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Pollution, Pandemics, and Polarized Weather

CLIMATE CHANGE: HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR HOME

According to the UN, Climate Change is defined as: “Long term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800’s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.”

Rising emissions fueling rising temperatures create a perfect storm of weather volatility, the effects of which are clearly seen in rampant flooding, temperature instability, and widespread infectious disease. Weather extremes impact soil changes, air quality, deforestation, and drought, all of which further impact housing and health. How is Climate Change currently affecting your home?

Adapting to the needs of our home to protect our family and investment means guarding and protecting what is within our control in a climate which may make us feel otherwise. A house is only as good as its foundation. It’s time to throw away the throw-away-mentality. With rising costs of building materials and housing, a shift in perspective may be what is needed to help your house remain your home.

Rising housing costs include high demand of building materials, rising mortgage rates and insurance rates. These negative impacts have led to positive strategized construction methods including Green Design, with a keen eye on improving structures having long-term integrity and positive impact ecologically. Further, weather extremes cause imminent damage to one’s health and property which can also effectively be counteracted with knowledge of said effects.

  • Soil changes from drought to flooding extremes cause shifts in foundations due to settling soil.
  • High winds can damage roof and siding materials in need of repair.
  • Burst pipes often result from dramatic drop of temperature, especially when sustained by frigid winds.
  • Poor indoor air quality often leaches in from structural damage which leads to radon, mildew, mold, and fungus in ventilation. WHO (World Health Organization) reports “an estimated 7 million people die annually from breathing bad air.”

What You Can Do About It

Knowledge is power, so rather than feel defeated by Climate Change, empower yourself to manage what is in your control.

  • Be proactive to secure your home’s foundation. Act quickly to repair any cracks in foundation or walls.
  • Keep your roof, siding, and windows in good repair. This will protect your home from the elements, limiting loss of heating/cooling, and maintain clean air.
  • Maintain clean gutters; keep in good repair. Make sure they drain properly, keeping water away from home’s foundation. Even a small clog can mean a big problem when a sudden heavy rain occurs.

How Grime Fighters Can Help You

Power Washing, Window Cleaning, and Gutter Cleaning are at once preventative and proactive, as they protect your home from extremes which can lead to disease and deterioration, also keeping a keen eye on areas which may be more vulnerable or weakened, such as:

  • An emerging crack in settling foundation or walls.
  • Faulty Guttering.
  • Windows without a tight seal will leak air and moisture, often seen as fogging.
  • External mold, fungus, or mildew which can leach into your home.

All of these factors lead to possible health problems and home repairs which can quickly snowball when under extreme stress.

Rely on Grime Fighters to provide a positive effect on your home. A clean home is a healthy home.

Top 5 Reasons to Power Wash in Spring and Who Should Do It

Spring’s imminent arrival beckons us to begin anew. We eagerly clean and prepare to welcome longer days and warmer breezes into our home. It is therefore crucial that we also properly clean the exterior of our homes during this season of transition.

Weather extremes have certainly contributed to a significantly volatile season. And not to be ignored is the effect on our homes. Abundant moisture and humidity create a breeding ground for algae, mold, and mildew. Strong winds are not only destructive to your home’s exterior, they also carry debris to areas of moisture which becomes food for mold and algae. Furthermore, dirt and debris have lodged themselves in the cracks, corners, and crevices of your home’s exterior. Fluctuating temperatures forcing freeze and thaw cycles wreak havoc on salted, flat surfaces. Decks and patios covered in winter’s slime create hazardous pathways. Gutters forced beyond capacity by heavy moisture, weakened by strong winds, can become destructive to your roof and siding. These factors are even more probable if your home was not winterized last Autumn, in preparation of Winter’s wet weather and decreased sunlight, which only increase the likelihood of growing grime.

TOP 5 REASONS TO POWER WASH IN SPRING:

  • INVITE. (The guests you don’t want.) Your home could be extending an invitation for destructive organisms.
  • INSPECT. An excellent time and opportunity to check your home’s exterior for potential damage, before it becomes structural damage.
  • IDEAL. Milder weather and temperatures along with extended daylight, provide an ideal time for power washing.
  • IRRITANTS. Spring allergens (pollen, dust, and dirt) are at their highest levels. House washing, flat surface cleaning, and window cleaning will keep these allergens where they belong.
  • INVIGORATE. Earth springs back to life and we do, too. Take advantage of the longer days to lift your spirits and breathe life back into your home. Make your home your haven.

There is no shortage of task lists and outdoor projects in Spring. In fact, it is synonymous with the season. Rather than feeling overwhelmed with Spring Cleaning, rely on the professionals to help get the job done.

Here’s why Grime Fighters has the edge over your D.I.Y.

  • TOOLS, TRAINING, TECHNIQUE. There are different solutions and treatments for different jobs. Your siding requires a different psi than your sidewalk. Whether it is slimy siding or spot-free windows, our team is trained to understand and provide your home’s unique needs so you don’t have to spend your Saturday stuck in a learning curve.
  • SAFETY, HONESTY, TRUSTWORTHINESS. Safety and Honesty are the hallmarks of everything we do at Grime Fighters. That means our team acts safely, honestly, and professionally AT ALL TIMES. Taking care of your home is not just our job, it’s part of our community responsibility. Great care is taken in scheduling and executing work so as to build trust with our neighbours, whether in our local Lehigh Valley, or neighboring Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

At Grime Fighters, your needs come first. You don’t trust just anyone to clean and protect your home. Whether you need to clean your sidewalk, deck, patio, siding, windows, or gutters, trust Grime Fighters to revive your home this Spring.

Planting Community Seeds…

“You cannot stop the death that comes in the winter nor the life that comes with the summer. You can contribute your intelligence and will to the intelligence and movement of a dynamic larger than you. You can plant the seed that will sprout in the spring. You can lay the foundation for a different winter to come after the summer that has yet to arrive. You can only do this for yourself.” -Gary Zukav

We readily acknowledge that we cannot control the dynamic of the changing seasons… how autumn softly lulls us into the sleep of winter. But we also acknowledge the dynamic of being a part of something bigger than us as individuals. At Grime Fighters, we recognize that we are part of a whole. Without our loyal customers, we could not contribute our intelligence and will into the dynamic of our community. And just as the seasons change, our customers’ needs change.

While freezing temperatures may temporarily limit the amount and type of work we do, we by no means stop working. During Winter, Grime Fighters is still working behind the scenes to provide for you, our customer, with improved quality and effort. This is an ideal time for us to ‘plant the seed’ for Spring, making repairs and improvements on our Rig and Equipment, utilizing our maintenance portal, to provide a systematic check for parts, readying our team for Spring.

As we approach the slow season of January, February, and March, we will have reduced cleanings. All outdoor work is weather and temperature dependent, working only above 37 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, bookings are made only one week in advance.

Work that can be scheduled during this time:

INTERIOR WINDOWS

CHANDELIER CLEANINGS

HOUSE WASH *above 37F

GUTTER CLEANING *above 37F

FLAT SURFACE CLEANING *above 37F

All Exterior Window Cleaning and Roof Cleaning will be postponed to Spring.

We wish to thank our community for a successful 2021 season! Thank you for your patience and persistence in these challenging times. We look forward to continuing our dynamic relationship together, improving and contributing to a better, cleaner community.

Changes

What you need to know about changes.

To say the last two years have been inundated with change would be an understatement. While the Pandemic incited many shifts in how we live and work, we have grown and shifted with those changes. We’ve learned a lot about safety and prevention. We’ve also learned about supporting each other, and our communities.

Grime Fighters has seen its own changes, and has safely supported the needs of our growing communities, namely, the Lehigh Valley. In fact, the 2020 Census reports a 6% growth of the county since 2010. And, according to Zillow, the last two years in the Lehigh Valley have seen a housing boom, with 2021 predicted to see the most home sales in a single calendar year, at 6-8 million! These changes together have surged property values, prices up 13% over 2020. Even still, this rapidly moving market averages home sales within 7 DAYS!

What does that mean for you? If you are planning to list your home and want to maximize the potential list price, time is of the essence to take care of any outside maintenance. With just a 7 day potential selling window, chances are there will not be time to schedule cleaning that will benefit your curb appeal ($$$) after you list your home.

Or perhaps you fall into the category of those who have recently moved into the Lehigh Valley. Why not give your home a clean slate, ensuring the protection of your investment? With autumn’s arrival, as well as increased storms due to changes in our climate, your home needs more care and attention. Rain, wind, and falling leaves means your gutters are working overtime. Scheduling a professional Gutter Cleaning NOW prevents your home from taking a beating this season. With storm and flood damage on the rise in our expanded community, including Bucks and Montgomery, it is wise as a homeowner to do as much as possible to protect your home now.

Gutter Cleaning is NOT just about cleaning your gutters. It is also about preventing mold entering your home, as well as protecting your roof, siding, foundation, essentially, the structure of your home. Even your yard and landscaping can suffer from clogged gutters, once again, affecting curb appeal and property value. The real cost here is NEGLECT.

So make a positive change. Choose Grime Fighters for your next Gutter Cleaning. Mention this BLOG for a 10% discount on GUTTER CLEANING scheduled in NOVEMBER.

The Grime Fighter Team is eager to help you!

Why September is the Perfect Month For House Washing and Gutter Cleaning:

Gutter Cleaning in Macungie, Pennsylvania by Grime Fighters


While the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas of Bucks and Montgomery have had a fairly mild summer, it has, however, had its fair share of storms.  As summer ends with the arrival of September, it is important to use this opportunity to remove the stain of summer from your home.  

High humidity fosters a perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow on your home’s exterior, especially in wooded areas.  Pollutants, especially in urban areas, are carried in the air and settle into this hospitable environment, as well as debris carried by strong winds, delivered to gutters, clogging them and preventing smooth flow of water away from your home.  All of these factors harbor potential damage to your home…and that means a great expense to you. 

 
By taking advantage of our “2021 Summer Blowout” special for the month of September, you are making the wise and responsible choice of maintaining your home, while saving money now, and in the long run.  

Why not save 10% NOW on all HOUSE WASHING and GUTTER CLEANING booked for the month of September, while saving hundreds or thousands of dollars from the high cost of neglect.

New Beginnings

Welcome to the new GRIME FIGHTERS blog! Join us as we endeavour to impart useful, informative material to our community.

We are very excited to announce that we are now serving MONTGOMERY AND BUCKS counties, as well as THE LEHIGH VALLEY. This includes 309, 202, and 611 including the surrounding areas of Quakertown, Perkasie, Sellersville, Telford, Souderton, Hatfield, North Wales, Montgomeryville, Lansdale, Chalfont, New Britain, Doylestown, Fountainville, Plumsteadville, Dublin, Nockamixon, and more!

As a welcome for our NEW CUSTOMERS from these areas, we would like to offer a 10% DISCOUNT off of ALL SERVICES for 2021. If you’ve been postponing work on your home, this is the perfect opportunity to tick that box at a special savings. Grime Fighters is a well-established community business, serving the LEHIGH VALLEY for OVER 10 YEARS.

Our Services include:

POWER WASHING

FLAT SURFACES

POOL APRONS, PATIOS, DECKS, FENCING

WINDOW CLEANING

GUTTER CLEANING

ROOF CLEANING

***WITH SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR HOA’S (HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS) UP TO 50%!

We hope you will consider joining us as our company grows and expands. We look forward to creating and maintaining new relationships with Homeowners, Small Businesses, and Associations.