The deck maintenance experts

By Bill Yurgen

Trends come and go but one thing is for certain, we Americans love our decks. No matter where you travel—north, south, east or west, to the mountains or to the shore—a great many of the country’s most spectacular homes feature a deck to take in the beautiful scenery and to function as the epicenter for outdoor family life.

Granted, most decks found in Midwest suburbia might be missing that infinite mountain or seaside view, but they are all without a doubt at the center of the warm weather action for most families. Functioning as the place to eat al-fresco, to grill and to take on the everyday traffic of life and gatherings big and small, our decks quietly enrich our lives as being the big room with the sky for a ceiling we all long to spend time on. The trouble eventually appears when we look down.

The Bad News
A well-built, well-finished wood deck will give a number of years of faithful, attractive appearance and add ambiance to your outdoor living. But sooner or later it will need maintenance. Even those recent composite decks that promise the allure of being maintenance free are not completely free of requiring periodic attention. The trouble comes not from any fault of the deck but from Mother Nature. 

“Nothing can damage a deck quite like Northeast Ohio weather,” Dave Hydock, president of Deck Rescue explains.

“Here in Northeast Ohio, we will have some days during the summer when temperatures can reach the same scorching highs as they do in the south or southwest. Exposure to extreme heat and UV rays will lead to fading and drying of deck surfaces.”

As if the summer damage isn’t enough, during our winters we have a significant freeze/thaw cycle, which causes yet more incremental damage. That’s the bad news.

The Good News For All Decks
The good news is all of that potential weather damage can be controlled. 

“Having routine annual power washing done to remove the dirt and grime that eventually can permanently stain both wood and composite surfaces is a huge step toward keeping a deck looking like new over the long-term,” Dave says.

“When we encounter mold on composite decks—and we frequently do—we will use an antimicrobial additive to the composite cleaning solution. This helps delay future mold growth for as long as possible.”

Good News Especially For Wood Decks
For wood decks that appear tired, faded and sun-bleached, Deck Rescue has a preferred weapon in its arsenal against deck deterioration. 

“For decks that have not been coated with a solid (opaque) stain, we prefer to use a toner,” Dave says.

“Following a thorough cleaning, we apply a protective sealant that repels water and harmful UV rays. This sealer, or ‘toner,’ is tinted and is our product of choice as it protects surfaces for two to three years on horizontal surfaces and four to five years on vertical surfaces. We continually amaze people who might think their deck is beyond help. The results are almost always beyond what they imagined.” 

It is this proven procedure that has made Deck Rescue an industry leader for nearly two decades. For decks previously treated with solid stain, the company offers a variety of effective, attractive solid stain options.

Restoring it For You
Deck Rescue is a locally owned company founded in 1995 by Dave, with franchised territories throughout Northern Ohio, Columbus and Indiana. With a schedule currently booked out roughly four to six weeks, Deck Rescue has become a go-to service provider for folks seeking to have their tired decks, fences, playsets, outdoor structures and wood-stained homes made new again.

That must be why they say, “We love what we do, restoring it for you.”

For a free estimate or for more information about Deck Rescue, visit the website at DeckRescue.net or in Medina County, phone 330-764-3007.