One Call Power Wash

Be carelful with MEK. Wear gloves and face shield. You dont want to get this stuff on hands or eyes, especially eys.

I live by the old rule of things. "ALWAYS LEAVE IT IN BETTER SHAPE THAN YA FOUND IT" I dont know about a 200' driveway but normally we do extra things like cleaning driveways with the exterior wash or deck restoration. The equipment is already out and they will remember you for it. Its that little extra that counts.

How many of you figured in the rising cost of fuel this year in your G/L ? Are you still on target or has this blown ya away already ? Not to mention, they say by summer it will be up to $2.00 per gallon here in Maryland.

Great News!!!! Lets just hope he does not have to go back. I knew and know of three and yours just came home. Two more to go.

Ooch. We have never had a claim and we just reached our 8 year mark. We have damaged a few screens though. We just fix it or pay out of pocket. Other than that we pay for nothing or should I say, piece of mind.

All fuel for the most part is the same regardless of what name is on it. The fuel trucks run from down south in Southern Maryland to Baltimore at several different terminals. They all fill up based on price for their companies and haul it back to their stations. I use citgo all the time with my washers and just about anything else for the trucks. Right now I am using BJ's due to their at 1.61 if your a member. All the other stations are at 1.69 and up. Needless to say, the same tankers that deliver to BJ's, deliver to 3 other stations. Shell, Shell and Exxon/Mobile but it still says Exxon. So there ya go. Just take a look around you will see the same thing. Another example would be Burch Oil. They own 5 stations. 3 of the five are shells and the other two are Mobile. They have their own fleet of trucks that make that trip to baltimore daily then deliver to all five. So are ya buyin shell or mobile. All the same. Period

Man, I am glad you all have time to play. Busy, Busy, Busy.......except for today, RAIN, RAIN, RAIN.

Just readin this thread I came upon. Most do not know this and I thought I would share it. Artillery Fungus is a terrible thing. #1, It cannot be removed once it has hit the surface and allowed to dry. #2, Artillery Fungus will stay on siding for up to 10 years before actual chems/pw will have a chance to remove it. #3, Artillery fungus is derived from non-organic mulch. When we come upon a home with this we explain this to the customer that this fungus cannot be removed. We explain where it originates from and recommend replacing mulch to an organic variety. It is a fungus in the mulch that acts much like a flower. What happens is this fungus (smaller than you can see) opens up its bud and shoots this fungus out. Once this hits a surface it is there for up to 10 years. This is why it is called artillery fungus. Needless to say, explain this to your customers and stop wasting your valuable time trying to remove it. You can remove it with a knife and sometimes with your finger nail but this will result in a tiny brown spot still to be recokend with. This brown spot will be there for a very long time. Hope this helps in the understanding of this unpleasurable fungus. But remember, the only thing you can do is educate your customer and of course change your mulch at home. Correction: Switch to non-organic mulch from the organic. Losin my mind Sorry for the spellin Oh and if anybody wondered how a came across this thread. Well, I did a search for (brick) and this is what I got. Come on Beth, your slacken. The specific thread I am looking for is one that Paul B. allowed us the pleasure of viewing mortar tags etc.. (Photos) can someone help me find this thing. Losin my mind.

Samples ? What's that. I can only say that going with "Cabot on their siding stains and deck stains has been the best thing to happen when it comes to samples. Samples to them is just that "Free" They sent me 62 4 oz cans of different stains for siding and decks, not to mention nice stickers for the trailer/truck, wood pallet, all the brochures I could ask for etc.... "All of this for free for me to use their product" Sorry for the ramble, but when I find a good distributor or manufacturer, I talk them up. And of course Cabot has out did themselves. I am will Paul B. on this one. Samples once did mean free of charge to sample. Not anymore. Everyone is tryin to make a buck.

We seperate gutters at lets say $1.00 per linear foot. Like Paul B. we do clean the outside of the gutters and downspouts in the housewash. But actually cleaning (out) the gutters, charge by linear foot.

We use standard pricing for house washes. Example without giving away the real deal: 1 Story Home - No garage - $150 2 Story Home - No garage - $235 3 Story Home - No garage - $310 with garage add say $50.00 per house.

Just be careful with goof off. We have been using for couple of years now. I will never forget when I put the ole rag in the back pocket after cleaning overspray off siding. WOW, talk about hot. My a** was burning. Learned my lesson that day. I actually had to stop the job, run back to the office, shower and change, then went back to finish the job. BE CAREFUL, GREAT STUFF THOUGH

Yes we do. I think it is very important when offering a service of Deck Restoration, it means just that. Allot of deck restorers will just clean and seal. This I do not believe services the wood fibers well although some stippers will damage wood fibers if not mixed properly. I think of wood as a living thing - It needs its vitamins also. I have read somewhere that Olympic does not require stripping between service restoration if applying the same stain as used before. But needless to say, we do. Wolman - we use the same process.

Started a Deck Restoration job this morning. The Real Estate Agent that I do allot of Decks for tells me that there is a new law in effect that all houses, condos etc... that are sold, prior to settlement have to be tested for air quality. Needless to say, this is why we ended up with this particular job. Apparently, Amerispec, which we already have a contract with for various reasons, was escrowed into this one sale to test the air quality inside the condo. Well it was not good and they apparently said it was mainly due to the mold spores on the deck attached to the condo. Well, in my view the mold spores were not all that bad and actually could have went another year before restoration. But hey, who am I to complain. Has anybody heard of this new requirement prior to selling ? If this is true, then we are all gonna increase in business.

Congress to address toxic mold issue September 12, 2002 - Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) has introduced H.R. 5040: The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act ("The Melina Bill"). H.R. 5040 has the potential to put to rest the confusion over whether exposure to mold growth in residential, public and commercial buildings causes serious medical conditions such as bleeding lungs, digestive problems, hair loss, nausea, loss of memory, reduced cognitive skills, and death. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports a causal link between the presence of the toxic mold and rare and unique medical conditions has not been proven. Mold growth is also alleged to have destroyed millions of dollars in real estate and forced homeowners to the curb. The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act will mandate comprehensive research into mold growth, create programs to educate the public about the dangers of toxic mold, and provide assistance to victims. In addition, the Act will generate guidelines for preventing indoor mold growth, establish standards for removing mold when it does grow, provide grants for mold removal in public buildings, authorize tax credits for inspection and/or remediation of mold hazards, and create a national insurance program to protect homeowners from catastrophic losses. Taken as a whole, the Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act will attack indoor mold growth with good science, public awareness, and tangible relief. The following is a summary of the major provisions of the bill: Title I - Research and Public Education The Bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to examine the effects of different molds on human health and develop accurate scientific information on the hazards presented by indoor mold. The Bill directs EPA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) respectively, to establish guidelines that identify conditions that facilitate indoor mold growth and measures that can be implemented to prevent such growth. The guidelines will also address mold inspection, testing, and remediation. The Bill asks EPA and HUD to establish guidelines for certifying mold inspectors and remediators. The guidelines will help identify hazards associated with inspection and remediation and the steps that should be taken to minimize the risk to human health. The Bill authorizes programs to educate the public about the dangers of indoor mold. An informed public with be in a better position to avoid mold hazards, prevent mold growth and respond appropriately when mold growth occurs. Title II - Housing and Real Property Provisions The Bill requires mold inspections for multi-unit residential property and mold inspections for all property that is purchased or leased using funds that are guaranteed by the federal government. The Bill also requires mold inspections in public housing. The Bill requires, to whatever extent possible, that local jurisdictions modify building codes to minimize mold hazards in new construction. Title IV - Indoor Mold Hazard Assistance The Bill authorizes grants for mold removal in public buildings. Title V - Tax Provisions The Bill authorizes tax credits for inspection and/or remediation of mold hazards. Title VI - National Toxic Mold Insurance Program The Bill creates a National Toxic Mold Insurance Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to protect homeowners from catastrophic losses. Many homeowners are finding that insurance companies will not offer adequate coverage for mold. Title VII - Health Care Provisions The Bill enables States to provide medicaid coverage to mold victims who are unable to secure adequate health care

Just a note on Olympic. Today, did some work for a great customer that we have been servicing for 3 years now and WOW. I do not know what changes Olympic has made but the Cedar stained deck I did for this gentleman early April 2003 looked as if we did it yesterday. And yes this deck stays in the sun and faces the northern exposure. I checked on the ticket and we used Olympic Cedar Semi-Transparent. We have been using Olympic for years now and this is the first time they have looked like this (new) after a year. Usually there is a small difference but not on this one. I was amazed. It kinda sucks because I dumped all of the Olympic Brochures and went with Cabot and also have intentions of looking at Wood Tux. This is where I did not want to be. Using two/three different products. It gets to be too complicated. But oh well. So much for wishing.

The discovery of extensive mold contamination in property throughout the United States has led to the introduction of legislation in various states in an effort to combat this problem. Representatives from California, Maryland, New York, and Texas have all introduced legislation that focuses on educating and protecting the public from the potentially hazardous effects of mold. The following describes both pending legislation, as well as legislation that has been passed into law across the United States. California: Senate Bill 732 (Ortiz): SB 732 was introduced on February 23, 2001, and passed into law on September 13, 2001 as the Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001. SB 732 mandates that the State Department of Health Services convene a task force comprised of various individuals including rental property owners, insurers, builders, and building managers to advise the department on the development of standards for assessment of mold in indoor environments and for mold's remediation. The department, acting under advisement from the task force, is then responsible for public education about the health effects of mold, methods of prevention, methods of identification, as well as available contact information. Finally, this bill requires that any person who sells, transfers, or rents residential, commercial or industrial real property, or any person or entity that owns, leases, or operates a building, who has knowledge of the existence of mold is required to disclose that information to a potential buyer or tenant. Assembly Bill 284 (Jackson): This bill was introduced on February 16, 2001, and was passed into law on September 13, 2001. It requires the California Research Bureau, which is part of the California State Library, in consultation with the State Department of Health Services, to perform a study of, and publish findings on, fungal contamination in indoor environments, and to organize meetings of a review panel to assist in the preparation of appropriate content for the study. This bill further requires that those findings be submitted no later than January 1, 2003, to the Legislature and Director of Health Services. Assembly Bill 178 (Cox): AB 178 was introduced on February 6, 2001. If passed, this bill would add visible mold growth on interior walls, ceilings, and floors, if it exceeds specified standards, to California's list of officially designated "dangerous conditions" constituting a substandard residential dwelling. AB 178 would further require landlords of residential property to disclose to potential tenants the existence of the mold, or else the landlord could face civil fines of up to $1,000 for each violation. AB 178 has not yet been enacted into law. A copy of this pending bill may found at:. San Francisco Ordinance 125-01 (Newsom, et al.): Ordinance 125-01 was passed into law in San Francisco, California on June 4, 2001. This ordinance consolidated various nuisance provisions that were already part of the local code into a single article. San Francisco had already declared that lead hazards, rodents, waste contamination, etc., to be public nuisances. The city council determined that mold and mildew also posed a similar threat to San Francisco's citizens, and included mold and mildew in its list of nuisances. The ordinance provides that the minimum criminal penalties for property owners, landlords, or any other individual responsible for the elimination of the nuisance, ranges from $25 to $1,000 for non-compliance with the provisions of the ordinance. Maryland: Senate Bill 283 (Conway, et al.): SB 283 was introduced on February 20, 2001, and was signed by Maryland's governor on May 18, 2001. SB 283 establishes a Task Force on Indoor Air Quality. The goal of the task force is to study the nature, location, and extent of health and environmental risks posed to workers as a result of mold, spores, and other toxic organisms located in the HVAC systems of office buildings. The task force is then responsible for recommendations regarding the prevention of illness, and the provision of educational information. New Jersey: Senate Resolution 77 (Bennett, et al.): SR 77 was introduced on November 9, 2000, and adopted as law on May 3, 2001. SR 77 urges the Commissioners of Health and Senior Services and Community Affairs to provide information, assistance in the identification and remediation, as well as research into the health effects of infestations of stachboytrys atra mold. New York: Senate Bill 5799 (Marcellino, et al.): SB 5799 was introduced earlier this year, and in November, 2001, reached the Rules Committee. It has not yet been enacted into law. SB 5799, the proposed Toxic Mold Protection Act, would establish a task force to advise the New York Department of Health on the development of standards for safe levels of the presence of mold, so that permissible exposure limits may be adopted and enforced by the state. The task force would also be charged with the responsibility of determining potential health risks through the use of scientific data. The task force would also develop and then advise on the state's adoption of standards for mold remediation. Finally, SB 5799 also includes a notice provision that would require a seller or transferor of real property to provide written notice to a prospective buyer regarding the presence of mold in the property if the mold exceeds permissible established levels, or constitutes infestation per the task force's findings. Texas: House Bill 2006 (Naishtat): HB 5799 was introduced on February 22, 2001, but has been left pending in committee since May 9, 2001. This bill is an act relating to indoor air quality in public school buildings. Although HB 5799 is not only concerned with the presence of mold in the indoor environment, mold is listed as a contaminant that must be evaluated for its potential effects on the health of the students. HB 5799 would create a board of individuals responsible for establishing health guidelines and standards that must be followed in Texas public schools, as well as conduct a statewide education program regarding the importance of improving the school's indoor air quality. Chapter 5, Subchapter L, Article 5.96 (Insurance Commissioner Jose Montemayer): On June 26, 2001, the Texas Insurance Commissioner convened a series of informational hearings throughout Texas to address the recent influx of mold claims by homeowners within the state. These hearings elicited data that showed in the course of 18 months, the claim frequency arising from mold had grown more than six fold. Further, the cost of the average mold claim was found to be approximately $18,000. This amount is 4.7 times greater than the cost of an average homeowner's claim, and 5.6 times the cost of an average non-mold related water damage claim. These figures alerted the insurance commissioner to the fact that the increasing occurrences of mold claims would likely drive up the cost of homeowner's insurance, rendering it difficult to purchase. In response, an order was written and adopted on November 28, 2001, that retains coverage for the removal of mold that is related to certain water damage, but eliminates coverage from high-priced procedures, such as testing, treating, containing or disposing of mold beyond that necessary to repair or replace property that is physically damaged by water. The order also provides coverage in the basic policy for removal of mold that results from water discharge, leak or overflow that is sudden and accidental, including those that are hidden or concealed. The standard Texas homeowner's policy forms will be rewritten to account for these changes. Insurers may offer the new coverage as early as January 1, 2002, but no later than January 1, 2003. There's a fungus among us: Mold attacks real estate 9/17/2001 James B. Witkin In recent months, developers, building owners, home builders and others in the real estate industry have faced an avalanche of legal claims growing out of a substance that is found almost everywhere on earth, is 100 percent organic and has been alive longer than the human race -- mold. Even Hollywood has had its share of mold claimants: Both Ed McMahon and the real-life Erin Brockovich (the paralegal whose story forms the basis for the movie) have been plaintiffs in mold cases, claiming their houses have been affected by toxic mold. McMahon even claimed that mold lead to the death of his dog, Muffin. But what might sound like a bad joke has turned into a serious liability for the real estate and insurance industries as plaintiffs have won million-dollar judgments based on the presence of mold in single-family homes and commercial buildings. An array of mold claims have been filed against commercial-building owners, home builders and even public authorities that own municipal buildings and courthouses. Almost overnight, mold has joined radon, lead-based paint, asbestos and underground storage-tank leaks as sources of environmental concern for real estate professionals. But even more than those other substances, mold has captured the public imagination -- or at least the imagination of TV producers and magazine editors. Stories about mold have appeared on many of the major TV news shows, in Time and Newsweek, and on the cover of the New York Times Magazine. The media coverage about mold may be turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy: An article in a recent issue of Business Week speculated that fear of mold claims could affect the ability of Citicorp to sell its Travelers Insurance subsidiary. The good and bad of mold Molds are a type of fungus. More than one thousand different species have been found in the United States. Molds reproduce by releasing spores. When the spores land on certain materials, they may digest and destroy those materials. For mold to grow, all that is needed is moisture and a food source. Unfortunately, for the real estate industry, many building materials serve as a good food source, and moisture is often close at hand. Molds serve a beneficial function, breaking down leaves and generally helping plant debris to decay. Also, without molds, we would not have penicillin, or brie and camembert cheeses. However, molds also have a less benign side. They can cause allergic reactions and asthma. Some people are more likely than others to have adverse reactions to mold, and certain types of mold are more likely than others to cause those reactions. Some molds produce mycotoxins, toxic substances that may cause serious health effects. One type of mold, Stachybotrys chartarum, a greenish-black substance, has received a considerable amount of negative publicity, at least in part because of an article published by the Centers for Disease Control that appeared to suggest a link between mold and serious health effects in certain infants. However, the CDC later published a follow-up article challenging the scientific basis of the original report. Mold on trial The scientific jury is still out on exactly how toxic most common molds are and what levels of airborne mold spores are unhealthy. Neither the Environmental Protection Agency, nor any other federal agency, has established any regulatory limits on mold. Still, that has not stopped plaintiffs' attorneys from filing claims against home builders who allegedly sold moldy homes or tenants from suing landlords claiming that office spaces are affected by mold. Recent cases include: Apartment occupants successfully sued their landlord, claiming the landlord's failure to maintain and repair the plumbing resulted in the growth of mold, which caused negative health effects. A homeowners group prevailed in a claim against the builders and contractors of their residential complex, claiming shoddy construction techniques led to water intrusion, causing mold to grow. In perhaps the most widely publicized mold case, a Texas jury awarded Melinda Ballard's family $32 million in her claim against her insurer, Farmers Insurance Group. Ballard argued that the insurance company failed to cover costs of fixing the problems that would lead to mold taking over her house. In most of these cases, plaintiffs alleged some sort of construction defect that allowed excess moisture to enter their buildings. Defects such as faulty foundations, improperly flashed roofs and simple plumbing mistakes are commonly claimed. In other cases, plaintiffs allege that contractors allowed building materials to get wet or that the building materials were defective. Steps to take It is too early to tell whether mold will be a major environmental issue, such as asbestos, which caused the bankruptcy of several building-materials companies, or simply a passing concern, such as the concern over electromagnetic fields, which no longer affects most real estate transactions. Still, there are steps developers, builders and building owners can take to minimize their liability: Make sure construction contracts are drafted so that contractors or subcontractors are held liable for any construction defects. Similarly, purchase and sale agreements should provide appropriate protections. Home purchasers should be educated about their obligations to prevent the buildup of moisture that could lead to mold. Builders should evaluate their construction techniques and choice of materials to minimize the likelihood of mold growth. Building managers must pay increased attention to water leaks, drainage and similar issues. A problem that would have been treated as a simple plumbing leak 10 years ago can result in a lawsuit in today's mold-conscious environment. Just some info I have found.

Depending on the size of the building and the amount of space above the awning, we would use our pump sprayer to apply the chemical at a mist. Then the rest of the building can be completed through your downstrem chemical injector or what ever you use. Have one guy using the pump sprayer while another soaks down the awning with straight water. This will help eleviate any accumalation that might happen. Once the chemical has time to dwell then just wash normally. I would every few seconds spray the awning with just the wand in the area that you are cleaning to be safe. Hope this helps.

It seems to me the homeowner should have been a little smarter than that. Ask yourself this, forget about being in the business, would you not have questioned a 15 minute house wash ? I would have. Unless this guy lived in a shoe box. Not to mention, not taking cash ? Who does not take cash ? Why would you not take cash ? 76 years old ? Maybe someone should be in a Nursing Care Facility.

Okay, Okay now. BoSbush, yu our wrog ther. This be a forum of busie folks andd wee are understand how to read/write. Unfortunatly, do too high volume of foks like yous, that us spell inccorectly. Please do not use this board as a personal attack board. There is no need in it. Granted, yes we all make mistakes and yes some of us type faster then others to make those mistakes but this is little compared to the info that this board as well as others provide. As for Ron, he is a great member on many boards. I say great because if nice enough he may leave me part of his empire once he leaves this world as well as he post content and not waste 5" x 9" space on this board as you have done (posting nothing of value). Please post relative information. Newbies are watchin. Hows this for starting out as a new moderator ?

Go to add/remove programs and you will probably find 3 or 4 what are called spyware. Delete those and it will probably clean up. This is not to say the cleaner network is not down. But incredifind is spyware.

That was me about a week ago. Phone has not stopped since. Thank goodness, Ive put on 10 pounds, and the wife, well, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag,nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag

Paul B, Can you use the pool shock in powder. I have a case of this stuff that I used once or twice on siding and it did not seem to do very well. Maybe its because of the powder and I had to premix. I dont know but your help would be appreciated.

Go to the following link. This site will allow you to copy and then paste to your own word program. At this point, just make the appropriate changes to include your business name, address etc... http://www.lectlaw.com/formb.htm or you can go to the following site and pay $10.00 and they will make up any legal form that you may need. http://www.lawdepot.com/index.php?ad=top Hope this helps.

Ron, I dont know you that well but you will be missed. I have read allot of your post and you seem to be top notch. Congrats on that union job. Good Luck in you future endevours.