Who Are You Guys?

American House Wash and Wood Care was established in 1991 by Jonathan Whitt, author of House Washing 101; the power cleaning industry's foremost guidebook for house washing professionals.  Since that time, American House Wash has been central Virginia's leading exterior cleaning service provider.  With the goal of keeping your home looking its best, we restore and seal all types of siding, shingle roofs, decks, and concrete.

Are The Cleaners You're Using Safe?

YES.  The safety of your family, pets, and landscaping as well as our employees are our main concern.  We have never had a plant die and have never had an employee or customer injury.  We pride ourselves on our safety record.  We do not cover your bushes or grass with plastic to protect them from our cleaners because all of our cleaners are 100% environmentally safe and totally bio-degradable.

What Type of Equipment Do You Use?

We use the latest in HOT water detergent injected pressure washers which are mounted inside of our vehicles. We use custom-made extension wands and flat surface cleaning machines. We will clean your house or deck from the ground without banging ladders against it, scratching your siding. We gently and professionally clean your siding, deck, or other property with the correct combination of heat, deter­gent, and pressure to achieve beautiful results. When applying a wood finish, we use a combination of low pres­sure spray, roller, and brush to achieve maximum penetration and beauty of your wood.

Does Your Equipment Mean That I Will Get A Better Job?

YES. Hot water beats cold water hands down. Hot water helps the detergent work faster and emulsify stains that cold water can’t. When you want stains and dirt to come off your clothes or hands which works faster for you? Hot water, of course. On siding, we utilize our extension wands so we can stand on the ground to clean your siding. This has two benefits: I. We don’t use ladders unless absolutely necessary so there is no chance of scratching or denting your siding or breaking a window. 2. The wands in conjunction with our detergent injectors apply a uniform coating of cleaner, which translates into virtually streak free cleaning. If the detergent were to be applied with a pump up sprayer, it would not have uniform application and the result could be permanent streaking to your siding. On decks and other wood surfaces we use a combination of cleaners and brighteners to get your wood twice as clean than by just pressure washing alone. The process we use safely restores the wood without scaring and unsightly streaking. We then apply as much wood finish as the wood will hold. We don’t cheat you out of protection by just applying a surface coat. Your paying for protection and by totally filling the wood with our product you can be guaranteed of a professional job that will last for years. We may also back brush the wood to eliminate streaks and drips, leaving your wood with a natural and beautiful appearance.

What Type Of Results Can I Expect?

In order to eliminate any questions regarding results we inform all of our customers of any unusual conditions at the time of the estimate. Generally the following conditions can occur at any job. Loose paint and caulking may come off, good paint will not. Windows may spot lightly, but no more than what rain-water would do. Black streaks (commonly referred to as rust stains) found under eaves and some aluminum gutters, will not come 100% clean, these streaks are caused by the constant moisture or rain water passing over them can deposit a permanent stain. Small black spots that remain are either the asphalt shingle granules that run off your roof, bug droppings that are baked into the surface, or a common fungus known as artillery or shotgun fungus. All mildew, surface dirt, and carbonous pollutants will be removed from the siding of your home, making your property look its best. After application of a wood finish it will normally take up to two days for the wood to fully cure. The surface will dry to the touch within a few hours and foot traffic on horizontal surfaces should be kept to a minimum for at least 24 hours.

Do You Have References?

Yes. We have been in business since 1993 and have cleaned more than a million square feet of exterior surfaces. We have literally hundreds of references, and would be happy to provide you with as many as you need. Many times there is someone within your neighborhood in which we have already worked for.

What Is The Wood Finish?

We use only the best wood care products available. Because not all wood is in the same condition, we will examine yours and make our recommendation as to what we think will perform best for you. We have three different wood care products that we use in a regular basis and are certified in all aspects of their use. We have the field experience and time tested knowledge to know what really works in the "real world”. Don’t be fooled by the mass marketed products you see on television. Not all wood finishes are created the same. We can make the decision making process easy for you by explaining the differences in these products.

What Is The Surface Polymer?

Our surface polymer is a clear finish that is applied directly after cleaning vinyl and painted wood siding. It is very similar to “Rain X” (TM). Its' purpose is to protect the finish from ultra-violet light (which fades surfaces) and re­sist the re-adhesion of mildew spores, dirt, and pollution. It does not yellow or dull the finish. Our polymer is ap­plied to all surfaces except bare wood. Normally this application will double or triple the life of your wash job.

Who Will Be Doing The Job?

All of our employees have to pass stringent testing after being trained in the use of our equipment, safety program, and customer service. You can relax in the knowledge that the technician on your job is experienced, well trained, polite, and will treat your home with utmost care. Our business is predominantly made up of referral customers and we intend to keep it that way.

What Does The Service Include?

Are You Insured?

Yes. We are insured for two million dollars in liability coverage.

We hope that this information will help you make an informed decision regarding which contractor to hire for your exterior cleaning needs. If you have any additional questions please feel free to call me at (434) 237-0237.

Sincerely,

Eric R. Zehr, President - American House Wash & Wood Care

PS

A recent industry survey performed by the Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA) found that almost 90% of all new power-washing companies went out of business within one year of opening. The reasons sited were lack of professional training and lack of business experience.

What does this mean to you?

It means that if you called ten contractors for an estimate only one or two would have any experience and your home may become a testing ground for an inexperienced contractor! Their lack of business experience and hands on training account for the wide range of pricing you will receive. Do yourself a favor and trust your biggest asset to a professional.