer life.”

Trim trees so their limbs do not overhang the roof and shower it with needles or leaves. And keep an eye out for animal damage, too. Various birds and insects love your roof and its underpinnings.

Detroit Gets A Spring Window Scrubbing

A man hangs from the top of 1301 Broadway to wash windows on Thursday morning, March 5, 2015 in Downtown Detroit. Several hours later, a small crew of cleaners completed washing both the inside and out on all five floors of the building. Click to enlarge.

Detroit building gets a window scrubbing as spring approaches (Detroit, MI) - The air might still sting the face, but there's a small sign that spring is close by in downtown Detroit. The 1301 Broadway St. building down the street from Punch Bowl Social downtown had its windows cleaned Thursday morning while the sun beat through the wintery cold. The building is owned by Bedrock Real Estate Services, the real estate arm of of Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert.

According to Bedrock Chief Operating Officer Tamara Knapp, the window cleanings happen every spring and fall as a part of regular building maintenance. "Bedrock, like most property management companies, does window cleaning...as part of our regular building maintenance," Knapp said. "Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference...having clean windows to let the sun shine in creates a bright, uplifting environment for our retail and office tenants in downtown Detroit.

"Bedrock is committed to the highest standards of excellence in property management and building maintenance." The Broadway building is set to be the future location of former pop-up restaurant Guns & Butter. The upper floors are used for office space. According to Robin Schwartz, Bedrock spokeswoman, the company has had a bit of fun with the cleaning in the past. The window washers dressed in sports uniforms in 2013 while they washed the windows. Through Bedrock and Rock Ventures, Gilbert owns 70 properties in downtown Detroit, amounting to over 10 million square of real estate. He's invested $1.6 billion in the city.

The Joy Of Clear Glass

Mr. Savadian said that since his company invented the Winbot, he no longer does his own windows. Behind his triumph, I thought I detected a hint of regret.

The Joy of Clear Glass: Spring is just around the corner, and that can mean only one thing: spring cleaning. Actually, spring means lots of things—trees budding, birds singing, more hours of daylight—with cleaning ranking pretty far down the list, at least at our house. I'm just trying to make this column sound more timely because, truth be told, the desire I'm here to address can strike me at any season and at almost any hour.

It's not what you think. I'm referring to cleaning my windows. There are few things that annoy me quite as much as a dirty window, as having to observe the world through a layer of filth. And the great thing is, I can do something about it. I'd go so far as to say that little in life delivers greater satisfaction than transforming a window stained with dust and dirt into a perfectly transparent surface through which to admire the planet.

As a brief aside, a while back I visited 30 Rock to interview Chuck Scarborough, the veteran local NBC News anchorman. As impressive an individual as he was, I couldn't believe how dirty his office windows were. The view was great—overlooking Rockefeller Center and the ice-skating rink—but you could only dimly perceive it through the grime. He told me the landlord didn't clean them and he sounded helpless to do anything about it. "Damn it, man," I thought and probably declared, though slightly less strenuously, "you're Chuck Scarborough. You deserve clean windows."

One more almost totally unrelated point regarding the subject of window cleaning: I used to attend a writing group that met occasionally at a Central Park West apartment. The bathroom faced the park. People pay millions of dollars for views of the park, yet the bathroom window was frosted. Why? There wasn't another person who could see the occupants when they showered any closer than Fifth Avenue. And any voyeur would still have to use a high-powered telescope.

My bathroom window has no such view. Yet, when it was installed, I had the manufacturer make the bottom pane of glass frosted for privacy, but the top pane clear so that I could see the world—the clouds scudding by; the seagulls circling. I bet people don't realize there are seagulls circling the city, high in the air, all the time. I wouldn't have, either, if I hadn't insisted on a clear pane.

I offer the Chuck Scarborough outrage and my custom-made bathroom window as proof that I take window cleanliness seriously. So it made sense that when Nick Savadian, executive general manager of Ecovac Robotics, was in town recently I'd seek an audience. Ecovac manufactures the Winbot, a window-cleaning robot.

Given my passion for clean windows, you might think that I'd regard Mr. Savadian and his product as saviors of a sort. No way. Here's why: As much as I love clean windows, 50% of the pleasure—no, 75%—comes from polishing them myself. Like everybody else, I delay gratification. I tell myself they're not that dirty; it can wait; there are more productive things I could be doing with my time.

No, there aren't.

There are also elements of risk involved. My windows in the city open inward for easy cleaning. Nonetheless, I sometimes get carried away and extend my brass squeegee so far outside that I risk tumbling nine stories to the ground. (By the way, I'm not recommending those who live in buildings with old-fashioned windows purchase a harness and straps and hang out over the street for the satisfaction of clean windows; please leave those to professionals.) And my windows upstate have storm windows over them. So, for every window, you're effectively cleaning two windows. Indeed, one could spend the whole day cleaning windows, a temptation I resist.

But when the chore is completed, I never regret it. I may regret a smudge I missed or a streak from the squeegee that shows I could have done a better job. But few things fill me with the same sense of well being as the ability to see the world through clear glass. It's almost as if the sense of control you possess over your immediate space extends out infinitely. You become a god.

So, obviously, it was with no small amount of skepticism that I listened to Mr. Savadian as he touted his window-cleaning robot. He explained that it joins other domestic robots manufactured by his company, including the Deebot, which does floors, and the Atmobot, which chases down pollutants while playing your favorite music. For example, you could be sitting there smoking a Cohiba when all of a sudden you have company; it'll suck in the smoke and serenade you with something by Nirvana. Whether you want company is another matter.

The way the Winbot, which I borrowed for a week, works is that it attaches itself to a window, like a tick, and then scuttles back and forth, its brain somehow mapping the window's dimensions and remembering the area it has already covered. It has certain limitations. It probably won't conquer caked-on grime if you don't wash your windows regularly. And it will only clean windows in the vertical position. Since mine in the city angle for cleaning, the Winbot wouldn't work on them. I suppose I could just attach the device to the outside of the window in its upright position—it comes with a large suction cup to prevent it from falling—but I don't think I'd want to suffer the legal consequences if it somehow lost suction and plummeted nine stories onto the head of an unsuspecting pedestrian.

"Go and enjoy your life," the personable Mr. Savadian told me. "When it's finished, it will play a song and move to the other pane."

Actually, you have to move it. As talented as it is, it can't unsuction itself, climb down, cross the room, pause for a beer, and start on the next window. It still requires a human handler.

But that's not the point. The point is that for some perverse reason, I enjoy cleaning my own windows. (Did I mention that it also saves money? Professional window cleaners can set you back hundreds of bucks.)

"You're the second person in the world" who likes cleaning his own windows, Mr. Savadian told me.

"Who's the first?" I asked.

"You're looking at him," he said. "I'm a clean freak. Clean windows are like clean vision. The sunlight comes in differently. It changes you mood. These are medically proven facts. You have an improved outlook towards life—healthy and happy."

So why deny us obsessive-compulsive types the small pleasures in life? He mentioned do-it-yourself problems such as streaks and dirty water dripping onto floors and carpets. Details.

We even compared notes on our squeegees. He has the two-sided variety, sponge on one side, squeegee on the other. I prefer the classic one-sided squeegee, which I apply after washing the window with a separate sponge soaked in soapy water. Streaks and hard-to-reach corners are promptly addressed with a small towel, just like the pros do.

Mr. Savadian said that since his company invented the Winbot, he no longer does his own windows. Behind his triumph, I thought I detected a hint of regret.

New Water Fed Pole Tools From Aqua-Dapter

Aqua-dapter want to let you know about new products recently added to their website. All products will be available in the USA soon from here.

Introducing the new FlipFast™ quick release adjustable gooseneck angle adapter. Originally thought of by Jeff Brimble, then re-introduced by Dave (Hinty), Aqua-dapter have now taken over the reins.

What Does It Do? Enables you to adjust the angle of your brush very quickly, simply, and accurately - by raising the lever to release the clamp, setting the brush angle, and lowering the lever to tighten.

How Will It Help Me? How many times have you struggled to get the best angle for cleaning a window? How many times have you thought to yourself "I could adjust the angle but it's too much effort"? Have you ever tried to loosen the adjusting knob - only to find that it is stuck and won't co-operate? Do you ever find that you haven't tightened the knob sufficiently, and as you start to put pressure on the brush it clicks round to a different, unhelpful position? Do you sometimes find it a fiddle adjusting the brush to give the sills an extra scrub? If you've ever experienced any of these problems  - maybe you are ready for a FlipFast? Available as a DIY kit for your existing Angle Adapter, or already fitted to a standard or extended reach adapter.  Read more, and see videos here or on our blog.

FlipFast Quick-Release Extended Angle Adaptors. New extensions from Aqua-dapter - These extended Angle Adapters provide a cost effective alternative to a gooseneck.  Available in 6 inch, 9 inch and 12 inch variations.

New Portable Backpack: 

Tank capacity    16 Litres

Battery    12V/8AH Maintenance-free Power Storage Battery

Fuse    6A

Charger    DC12V/1000MA  Automatic Saturation

Pump    DC12V / 2.0A / 3.1L/min

Automatic Pressure Switch    75psi (0.48Mpa)

Speed Control    Five (5) Speed Rotary Controller

Using time after full charged    ≥ 5hours (Cumulative time) can last days.  Voltage meter to monitor charge capacity.

Fittings    microbore mini (rectus 21) fitting and hose tail suitable for connection to Aqua-dapter Pole Hose

Carrying    easy detachable padded back straps or carry handle.

Net weight    5.1KG

Water Fed Pole Tube Strengthening Inserts: This is a small piece of hard round tube that is exactly the right diameter to slide inside the Aqua-dapter hose. Particularly when using hot water, this insert helps to stop the hose from pulling out of the push fit connector as it prevents the hose collapsing. Flow rate is unaffected.

Will it fit my pole? This Brodex Collar Adapter allows you to use your Aqua-dapter (Mk2) on any Brodex pole with an Aluminium collar. Rather than feed the hose through the hole in the side of the collar, the hose goes straight through the middle of the collar and into the Aqua-dapter. For poles with a metal or plastic end screw please see, End Screw Adapter. You can add an Aqua-dapter to most poles by choosing the appropriate one of these End Screw Adapters.  However if you are at all unsure whether it will fit, please contact Aqua-dapter and they will try to assist you.  It will be most helpful if you can take a close up picture (in focus) of the end screw thread on the end of your Water Fed Pole.

New Galvanised Springs: These galvanized springs are stronger than the Stainless Steel springs (pictured) originally supplied and so improve the operation of the Aqua-dapter, particularly when returning the carriage to the top when in use on long poles (i.e. pulling a heavy hose full of water back up). The are designed to last well beyond the guarantee period on the Aqua-dapter.

Un-boxing the Aqua-dapter here.  Innovation award here. Aqua-Dapter Mark 2 here.