If your gutters look like this ..Houston we got a problem

Gutter cleaning tips and tricks:
Gutter cleaning is a dangerous and difficult chore. It is time consuming and unpleasant.  Unfortunately, most people put off cleaning out their gutter systems until there is a problem. The reality is that your gutters should be cleaned twice a year:  once in early spring to clear out any leftover debris that has accumulated during the winter, and more importantly, in late fall.   It is very important to fully clean out your gutter system during this time of year in order to clear out all of the falling leaves and things that gather in your gutter system during fall before the rains starts.

It is imperative that you exercise caution when cleaning your gutter system, keeping in mind that it is a potentially very dangerous activity.
As is common with most home maintenance activities, it is wise to have your entire gutter cleaning materials you will need prior to beginning.  Preferable materials to have in order to properly clean out your gutter system include a ladder, a pair of sturdy gloves, a bucket with a hook, a gutter scoop, and a water hose.  However, you are able to clean your gutter system with alternative "tools."  This is explained further below.
The first step in cleaning your gutter system is gaining access to the gutters themselves.  I cannot stress enough how important it is that you remember to exercise caution and safety precautions.  There are many deaths associated with homeowners not using ladders correctly.  

Gutters themselves are not sturdy, and are often unstable.  Ensure that you are using a sturdy, solid ladder.   Be sure to lean the ladder against a solid surface. Do not lean the ladder against the gutter system. The aluminum system can, and often will, buckle under the weight of a person climbing on a ladder.  The most important ladder safety tip is that the base of the ladder must be on solid ground.  A good general rule is that for every four feet high that the ladder is going, the base should be one foot away from the side of the house. Another important safety precaution to keep in mind is to always face forward when moving up and down on the ladder and keep at least one hand on the ladder at all times.

Before climbing the ladder, assemble all of the materials you will need in a way that will allow you to bring them up with you as you climb the ladder.  It works well to put your gloves on, place the scoop and hook inside the empty bucket, and then sling the bucket over your forearm so that you are still able to use both hands when climbing the ladder.  Once up the ladder, place the hook on a rung in front of the ladder that will keep the bucket accessible, and hang the bucket from the hook.  It is now time to begin actually removing the debris from your gutters.
Gloves are a very important part of safety. There are many sharp edges in an aluminum gutter system.  Additionally, there is no way to know what else you may find that has taken up residence in your gutters.  You do not want to be touching the debris, often moldy and quite possibly bacteria laden, that have contaminated your gutters.

You are now ready to begin the actual process of removing the debris from your gutter system.  If using a gutter scoop, not only will you be able to pick up more debris with each swipe, but your reach will be extended so you will not need to move your ladder quite as often.  The efficiency of cleaning out your gutter system will be much quicker if using a gutter scoop.  However, often times people do use their hands as a scoop.  You are only able to pick up a much smaller amount of debris at a time using your hands.  If you are using your hands, then it really is extremely important that you are wearing a sturdy pair of gloves to protect your hands from any dangerous debris that may have landed in your gutter systems.

Cleaning out a gutter system requires many trips up and down a ladder, moving the ladder, and emptying your bucket.  Once you have removed all of the debris from the gutters themselves, it is time to give your gutter system a test run using your garden hose.  A final and good rinse with a garden hose is essential.  It is important to test your gutter system in order to ensure that you do not have any clogs, especially in the downspouts. Start at one end of your gutter system and start running water. Check to make sure that the slope of your gutters is steep enough so that no pools of water form. You want constant movement toward the downspout with no accumulation. The next thing you will check for is that the water flow continues out the bottom of the downspout at the same rate that it is going in. If the water only trickles out or stops coming out all together, then you know you have a clog somewhere.

Again, it is imperative that you exercise proper safety precautions through this final step.  Make sure that all of your materials are now away from the ladder so that the hose cannot get tangled up in or around them.  Handling a hose up on a ladder can be tricky and you need to make sure that you always keep at least one hand on the ladder and do not lean. Make sure that the dangling hose is not caught on your feet or in your way when you are climbing up and down. Another potentially dangerous situation to keep in mind is that your ladder rungs will get slippery when they get wet. Anytime you bring water into the equation, the danger level of any home improvement task goes up. Be extra careful of your footing and hang on tight when climbing down a wet ladder.
At Elements Gutter Cleaning We take pride in being the best. If you have hard to reach gutters or windows no problem we can clean them. We will be on schedule, uniformed and in a clearly marked truck with our logo on it. To schedule gutter cleaning services go to  Myfilthywindows.com or call us today @ 717.846.8446, texting is fine to 717.465.2822

 Does your homes siding have these little black dots ?

These are typical, frequently asked questions (FAQ) that I normally field during the spring and summer (very seldom in the winter) -- along with a brief summary of typical answers. Answers are meant to be (hopefully) informative, not very technical, and are not meant to offer concrete solutions. The questions are generally in the order that they are asked...

 
Q: We have these small, black spots that look like specks of tar, all over our white, vinyl siding on our house. It's on the porch, my windows, but it is worse on the siding. It goes all the way up to my second-story windows, and is even under my soffitt and on my gutters. What do you think it is?
A: This sounds like you have the infamous "artillery fungus" which is also commonly called "shotgun fungus".
 
Q: I think I've seen some spots on my car. Does the artillery fungus also get on cars?
A: Yes, this is common on the sides of automobiles when cars are parked near mulched areas that are infested with the artillery fungus. It is especially noticeable on white sports cars - at least these are the owners that complain the most.
 
In fact, we have recently had several complaints where private companies have artillery spores on 50-100 cars in their parking lots. The next question asked is, "How do we remove the spots from the sides of cars?" We don't know, but some suggestions have included: power washing if the artillery fungus spots are very new and paint/wax on the cars is also new and shiny; automotive-paint rubbing compounds; and removal (if there are only a few spots) with the edge of a credit card. However, you must be very careful not to damage the car's finish. See some attempts at removing the spots from cars at the end of this section. These are NOT recommendations!!!
 
Q: Does the artillery fungus hurt pets?
A: Not a problem.
 
Q: So, what exactly is the artillery fungus?
A: The artillery fungus is a white-rotting, wood-decay fungus that likes to live on moist landscape mulch. It is in the genus Sphaerobolus (Greek for "sphere thrower") and is very common across the USA, especially in the East, as well as many other parts of the world. The artillery fungus is technically in the "Basidiomycete" class of fungi (like the common mushroom that we eat), and probably is most closely related to a group of fungi called earth stars. However, the artillery fungus is much smaller that the earth star that you may see occasionally growing in your yard.
 
 
Q: Why is it called the "artillery" fungus? Is this also what is called the "shotgun fungus"?
A: The term artillery refers to the fact that the artillery fungus actively (uses energy) shoots its spore masses, sort of like a cannon or howitzer (an artillery piece). We will call these "spores," although they are actually spore masses, or gleba. The spores are usually shot only a short distance, several feet, but the wind can carry them for longer distances and up to the second story of a house.
 
The term "shotgun fungus" usually refers to Pilobolus, a different kind of fungus that is common in dung, such as horse dung.
 
Q: Why do light-colored houses and cars have more of a problem than darker cars and houses?
A: In nature, the artillery fungus shoots its spores towards the light. In the absence of direct sunlight, it shoots the spores at highly reflective surfaces, such as white house siding. And, of course, the black spots show up better on white surfaces, so they are noticed more easily.
 
Q: The artillery fungus problem seems to be much more severe now, than in the good old days. I don't remember this being a problem 20 - 25 years ago. Why is it now a problem?
A: This is a tough question. Wider recognition and awareness of the artillery fungus by the public certainly has led to a perceived increase in the problem. However, I think the problem is also realistically more severe than in past years. Part of this is likely due to increased use of landscape mulch - there simply is more mulch being used these days, and therefore, more favorable material for the artillery fungus in our urban and suburban areas.
 
The artillery fungus may be just as common out in beds far away from your house, but it is not noticed at that location. But, put the same mulch and the artillery fungus in the foundation mulch next to your house, add a white or reflective siding, and you may have a severe problem!
 
In addition, the artillery fungus seems to prefer wood as opposed to bark. Much of the mulch that we use today is recycled wood - in the past, most mulch was bark. In addition, the finely-shredded mulches used today probably hold more moisture than the older coarsely ground mulches - fungi need moisture to survive!!
 
Q: Why is this problem more severe in some years than in others?
A: The artillery fungus grows better and produces more spores during wet years, such as 2003 and 2004 (here in the Northeast). It is most common during the cool spring and fall, and is much less of a problem in the hot dry periods of mid-summer.
 
Q: The number of spots seems to be worse on the north side of my house. Is this just my imagination?
A: It is not your imagination, and you are a good observer. The artillery fungus grows better in the mulch on the cool, shady side of the house (usually the north side of the house here in the Northeast) where growing conditions are more suitable for the fungus.
 
Q: Are those spots alive? Will they hurt my house, like eat holes in my siding?
A: Yes, they're alive, but not in the sense that they can hurt your siding. They are dormant, or sleeping, and pose no threat to the siding other than staining it.
 
Q: So, how do I get the artillery fungus off my house siding? Will any cleaning chemicals remove it? Power washing? How about just plain scraping? Do the spores stick to all kinds of siding?
A: The spore masses of the artillery fungus stick like super-glue. We have not found a way to get them off without leaving a stain or damaging the siding, especially on old dry siding. Power washing may work on brand new (only) vinyl siding that still has a shiny, oily, sheen.
 
Each spore mass can be physically scraped, "steel-wooled", or sanded off. Then the stain might be removed with an ink eraser, but this is a pain, literally.
 
Beware of any cleansers that have claims that sound "too good to be true", with regards to removing the artillery fungus. It is likely that they are, in fact, too good to be true. At the end of this section I have listed some attempts that readers have used
 
Q: How did the artillery fungus get in my mulch? My neighbors don't have it - only me! Why me!
A: This is extremely difficult to answer. The artillery fungus commonly occurs on dead trees, dead branches, rotting wood, etc. throughout the Northeast. I have seen it in the forest on standing dead trees and limbs on the ground, as well on wood in mulch producing yards . If infested material is used for mulch, the artillery fungus may be already in the mulch when the load of mulch arrives at a job site, and may then grow rapidly along your foundation during cool moist conditions.
 
Or spore masses may already be present at the job site on old mulch, previously infested plant leaves, or decaying organic matter such as rabbit or deer dropppings, decaying leaves and grass, compost piles, etc. These existing spores may immediately infest new applications of mulch. In some cases, the spores also may be transported for very short distances via wind from adjacent infested mulches or decaying organic matter. Spores may also be brought to the site on infested nursery plants, by clinging to the undersurface of leaves, if the nursery also had an artillery fungus problem. When the leaves fall off onto the mulch they inoculate the mulch... here we go again!
 
People can also spread the artillery fungus in various ways. Some homeowners make the mistake of sanding, scraping, or otherwise removing the spore masses from the sides of their houses, and letting them fall onto their foundation mulch. Such spores are dormant, but very much alive and then inoculate the mulch.
 
Q: You mean that the artillery fungus can come in on plants and shrubbery that I am planting along my foundation?
A: Yes, this is possible, but only if the nursery had an artillery fungus problem in its pots or beds. But, this does not appear to be very common in my experience.
 
  
Q: Should I put down new mulch each year?
A: Interestingly, homeowners that put down new mulch each year seem to have less of the artillery fungus problem. But, we have not confirmed this practice. But it does seem to work. Don't miss a year!
 
 
Q: What if I just paint over the spores on my wood siding?
A: That will probably seal them in; it may solve your problem, but will give you a pebbly appearance to your paint job. Each repainting will seal in the artillery fungus even more.
 
Q: Are there any registered fungicides that will kill the artillery fungus? How about a weak solution of household bleach?
A: There are no fungicides registered (by EPA) against the artillery fungus. Bleach, if it worked, would be very temporary, as it leaches out with each rain. We tested fourteen different fungicides in the laboratory, but have to take the experiment to the field.
 
Q: I can't get those black spores off my siding, without leaving a lot of small brown stains. My siding is ruined. Will my homeowner's insurance pay for residing my house?
A: Some insurance companies will and others won't. It depends on your insurance company, your agent, the exemptions in your policy, and especially your lawyer.
 
 
Q: So, what is the final, ultimate solution to my problem???
A: Take out all of the infested mulch (usually just around the foundation - not out in the yard), bag it up, and take it to a landfill. Then put down a layer of black plastic, and overly it with stone, artificial mulch, or a good composted mulch.
 
 
Q: OK, I am going to remove my old, infested mulch. But, what do I do with it?
A: The best thing to do is probably to bag it up and take it to a landfill. At least it's organic and will rot away. Make sure you don't put the infested mulch somewhere where you could be held responsible for someone else's artillery fungus problem.

 As we approach the end of the 1^st quarter in 2011, the real estate market in York, PA has shown no significant signs of improvement. The market is in a state of imbalance, with more houses listed than potential buyers. If your house is on, or going onto the market, there are few very important questions to ask yourself. 

1. How long can I afford my house to be listed?

2. What can I do to make my house sell faster?

3. What investments offer the best return on investment?

(1) Number one is a personal finance question that only you will know the answer too.

However, a roof cleaning or house wash  by Squeegee Klean can help a homeowner answer the last two questions.

(2) CURB APPEAL sells houses!! Realtors emphasize curb appeal, because it works! 
According to the National Association of Realtors, 
"75% of home buying decisions are made before the buyer walks through the front door."

A roof accounts for 10% - 75% of the front view of your house. By having a No Pressure Roof Cleaning done, your house looks beautiful and well maintained. A soft house wash will renew your siding and comfort potential buyers in knowing that your house is maintained regularly.

(3) Roof Cleaning and Soft House Washing offer the greatest return on investment for increasing curb appeal.
Here are some examples of curb appeal options...
- Replacing landscaping ( $1,000 & up)
- Painting House ($2,000 & up)
- Replacing stained roof ($2,500 & up)
or....
- Roof Cleaning ( $300 - $800)
- Soft House Washing ($179 - $599)

Real Life Example: 2500 sq. ft. 2 story house in York, Pa (asking price of $350,000)
- Estimate to replace the entire roof - $5000
- potential buyers may offer much less, if they believe the roof has to be replaced. - Buyers OFFER - $340,000 ( a $10,000 loss in equity!!!)
- Estimate for No Pressure Roof Cleaniing - $500 - potential buyers see clean roof and do not adjust price for repairs. - Buyers OFFER - $350,000 ( a $9,500 savings in equity!!!)
- Roof Cleaning return on investment is 1900% WOW!!!
- The average Return on Investment for roof cleaning is 700% to 1000%.
This is real money savings for a York, Pa homeowner. I hope that my real-life example of the financial benefits of No Pressure Roof Cleaning is clearly illustrated.

 We are currently running a month long campaign on facebook and twitter. At the end of the month we will be randomly drawing 2 names  to win. Please click on the link to find out more details how this campaign

prizes are :

1. Free service from squeegee klean  $500 value

2. Apple I-pad

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=7d34fb97f622724f6948e7dbe&id=7409eb65c2

Please support us on the Social Media Outlets !!!