Ugly algae and mildew stains on your brick?  How in the world do you get it off?

Warning:  Improper brick cleaning techniques can damage your masonry. Special care is required when cleaning brick or stone.*
Contrary to popular practices—even by many masonry companies—the right answer never involves the use of acid or sandblasting, which can permanently damage or discolor your brick or stone. Proper cleaning or waterproofing of your walls begins with a professional diagnosis, and usually requires special chemicals in conjunction with pressure washing.*

How do you know if your porch needs help? If there is evidence of water damage; loose, missing or rusting hardware; and excessive movement of the porch, these are sure indicators that you should get your porch checked out.

The question is should you repair or rebuild?  If your porch is just looking a little tired, simply sanding it and applying a fresh coat of paint or stain is a relatively painless weekend project that drastically improves your home's curb appeal. However if the porch is leaning or wobbly, a call to a contractor at Boyd Construction Co Inc, who do porch repair and rebuilds in the Washington DC area, can set you on the right path to getting a free inspection and the right porch rebuild for your needs. 
How much time would it take to complete a rebuild or repair? Even complete rebuilds only take a few days -- which means you shouldn't lose much more than a week of quality porch-sitting time.

Attention to small construction details adds longevity to a porch restoration.

Drenched by the rain, covered in snow, and beaten by the sun, porches are vulnerable to every whim of the weather, and consequently require more maintenance than the rest of the house. Piecemeal repairs often make do for decades, but eventually porches must be replaced. When this happens, homeowners are often shocked to learn that the original building elements they’ve taken for granted for years are expensive and quite difficult to replicate.

Don't cut corners.  It is important to invest in a professional licensed contractor to ensure that there are no future unforeseen costs that may occur from a quick patch job. Get it done and done right the first time to avoid a problem in the future.


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Boyd Construction Co Inc has been fitting new flat roofs in the Washington DC area for over 81 years. As you can imagine they are a great reliable source to gain some insight and reliable information on just what you would need for  your Washington DC flat roof.

Most modern flat roofs have an average lifespan of 20 years, so in a lifetime you would only have to replace it maybe 3 times.

Here are the most commonly used and installed flat roof systems:

Torch on felt roofingTorch on felt – 3 layers of felt are melt welded together with a large blowlamp or torch from where it derives the name torch on. Make sure any roofing contractor carries the correct insurance to work with hot flame.

EPDM rubber roof – Firestone or similar

These have stormed the market since being introduced a few years ago in the U.K. A rubber roof can be often installed in one complete layer without the need for joins depending on size, which is often an attractive prospect. It is also extremely light weight, elastic and tough, so it lends itself to many situations. Mostly rubber roofs are glued down to the decking ( wooden substrate ) so if you had a felt roof previously the timber deck may need replacing depending on the system or glue used.

Fibreglass GRP flat roof

These have been around in the UK for well over 20 years but in small numbers, I first came across GRP many years ago when I was asked to supply a no-flame solution for a very awkward roof. Fibreglass roofs have suffered from a bad reputation in the past due to ignorance and faulty installation. A common mistake was using standard boat resins that couldn’t expand or contract properly, or laying fibreglass onto chipboard or smooth plywood. These days’ modern resins and correct installation has helped fibreglass become a real contender for a top flight flat roof. Normally laid in a one, or sometimes a two layer jointless finish with factory made trims and coloured to literally any colour.
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