Did you know that a nice patio can have a better impact on your home’s value than many other upgrades? It’s true. A nice back patio area is something everyone wants. Dad pictures himself grilling some ribs while Mom dreams of kicking back on a soft chair with her Kindle.

Whether or not our patio will actually live up to our lofty expectations, who knows, but we can dream, can’t we?

So, in no particular order, here are some things I’ve discovered over the years.

• Don’t buy cheap steel patio furniture. It will rust and leave stains on your concrete.
• Don’t buy those cheap steel framed patio canopy things. I’ve seen them collapsed in a pile at my customers’ backyards more times than I can count.
• Do Scotchgard your furniture cushions. The sun quickly fades unprotected fabric.
• Do create natural shade for you patio using fast growing vines, trees, etc. You can even plant a tree in a pot and move it around to provide shade at different times of the day.
• Do install gutters on your house. (Ok that is not technically a patio improvement but…) Gutters will redirect rain water away from the house and patio. You don’t want water crashing down and splashing muddy water all over everything.
• Do schedule an annual cleaning of your house, patio, and patio furniture.

If you have any ideas, please share them with us!

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

House getting dirty? Does it have green algae on the siding? Porches getting gross? Spider webs? Hornet nests? Yup, it’s time to pressure wash.

But before you rush out to your nearest pressure washer rental place, let’s think about it a little. Are you really going to save any money?

• You will have to drive to the rental place to pick it up. (time and gas)
• You will have to sign the rental contract (with all the fine print)and pay the fee ($80)
• You will need detergents. ($20)
• Fuel ($6)
• You will have to do the work yourself. (time, time, time)
• You will have to take the machine back. (time and gas)

Here’s something else to think about. Do you know how much pressure is too much? Do you know what type of detergent to use? Do you actually want to experiment on your own house?

Call us, we can help you get this done without all that hassle.

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

This time of year most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees, but are those leaves now in your gutters? If your gutters are full of leaves then they are not working the way that they were designed to work.

Even if your gutters are not completely full of leaves and other debris, during a hard rain the water will not be able to drain from the gutter system fast enough, and the gutters will simply overflow. The problem with this is that the overflowing water will saturate your fascia boards and your foundation. This can cause problems.

It can cause your fascia boards and your roof material to rot and decay. And all of that water overflowing and splashing up against your foundation will make everything dirty. Some of that water could even make it underneath your house – causing crawlspace water problems.

Bottom line is, clogged gutters are useless. It would be better to not have gutters at all then to have clogged gutters.

Call Heritage Restoration to get your gutter system operating the way it’s supposed to. While you’re getting your gutters cleaned-out you might want to consider having your house washed as well. We are here to help!

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

Sometimes Pressure isn’t what is needed. That’s where SoftWashing comes in. We have SoftWashed 1000’s of houses right here in the Jacksonville area. Here’s a little demo:

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

Get your driveway pressure washed and see the difference it can make. We use commercial grade equipment and have the right detergents to get things really clean. Here’s a quick video:

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

10. Your house wasn’t green when you moved in.
9. Your pressure washer is buried in your garage and probably won’t even start.
8. You won’t get that nasty-gram from the homeowners association.
7. Netflix.
6. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
5. We take credit cards.
4. Our detergent smells good.
3. They don’t call us Jacksonville’s Soft Washing Experts for nothing.
2. Your ladder is too short.
1. So you don’t end up like these people.

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

We pressure washed a few houses today and this one had such a great view I thought I’d share. We wash this house every year – such great customers!

Let us know if we can help you!

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

1. Clear the path to the front door. Make sure your bushes are trimmed, hoses stored, etc. You don’t want to make an obstacle course for you guests, do you? Not very inviting. Flowers, plants, bushes, and trees all do a great job of softening the transition from yard to home, but don’t let them take over. Cost – Free.

2. Add some lighting for the pathway leading up to your front door. Super easy solar options are available now. You do not even have to run any wires. Plan where you put these lights carefully. You do not want them on your grass, as that would be difficult to mow around. Consider putting them in your mulched beds or something like that. Cost – $50.

3. Buy a quart of paint and treat your eyes and those of your neighbors with a pretty, bright, glossy front door. People like that. Cost – $15.

4. And since we’re talking about doors, if your front door that doesn’t have any decorative value to it, consider replacing it. There are tons of different options out there with attractive glass and decorative designs. This is an easy change-out most of the time and it can really help your house stand out in the neighborhood. If you’re worried about privacy, no problem. This is easily fixed with DIY film you can put over the glass (on the inside). You get the light and the curb appeal, and still retain your privacy. Cost – $300.

5. Even if you don’t replace your door, you can still dress it up with some fancy hardware. You can pretty much do as little or as much as you want here. And if you going to change to new hardware, you might as well consider getting one of the new deadbolts that has the combination lock built right into it. No more fumbling for your keys when you’re trying to get into your house with your hands full. Cost – $100

6. What do your house numbers look like from the road? Are they even visable? Are they just the cheap ones that the contractor threw up because they had to put something there? Why not put something up that reflects your personality, or something that matches your new door hardware? Your UPS guy will thank you! Cost – $25.

7. And…. don’t forget that welcome mat. Get one that is sized proportionately to your front door. It looks kind of weird to have a big front door and a little welcome mat. We power wash mats a lot during house washes and you would not believe the amount of dirt that comes out of these things. They really do help keep your house clean, so invest in a good one. Cost – $25.

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

Don’t end up like these poor folks – hire a pro!

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.

Thinking about installing gutters on your house? First of all, congratulations that’s a great idea. Gutters are a wonderful addition to your home. They keep your home cleaner, dryer and they look nice too. Just don’t forget to keep them cleaned out (more on that here).

Before you call your gutter installation professional however, make arrangements to have your house washed first.

Here’s the deal, the fascia/trim area on your house is dirty and moldy even if it doesn’t look like it’s dirty, trust me, it’s dirty.

Once they install the gutters on that area of your house, they will essentially be trapping the dirt and mold behind the gutter, making it harder to clean, and harder to keep clean moving forward. Here’s a picture.

See what I mean? Get your house washed first and be happier with your gutters and fascia. ☺

Free pressure washing estimate HERE.