7.10.2010

Natural Green Yard- Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals

the author of this post, at jason@lifehacker.com.
Deer, slugs, and other garden destroying pests might be a part of our
natural world, but that doesn't mean you have to tolerate them being a
natural part of your garden. These tips will keep your plants
pest-free without harsh chemicals.

Better living through chemistry has given us off-the-shelf and
factory-manufactured solutions for any problem you can imagine. Many
people, however, want to forgo using harsh chemicals in their yards
and gardens to avoid unnecessary chemical exposure. This guide
highlights a variety of ways you can keep your landscaping lush and
your gardens unmolested by pests without having to spread toxic paste
on anything or use a sprayer that requires an OSHA-approved canister
mask to use safely. We'll start with the easiest solutions that you
can apply now—even if you're a renter—and move onto the more
time-consuming solutions that require more advanced planning. For the
sake of readability we'll be referring to the space you're working on
as a "garden" for the rest of the article, but all of these methods
work equally as well on landscaping in general. Photo by cygnus921.
Passive Additions to Your Garden's Defenses

How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals
There are three primary groups that want to wreck shop in your garden:
mammals (like deer and rabbits), insects (like tomato worms), and
gastropods (like garden snails and slugs). You can find heavy
artillery for dealing with all three groups on the shelves of your
local home and garden store, but before you bust out the poisons and
the neurotoxins, let's take a look at cheap and non-toxic ways to
deter pests. Photo by dubydub2009.

Even if you're not particularly worried about exposing yourself to
harsh yard chemicals and you have no pets or small children, you've
still got at least one great reason for trying natural deterrents
first: Poisoning the lower end of the food chain like the slugs and
the insects in your yard will keep them away, but it will also deter
natural predators like other insects and birds from visiting your
yard. Basically you'll end up ensuring a cycle wherein you have to
keep applying chemicals to deal with the problem because you've driven
way the element of nature that was actually helping you.

How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals
Bring on the Coffee: Coffee grounds are a great addition to your
garden. They add nitrogen to the soil, they increase the acidity for
acid loving plants, and, best of all, a wide range of creatures can't
stand coffee grounds. Slugs hate coffee, cats hate coffee; it's even
sometimes an effective olfactory-based repellent for picky deer.
What's that you say? You hate coffee and have no coffee grounds to
work with? Stop by your local Starbucks and ask. They have a policy of
giving away their mountains of spent grounds for patrons to use for
composting and other projects. Photo by Steve Snodgrass.

How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh
ChemicalsBait, Trap, and Deter the Slugs: Slugs are, in my humble
opinion, the most annoying of garden pests. They're the veritable
ninjas of plant destruction. Unless you're looking for them—and
carefully—it's rare to see slugs at all, yet every night they descend
upon your garden and chew the crap out of everything. You can deal
with slugs a variety of ways depending on your adversity to killing
them or merely redirecting them to your neighbor's yard.
Coffee grounds, as mentioned above, will deter slugs to a degree. Even
more effective, and radically longer lasting, is copper. Slugs and
snails hate copper. You can use copper in a variety of forms to keep
them away. To keep slugs from crawling up into your potted plants you
can put decorative copper tape around the body of the container. You
can shield plants on the ground by buying rolls of thin copper
sheeting and making rings around the plants you want to protect—when
you're done it'll look like all your plants are castles in the center
of little copper fortresses. Alternatively, you can buy pot scrubbies
made of copper mesh—snip the tie in the center of the scrubbie and
then uncoil the copper mesh into a long tube to wrap around your
plants. If you're building copper mesh barriers for lots of plants it
will likely end up being more economical to just buy a commercial roll
of copper gardening mesh.

How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals
If your attempts to deter slugs are a failure, you'll have to start
trapping them. Slugs are, as one would imagine, as dumb as they look.
You can make an effective slug trap with little more than an orange
rind or a shallow container and some grape juice or beer. Save the
half-rinds from citrus fruits like grape fruit and oranges and place
them about your garden. Slugs will flock to the rind. Come morning you
can throw the rind in the trash or put it on top of your compost pile
to dry them out in the sun and mix them into your compost. You can
also put saucers of grape juice or beer around the garden. The slugs
will dive in and drown. Photo by Sustainable Echo.

Repel Insects with Organic Sprays: There are an abundance of organic
recipes online for insect-repelling plant sprays. The majority of them
have common ingredients like garlic cloves, hot pepper, and sometimes
the essential oil extract of either or both. Mixtures of the two work
great for repelling everything from bugs to bunnies. This step-by-step
guide will help you make a potent garlic/pepper mix for your plants.
Deterring the Big Pests

How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals
If slugs are the most annoying little pests, adorable yet destructive
creates like rabbits and deer are the most annoying big pests. A few
deer can reduce a thriving garden patch to waste or a hearty stand of
hostas to nubs in a matter of days. Unlike the simple orange-rind
traps you use for slugs, you have to be a little trickier with larger
pests. Photo by wwarby.

If you can afford it and it's feasible to do so, putting up a fence is
the only fool-proof way to keep animals out of your garden. Barring
building a rabbit-proof fence, the most effective deterrent for large
pests is to scare the hell out of them. You can spray plants with
nasty tasting substances like the garlic/pepper spray above, but
that's not as effective or far reaching as introducing the scent of
predators.

Apply Bloodmeal Liberally: Bloodmeal is a by product of meat packing
plants. It's dried and flaked blood and animals strongly dislike the
smell of it. Prey animals like rabbits and deer are spooked by the
smell of blood, even old dried blood. Bloodmeal is also extremely high
in nitrogen and a great additive for your garden. Sprinkle it around
your plants and in your garden beds. Take care, however, not to
sprinkle the powder directly on the plants. The high nitrogen content
can burn the leaves.

Introduce Strong Scents: If you have a strong aversion to spreading
bloodmeal all over your yard, you can also introduce other strong
scents. Deer, particularly, are not fond of really strong smells like
bars of scented soap, cheap perfume, and other strong smells. A
neighbor of mine has kept her beautiful hosta beds unmolested by deer
for years now using Irish Spring soap on stakes throughout the garden.
How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals
Bring in the Predators: You won't literally invite predators—your
neighbors wouldn't approve of your use of coyotes as garden patrol—but
you do want their scent. For about $30 you can purchase fox and coyote
urine. Fox urine is great for repelling small animals like rabbits,
squirrels, and skunks. Coyote urine is great for bigger pests like
deer, raccoons, and opossums. You use it by putting a few drops every
couple feet around the perimeter of your garden and plants. A $30
bottle will last you all season even with a fairly large yard as those
few drops usually linger for a week or two barring a heavy rain storm.
If you're curious, no, human urine doesn't work very well. Urban and
suburban deer have adapted to the smell of humans and don't fear us as
much as they do the smell of other animal predators. Photo by
mikebaird.

Scare 'em Off With Water: Scarecrow sprinklers look like regular lawn
sprinklers, except they have a battery-powered motion sensor. Anything
that gets in the path of the sensor gets a sudden and intense blast of
water. I've never used one personally, but everyone I know that has
one swears by them. They run $50-$75, but they're great for everything
from deer to squirrels to solicitors.

Plant Pest Resistant/Repellent Plants
How to Keep Your Yard and Garden Pest-Free Without Harsh Chemicals
This is by far the most long-term and expensive solution to pest
problems. Some plants are more resistant to attack by pests than
others whether due to bad taste, tough fibers, thorns, or other
natural deterents. We can't provide a blueprint for your yard, but we
can provide some suggestions and point you in the right direction.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to using deterrent
plants. The first school is focused on planting the deterrent plants
as the main course in your landscaping and gardening
adventures—selecting plants right from the start that keep the deer
away and the bugs off. The second school is focused on companion
planting. Instead of giving up on the plants you love but aren't
particularly resistant to pests, you instead plant your garden in
pairings where naturally repellent plants are located near more
vulnerable plants. A common pairing in gardens is tomato plants with
oregano and basil. Not only are oregano and basil great for tons of
tomato-based recipes when it comes time to harvest, but both plants
are strongly-scented and great at repelling pests. Photo by The
Marmot.

Your best bet is to check with your local nurseries, nature centers,
and university extension offices to see what plants grow best in your
area and afford natural pest protection. Searching Google for local
gardening guides and gardening groups can also be very fruitful. To
get started check out some of these guides: Companion Plantings: The
Natural Way to Garden, pest-deterrent herb pairings, pest-resistant
ornamental plants.

Whether you're doing it for yourself, for the safety of your kids, or
to keep your goofy golden retriever from eating toxic slug-killer,
it's possible to radically reduce the number of pests in your garden
without resorting to hosing your yard down with a soup of harsh
chemicals and toxins. Have a favorite tip or trick we didn't highlight
here? Let's hear about it in the comments. Since gardening tips are
often region/climate specific, help out your fellow Lifehacker readers
by noting where your tip has been effective.
--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com

http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Green for Autism

"Date Submitted","IP Address","Name.first","Name.last","Email","Comment" "2010-06-07 13:59:25","24.171.5.91","Emily","Malabey","internationalautismcoalition@gmail.com","ICAA, the international coalition for Autism and all Abilities, is a young, rapidly growing, non-profit organization with headquarters in Arnold, MO. We are focused on direct support, social justice and advocacy services to people with Autism and other disabilities and their families. We are an alternative to the research- based, organizations such as Autism Speaks, and the inaccessible celebrity- represented foundations. Through my work in advocacy and mediation services, I have been approached by many parents, professionals and people with disabilities themselves who have voiced their needs and concerns with the lack of real services and advocacy in our global society. They expected the currently existing large organizations to have supports and services but never received any help. ICAA was born as a result of this urgent need in our society. I founded ICAA to not only advocate and get supports and services directly to the people who need it, but also with the bigger picture in mind regarding needed changes within the structure of our global society. We have three projects ongoing: “Project Mind the Gap”, “Project Hope” and “Project Safety”. Please see our website for more information about these projects or contact us for in- depth details regarding the projects. If you are interested in sponsoring a particular project, please let us know and we can connect you to our Marketing and public Relations director, Nathan E. Moore for sponsorship packages. Our Executive Board consists of a diverse group of educated, professional and experienced individuals of various backgrounds and cultures giving their time and talents to our cause on a volunteer basis. We are currently forming our Advisory Board which will include a Webster University Professor and Councilwoman, a Neurologist, a Pediatrician, local Senator and attorneys; all concerned with our cause and mission. We have regional US committees and an international committee as well. We are holding our first annual Rally for Action on September 11th, 2010 from 12-3:30 PM at TR Hughes ballpark. We are seeking donors, sponsors, products, services and interested persons or entities in fundraising campaigns. We are also selling River City Rascals professional baseball tickets. We will feature generous sponsors on ICAA literature, and on merchandise at the rally. If interested, please respond and we will connect you with our Marketing and Public Relations Director, Nathan E. Moore, Secretary Jacqueline M. Ward or Vice President and Treasurer Matthew K. Malabey, Sr. for more information on any sponsorship details and sponsor packages. Attached, please see our literature for the Rally, our Spring/Summer 2010 ICAA brochure, and our organization certificate from the Secretary of State of Missouri. Since January of 2010, we have helped over 30 families and individuals from here in Missouri all the way to Canada. Our organization is different because we are not focused narrowly on any one group of individuals with disabilities. While we specialize in Autism- related issues (due to the overwhelming growth and need), we are here to help all people of all abilities of all ages to access therapies, treatments, equipment, resources and advocacy services to meet their needs. We are also working to ensure society grows and changes to accommodate people of all abilities. Please let us know of your interest. With your donations or sponsorships, all of our case action alerts can be helped. If you are interested to learn more about the current cases, please let us know. Two involve homeless mothers with disabled children, one involves people in Mississippi affected by the recent tornadoes and the special education “rooms” of schools being devastated to the point the students now use something less than utility closets, a young man in Tybee Georgia who was brutalized by police recently and a young man who was beaten and denied treatment at Oklahoma hospital emergency rooms, resulting in lost teeth and a stay in a filthy mental institution, never getting any treatment for his seizure disorder. Since his mother explained he has a diagnosis of “Autism”, the hospitals refused to admit him saying they do not treat “Autism”. All of these urgent Action Alerts need our help. Thus far ICAA has done all we can for over thirty families with nothing. Imagine what we can do with more resources! Facts about Autism: *1 in 91 children in the USA alone are diagnosed with Autism-this is not counting adults on the spectrum *1 in 87 children in Missouri are diagnosed with Autism-this does not account for the adults on the spectrum *There is no cure for Autism *There is no known cause for Autism *Autism affects people of all ages, races, cultures and creeds all across the world *Autism can manifest itself in lack of speech and language, social and some motor development *Most Autistic people look like “normal” people and are often very attractive *People with Autism have potential, some have special talents and gifts. Not all Autistic people are savants and not all Autistic people are severe, non-verbal or anti-social *Autism is a spectrum. There are some people who are high functioning and some who may never verbally speak. Intervention, access to therapies and education are important for all. *Conditions such as ADHD, ADD, Intestinal issues, Tourette’s, Depression, Seizure Disorders, and Sensory Processing Disorders are often seen in people with Autism as well but are co-morbid conditions not directly symptomatic of Autism. * at least 1 percent of the population of children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder. * Prevalence is estimated at 1 in 91 births. * At least 1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. * Fastest-growing developmental disability; 1,148%-2,000% growth rate. * 10 - 17 % annual growth. * $60 billion annual cost. * 60% of costs are in adult services or issues such as homelessness costs, poverty and jobless rates(not necessarily specialized in Autism since there are little to no Adult Autism Support services) * Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and proven intervention services (occupational therapy, Developmental therapy, speech and language therapy, etc). * In 10 years, the annual cost will be $200-400 billion. * At least 1 percent of the adult population of the United Kingdom has an autism spectrum disorder. *It is estimated that in at least five years’ time, every one of us will know someone on the Autism Spectrum. Current government funding for Autism: *Leukemia affects 1 in 25,000/funding: $310 million *Muscular Dystrophy affects 1 in 20,000/funding: $175 million *Pediatric Aids affects 1 in 8,000/funding: $394 million *Juvenile Diabetes affects 1 in 500/funding: $130 million *Autism affects about 1 in 100* and receives $15 million ICAA needs your help. Autism affects us all. People with different abilities are a huge segment of our population. Generous sponsorship packages will include radio spots on several Clear Channel Communications stations in our area. Thank you for your time and consideration to our mission. Emily J. A. Malabey President/Founder, ICAA MO Notary, COPAA, NAPW Lay Advocate, Mediation Specialist Webster University www.internationalautismcoalition.com "

KSHE- Green Yard Make Over Entry Ticket

Contest Ended July 31st. Stay tuned for photos of the Green Yard Makeover.

7.09.2010

Organic Fertilizers

From organic fertilizers that are safer for your children and pets to rain harvesting systems that gather your roof water for use in your garden, there is no shortage of sustainable practices and products available for your yard care today. Head to KSHE's website to enter the Great Green Yard Giveaway and you could win a "green" yard makeover valued at up to $25,000! Organic fertilizers, compost, LED lighting and more... Sponsored by Terry's Home and Garden and St. Louis Composting. Enter today at http://www.kshe95.com/green <http://www.kshe95.com/green> -- Scott's Contracting scottscontracting@gmail.com http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Roofing Questions and Answers

Roof Stains, Roof Mold, and Roof Cleaning

Scotts Contracting St Louis Renewable Energy

The following article will attempt to explain a few issues you may have with your Roof. The Roof of your Home is one of the most important parts of your home- it keeps everything Dry and Comfortable.

If you are having a Roofing Issue and you are unable to Repair it yourself.
Scotts Contracting is available to assist in you.
We offer roofing solutions for any and every budget.
If a new roof is not in your Budget we offer Roof Repairs.
We even have Eco and Green Roofing Options available for Energy Star Rated Roofs.
There are also Lifetime Guarantees Available for the Roof on your Home.


Scotts Contracting St Louis Renewable Energy

These article that I found at : www.merchantcircle.com- they are provided in whole and Point out some very interesting points of view and solutions

Though those ugly black streaks and stains on your shingles might appear to be some sort of roof mold, a more accurate description would be to call it roof algae. This is a hardy species of algae called Gloeocapsa Magma, and if you aren't using the right chemicals or methods it can be extremely difficult to remove. Call it roof mold, roof algae, roof mildew, or whatever else you want, but just be sure to clean it off in a timely and safe manner.

Just to be thorough, there are other types of organic growth that can form on a roof other than roof algae (or mold). There's also the possibility of lichen or moss growth. Lichen is usually a whitish color, but it can also have tones of green, yellow, and brown. It often forms in patches of individual circles, each averaging about the size of a dime. It's also noticeably raised from the surface, unlike the black algae stains.

Moss, on the other hand, almost always has a green color and if left untreated for several years will become so thick as to be noticeable from the ground. I've seen some situations where it's been ignored for so long that it literally looks like a roof is covered with green carpet. Honestly I don't know what people are thinking when they allow this to happen to their home.

So how does one go about treating a roof with lichen and/or moss? Well, in most cases it should be handled in the same manner as the black algae roof stains (or "roof mold"), which has already been described in length on this site. In a nutshell, a bleach or chlorine-based solution applied with non-pressure methods will kill lichen and moderate moss growth almost instantly. It should turn a whitish color within minutes, which tells you that it's dead. Unlike black algae stains which come off immediately with the rinse phase of the cleaning, dead lichen and moss will require a few heavy rains to finish rinsing off the roof. It could take awhile but rest assured that lichen and most moss situations, once dead, will eventually dislodge and rinse off the roof thanks to mother nature.

If you are the impatient type and want the lichen and moss removed immediately, you'll have to use a pressure washer, but as you should know by now I highly discourage the use of high pressure on a roof. In those rare cases where the moss is extremely thick and out of control (this is more common in the northwest) your only choice might be to use a pressure washer, but even in these extreme scenarios you should dial down the pressure and use extreme caution.

In summation, black roof "mold" stains (algae) should come off immediately if using the proper methods. Roof mold removal doesn't have to be rocket science, people. White or green lichen and moss, on the other hand, will be killed with the same chemicals but will need a few heavy rains to finish rinsing away. If this all just sounds like too much of a hassle and you'd rather keep your feet safely on the ground (good idea) then do take a look at our directory of non-pressure roof cleaning services. There's more than likely a company in your area that knows how to remove your roof algae in a professional and safe manner.

There's a lot of false information about roof algae cleaning floating around right now, and I guess this is to be expected because it's still a relatively new industry and most homeowners still aren't that familiar with it. But I'm tired of seeing all the confusion and decided that it's time to set the record straight. It's time to blast some common roof cleaning myths out of the water once and for all. So, without further ado, I give you the top ten myths about roof stain removal. Myth #1: Black roof stains are caused by tar, acid, dirt, or jet fuel. Roof stains are caused by a hardy type of blue-green algae called Gloeocapsa Magma. All it takes is for one algae spore to land on your shingles and take hold and then it's off to the races. The algae will continue to multiply and spread, its growth fed by the limestone filler in the shingles and moisture.

Myth #2: Algae on roof shingles is really a signal that it's time for a new roof. Simply the presence of algae stains does not necessarily equate with needing a new roof. In many cases all a roof needs is a good professional cleaning to restore its original look and health. You might notice that roofers don't like roof cleaners very much, and this is because we keep them honest. If a roofer tells you that you need a whole new roof just because of some algae staining tell him to take a walk and look up your local non-pressure roof cleaning company instead. You'll save a huge amount of money.

Myth #3: Roof algae removal will have no real impact on a home's curb appeal. Most people are shocked when they see how much better their home looks after a roof cleaning. I think this is because most homeowners have gotten so used to seeing the stains on their roof that they've completely forgotten how good it once looked. I've lost count of how many times I've cleaned the roof of a house that had been on the market for months with virtually no activity and within days of the cleaning it finally started getting serious offers. I've said it before and I'll say it again that no matter how beautiful your landscaping, no matter how clean your windows, no matter how precise the painted trim, if your roof is covered in filthy algae stains then it will still ruin your curb appeal, if not in your eyes then in the eyes of your family, friends, neighbors, and potential buyers.

Myth #4: Roof algae is only a cosmetic issue so it can be ignored for now. If not cleaned off and kept at bay roof algae has the ability to shave years off the life of your shingles. It's important to remember that roof algae is a living organism that needs food to continue to grow. Guess what the favorite food of roof algae is? That's right – your shingles! Shingle makers now use limestone filler in the manufacturing process which the algae just loves to chew on. This will result in premature loss of shingle granules and general deterioration. Shingle granules are vital to the health of your roof and home because they work to deflect UV rays and heat away from your roof surface. If they are gone or covered with algae then you will have a hotter attic and higher AC bills. You'll also have to replace the roof a lot sooner, and with the average new roof these days topping $10,000 it's just a no-brainer to keep your shingles clean and functional for a fraction of the cost. Myth #5: The best way to go about removing roof algae is with high pressure. I've beaten this one to death on this site but it bears repeating that, next to positioning your home in the path of a tornado, power washing your roof to remove algae stains is the worst thing you could possibly do to it. Just because your concrete, deck, and brick siding were pressure cleaned doesn't mean you should do it to your shingles. Don't you have any idea how flimsy and fragile your shingles are? Don't you realize how many thousand or tens of thousands of shingle granules will pop right off with the use of a power washing wand? It just always blows my mind that people think this is a good idea. Yes, blasting your roof with 2000 PSI will remove some of the stains, but if it removes some of your actual roof in the process then what the heck is the point? If you bought a roof algae remover and somewhere in the instructions it says that you should walk up on your roof with a power washing wand in hand and unleash hell on your shingles then it's safe to say that you purchased the wrong product. Myth #6: Chemical roof cleaning will damage shingles, gutters, and landscaping. If you're using the right chemicals with the proper procedures and rinsing techniques then you have nothing to fear. I've cleaned hundreds of roofs with non-pressure chemical methods and have never once seen a situation where we caused damage to someone's home. I also only clean roofs with a helper present who's sole responsibility is to rinse the heck out of the grass, bushes, and perimeter landscaping so that there's absolutely no chance of plant damage. We usually do such a good job of rinsing that homeowners notice that their landscaping actually looks especially healthy and vibrant in the days following the cleaning. ARMA (the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association) and GAF (North America's largest shingle maker) both recommend that shingles be cleaned with non-pressure, chemical methods, and any home inspector worth his salt would also concur. Myth #7: It's only necessary to clean the sections of the roof that have visible stains. Just because you can't see algae stains on certain parts of the roof doesn't mean that it's not already there and beginning to develop. Keep in mind that in its early stages roof algae is completely invisible to the naked eye. It's not until the more advanced stages that it actually turns black and becomes visible. So if you can see algae on even one section of your roof that means that it's probably already taking hold on your entire roof. I always try to explain this to my customers but occasionally I still get people who don't believe it and demand that I only do a spot-clean to remove visible stains. I reluctantly oblige their demands but am never surprised when I drive by a year later to see the untreated areas now completely covered in black algae! Then they usually call me back with the standard, "You were right. Can you please come back and clean the whole roof as you originally recommended?" Myth #8: Ambient temperature has no effect on the effectiveness of a roof algae cleaner. If you're using the correct chemical mixture then it will be most effective when the temperature is above 50 degrees. Below 50 and the power of the solution drops off rapidly. If you absolutely must have the roof cleaned on a day when it's right around 50 or a little bit lower just keep in mind that the chemicals will need to sit for a little bit longer on the roof to be effective. So instead of giving it five minutes to kill the algae give it 15. Then reapply if necessary. On the flip side, if it's an extremely hot day you may find that your chemical is evaporating before it even has a chance to kill the algae. In this situation you can simply soak the roof with water to cool it down before applying the chemicals. Myth #9: Roof cleaning is an easy DIY project that any homeowner can do in an afternoon. There's nothing easy or quick about roof cleaning. In fact, if you approach it with a cavalier attitude you run a good chance of injuring yourself. If you want to have any chance of cleaning your roof safely and effectively then you need to set out a clear plan of attack, have safety procedures in place, and, above all, take your time. Rushing through a roof cleaning only leads to trouble. Unless you're one of these guys that absolutely has to do every home improvement job on his own I would highly recommend that you just find a qualified, non-pressure roof cleaning company in your area. Either you can hire somebody who has the equipment and experience to clean your roof in a few hours or you can spend an entire weekend doing it yourself and risking your life. Your choice. Myth #10: Roof cleaning companies tend to overprice their work and take advantage of consumers. I guess I'm always a little disappointed when I tell someone that it will cost $300-$500 to clean their roof and they give me attitude and insinuate that I'm somehow ripping them off. I think people hear that word "cleaning" and they think it should be cheap like carpet cleaning or house cleaning. Think about it. Does a carpet cleaner spend three hours at your house sweating his butt off and getting sunburned? No. Does a carpet cleaner run the possibility of paralysis or death by simply doing his job? No. Does a carpet cleaner spend $100 on chemicals for every single job? No. Can a carpet cleaner offer you a guarantee that the treated surface will stay clean for years to come? No. There's so much more that goes into a professional roof cleaning than for any other kind of residential cleaning service that it's really not even fair to lump them into the same category. As a matter of fact, I actually think that most roof cleaning companies come in too low with their prices when you consider all the variables involved. I also challenge you to name me one other home improvement service that can instantly transform a home's curb appeal in a single afternoon for under $500. Can't be done. And when you consider that it not only makes your home more beautiful but also extends the life of your expensive roof by a matter of years I think that having a roof cleaned is one of the smartest and most cost-effective things that a homeowner could possibly do to protect their biggest investment. So now that I've cleared the air and educated you about the myths that surround the roof cleaning industry I hope you'll take these words of advice to heart because they represent the straightest talk about this topic that you're going to find. I'm not here to serve up a load of BS just because I'm trying to sell a product. I'm telling you like it is because there are too many lies flying around. Either you can buy into one of the myths and be disappointed with the results or you can clean your shingles the right way and be satisfied with your new-looking, beautiful home that is free of roof algae.

Contrary to popular belief, roof cleaning is about more than just having a nice-looking house. It's also about attending to the overall health of your roof and home. The black streaks that you're seeing on your roof consist of Gloeocapsa Magma, which is a hardy type of blue-green algae that if left to its own devices will eventually start to compromise the integrity of your shingles.

Usually the process begins when an algae spore lands on and attaches to your roof. It then begins to consume the limestone filler in your shingles' granules. The limestone acts as a food source for the algae and allows it to grow and eventually cover larger and larger portions of your roof's surface. So as the algae grows across your roof it is literally eating the shingles! If the growth goes unchecked it will eventually cause loss of roof granules, which are vital to the reflective properties of your roof. When these granules are lost it leads to greater heat build-up which leads to higher energy costs for you, especially on those hot summer days when the AC is blasting!

Loss of granules and the further deterioration of your shingles could very well shave years off the life of your roof, and with new roofs running between $5,000 and $15,000 these days for average homes, why wouldn't you do everything in your power to max out its lifespan? Take my advice to have your roof cleaned as needed and you'll not only enjoy a nicer-looking home but you'll be protecting probably your biggest investment: your home! To learn more about what qualities to look for in a service provider please read this post about roof cleaners.

For Assistance with your Next Roofing Project Let the Guys at Scotts Contracting Protect the Roof over your Head.

Scott's Contracting scottscontracting@gmail.com http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com