Concrete walkway repair is an important element in the maintenance of your property, the Denver mudjacking service is designed to restore rather than replace, their solutions are functional for residential, commercial, and industrial applications.  Property Managers must scrimp, save, and otherwise plan for this work.  Below find some information Blade Runners feels is important to achieve success.

DO SNOW CONTRACTORS ICE CONTROL PRODUCTS CAUSE DAMAGE?

It is no secret that all saline based ice control products are a threat to concrete surface. Property managers must strike a balance between the safety benefits and potential damage. Blade Runners uses Ice B’gone Magic Salt that is easily the safest product in the industry. With that said, there are some important steps to be taken with new concrete installations.

Spalling 2

WHAT YOUR CONCRETE CONTRACTOR NEEDS TO DO.

Hire the right contractor:  There are many corners that can be cut with this service. Regardless of the price, you should make sure that the chosen contractor fully understands the procedures and standards. Please see the video below that talks about the basics. It is important that the terminology is contained in your bid specifications.

In addition the American Concrete Institute (ACI) has a resource for further information (item 301-10,Specifications of Structural Concrete).    www.concrete.org/store/productdetail.aspx?ItemID=30110                                                                            
  Apply a penetrating sealer (Silane, Siloxane, or Silicate):  This should be applied after the installation and the following year after installation. This will reduce the water penetration and protect the freeze thaw cycles that spall the concrete.

Sealing 2

See a list of products below (there may be others)

https://www.concretetreat.com/outdoor-concrete/protection-de-icer/
https://www.appliedtechnologies.com/home/Concrete_Sealer.html
https://www.wrmeadows.com/lin-seal-emulsion-curing-sealing-compound/
https://www.getnewlook.com/DriveHard.html
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WHAT BLADE RUNNERS CAN DO TO HELP
Pressure wash: It is important to remove any salt residue at the close of the season.

Mark areas: Place markers in areas to avoid ice control application.

 WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE SPALLING
Repair: With or without these efforts, spalling can occur. See the video below that discusses how to make a repair.

 

Learn how to use the MIG welder for home repair needs.


Having a beautiful, lush lawn is our desired goal in the DC Metro area BUT warm season grasses have become an increasing problem. These unwanted turf varieties are infesting the preferred fescue lawns with varieties that include: Dallis Grass, Chain Grass, Goose Grass, Couch Grass, Devil Grass, Wire Grass, Dog Tooth Grass and Bermuda grass. These funny sounding invasive grasses attract pests, turn brown with the first frost, and make an ugly contrast with green turf.

Dormant in Fescue

What is Warm Season Grass?

Warm Season Grasses were introduced into the United States in the 1800s as fast growing forage plants that could survive in southern climates. They thrive in sandy or clay soils, prevalent in our area. They love nitrogen fertilizer and grow twice as fast as regular turf grasses, which can create unsightly tufts for homeowners. Dallis grass leaf appearance is very similar to crabgrass but much harder to control.

different grasses

With their aggressive spreading habits, warm season grasses gradually crowd out the desirable fescue grasses, creating an unsightly contrast between turf types. This has become the nastiest of turf weed problems to control. Another issue is that it turns brown very quickly once any frost hits it, creating a sharp contrast particularly with tall fescue grasses which stay green all winter. They also attract serious insect pests that feed on it. These include armyworms, cutworms, sod webworms, Bermuda grass mites, and rhode grass scale (mealybug). The latter two insects cause damage by sucking juices from the stems and stunting the normal growth of the grass. Nuisance type insects found on bermudagrass include: chiggers, ants, and ticks.

Can Warm Season Grass Be Controlled or Prevented?

Due to its extensive root system, Bermuda grass is very difficult to control or even eradicate completely from a lawn where it has been growing vigorously. The underground roots and the above ground runners spread everywhere. As a result, even flower bed and other adjacent areas can become affected. Post-emergent herbicides that are used to remove crabgrass can work, although they must be applied several times at higher levels to complete the treatment and prevent regrowth.

What Can Blade Runners Do About Warm Season Grass?

Conventional weed/crabgrass control applications are not effective. The process to control the infestation is not part of the standard treatments in our agreement. As is the case with broadleaf weeds and crabgrass, annual attention is needed and complete eradication is not possible. The control applications must be made in August and September, over 3 applications that are three weeks apart.

It can be persistent and expensive to control. In some cases, clients make the commitment for eradication and others are willing to accept the appearance result. If you would like to make the effort in control, Blade Runners can provide you with a specific estimate.

Cicada picture and dirt mound
July and August can bring the ugly, scary looking Cicada Killer ground bees to your property.  Don’t despair…Blade Runners has some information and an action plan.
What is a Cicada Killer?

 The Cicada Killer is one of the largest digger wasps if seen around your home is better to hire trained wasps removal services.  They grow over 1.5″ long and are robust wasps that burrow in the ground in search of cicadas.  They create dirt patches in the landscape and hover around their areas.

Are Cicada Killers dangerous and what damage can they cause?
Cicada Killers use their sting to paralyze the cicadas.  Unlike most social wasps and bees, they do not sting unless handled roughly.  Cicada Killers are generally non-aggressive towards humans, usually flying away when swatted, instead of attacking.  Adults feed on flower nectar and other plant sap exudates.  The wasps are often seen in groups, vigorously challenging one another for position on the breeding aggregation from which they have emerged.  Adults emerge in summer, typically beginning in late June or early July and die off in September or October. They are present in a given area for 60 to 75 days, usually until mid-September.
Cicada killer infestation picture 4

Aside from being rather intimidating, they can cause damage in the landscape in the form of unsightly burrows.  

How do we control Cicada Killers?
To control these pests we must treat the holes in the late night or early morning, while they are resting.  This needs to be completed each week for three weeks. Raccoons in Oakland County Michigan are growing in numbers. So much that Kevin Scappaticci, owner of Platinum Raccoon Removal says that with the rise of raccoons and also homes being built, raccoons are resorting to breaking into attics for a safe place to live and birth their baby raccoons. Contact Blade Runners if you need help in controlling them.
https://www.pestzone.ca/wasp-nest-removal-toronto/
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