Middle Georgia residents have experienced significant rainfalls since last summer, and with the wet weather comes mold and mildew on our homes, patios, walkways, and driveways. I’ve recently seen Gleam Power Washing ads, and I wanted the opportunity to speak to David Gentle, who leads this new division of Gleam Cleaning Pros. In preparation for opening the new division, David and his wife and business partner, Tonya Gentle, invested in the latest, state of the art equipment to provide power washing services to their clients. David was kind enough to answer my questions.
Q: Why hire a professional to power wash your home? Can’t you rent a power washing machine at Home Depot and other retailers?
A: A pro has the experience, knowledge, and proper training to clean your home safely and effectively. Although you can rent equipment and try a do-it-yourself approach, it will cost you money as well as your valuable time. The high water pressure could also cause significant damage to your home if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Q: What should I look for if I’m hiring a company to power wash my house? Are there any “red flags” or important questions I should ask to be sure that the service is a good one?
A: Research is important. In addition to recommendations and reviews, look for examples of their work. Social media is a good place to find examples; we personally use Facebook.com/gleampowerwashing. It’s important to ask about their experience. Ask for copies of their insurance before hiring a new company to power wash your house.
Q: What surfaces can Gleam Power Washing clean?
A: We clean many surfaces, including homes and businesses. Our house washing system is a “soft wash,” which is good for vinyl, wood, stucco, brick, hardy board, etc. We also power wash cement driveways, pavers, flagstone, exterior tile, decking, and docks.
Q: What if my house is brick and has mold or mildew discoloring the brick — can you pressure wash that?
A: With Gleam Pressure Washing’s knowledge and experience with application of the proper chemicals and methods, we can clean any organic materials from surface of your home.
Q: What about cleaning discoloration on a roof. Can you pressure wash that, too?
A: Roof cleaning is a tricky subject. A lot of people are doing it, but because of insurance and warranty issues, we do not clean roofs. If hiring a person to do it, be 100% certain to get a certificate of insurance that specifically has verbiage that “roof cleaning” is covered by their insurance company.
Q: Is there any such thing as siding that’s “too old” to pressure wash? Can it cause splitting, cracking, or fracturing of old siding?
A: We definitely look for pre-existing conditions, due to a previous company or home owner damaging surface. before we perform work. If cleaned properly those should not be issues.
Q: In the old days, my dad used a mix of soap, bleach, and water with a long scrubber to scrub the siding. Do you need to scrub the house to get all the mold and mildew off?
A: Most of the time, no, we do not need to scrub surfaces during our process. With the use of proper chemicals and equipment, soft washing of the surface is all that is required for satisfactory results.
[Editor’s note: It has been brought to my attention that my father used a garden hose with a sprayer attachment and not a pressure washer. That’s why he scrubbed the siding.]
Q: How can I help to prepare my house for pressure washing?
A: We ask that all windows are double checked to be sure they are latched and locked, and any doors that may leak, we ask our customers to put a towel at edge. We do not use a lot of pressure, but water has a way of finding its way in sometimes, and it’s best to take proper precautions. We normally move porch furniture, plants, rugs, and other items before we clean. For other items that are too large to move, we cover with plastic tarps.
Q: How long do you advise going between power washings of various surfaces?
A: It is all relevant to your environment: many of our customers go once a year, but may go more frequently if live in a wooded area or on a lake.
Q: If I have shrubbery, flowers, or other landscaping against the side of my house, should I worry that the pressure washing will kill/harm them?
A: Plants and vegetables can be sensitive to chemicals, so we take protective measures when working around them, such as wetting them well and covering them up while cleaning is in process, then rinsing after for added protection.
For more questions, or to obtain power washing services, Gleam Power Washing can be reached at 478-994-0515, or by visiting GleamPowerWash.com.
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