Red Gable Cleaning Ltd

It is heading into the weekend and we believe that we are fabulous so here is a great big pat on the back for us! We really enjoy what it is we do! We also believe that we do it better than most and at least as well as everyone else. This is partly because we specialise in the one thing and know it inside and out. Not only are our customers delighted with the results of our treatment but we are constantly told that we are a pleasure to deal with. We give impartial advice and would prefer to walk away from a job than try and convince a potential customer that we are the best fit for them. We have even been known to charge less than we quoted! Our customer service is exceptional. We turn up when we say we will and we do exactly what we say we will. We are constantly surprised at how often our customers are surprised by this. Many of them find it incredibly difficult to get a trades person to turn up at all, let alone on time. In short we treat our customers in the same way that we expect to be treated by any company that we would employ. With respect and integrity. Follow us for more wonderful news! #algae #conservation #biocidesoftwash with Orla Hennessy Ward

Exterior cleaning is not just about returning the facades of old buildings to their natural state. Whilst there is no doubt that this increases their kerb appeal and makes the building look cared for, it is an important part of maintaining the fabric of the building. Algae, fungus and lichen are often the first things to grow on any exterior surface. Soon, other organisms - small animals and simple plants - will find a foothold. Eventually all sorts of plants will start to grow in the nooks and crannies of the building. This is when real problems can arise. Roots will force microscopic cracks open, allowing water to penetrate below the surface. The freeze / thaw cycle will open the crack up further, allowing the roots to penetrate more deeply. If left unchecked, this can lead to serious damage that is very costly to repair. Removing the algal and fungal buildup from a building will help prevent this cycle from starting. When we treat a building we are looking at every part of that building. Often we have access to places that no one ever sees. As part of our service we identify areas of concern in our post treatment report. Below are some pictures from the post treatment report for St. Patrick's Church in Bandon. The trees growing in the tower are not readily noticeable from the ground and although there is access via an internal ladder it has been many years since anyone was up there. By highlighting the presence of these trees and advising that they are properly removed, future damage will be prevented. With Orla Hennessy Ward #conservation #algae #biocidesoftwashing

Ardagh Clock Tower, in the middle of Ardagh village, Co. Longford, was built as a wonderful tribute to Sir George Ralph Fetherston for his ‘life-long devotion to the moral and social improvement of his tenantry.’ We were first made aware of the history of Ardagh and the clock tower when we attended a talk by David Hicks earlier in the year. Thankfully, after some complications regarding ownership, Longford County Council have agreed to take ownership which clears the way for The Heritage Council to help them with the funding of the much needed repairs. Our system of treating old stonework is very gentle but, as we rely on natural processes, it takes time for the results to be seen. The dead biomass needs to biodegrade and this natural process cannot be sped up without causing damage. So, we were delighted to be able to carry out the treatment before these repairs start. By the time they are finished, the clock tower will be well on its way to looking fabulous once again. I will post more pics in the comments. #conservation #biocidesoftwashing #algae Orla Hennessy Ward EDIT: Every year we treat a property, monument or building as a gift to a community or individual. We were so taken with the community spirit in Ardagh village that treating the clock tower for free was an easy choice to make. As always, it comes with our 100% guarantee and we cant wait to see the after pictures!

Our office yesterday was the glorious Powerscourt Estate. Earlier in the year we treated a sculpture of the Greek warrior Ajax. Following the success of this treatment we were asked to treat all the statuary in the Italian Garden. The statues are all suffering from a growth of fungus that has appeared with a vengeance in the last five years. This is likely connected to the distillery on site as even small amounts on ethanol in the air - from the angel's share - can cause the fungus to grow very rapidly. However, our safe, gentle and highly effective treatment will soon have them all clean and free from fungus. #algae #facadecleaning #conservation Orla Hennessy Ward

St. Patrick's Church, Bandon. Built in 1860 with the bell tower added in 1920. We were privileged to be asked to treat the exterior to remove the years of biomass and staining that had accumulated. St. Patrick, or a statue of him, is above the front door. He is holding a staff that is carved from stone but the top of it is wooden. It looks like a serpents head is carved into it, or it may just be my imagination. I removed it, treated it, and replaced it. I don't suppose many people have handled it since 1860. Maybe only me, the person who fixed the small glass bottle to his head and, of course, St. Patrick himself! The full treatment went without a hitch and the weather was perfect. clear skies and only a faint breeze. If anyone knows what the glass bottle is for and why it was placed there I would like to know. As for the top of the staff? Maybe it belonged to St. Patrick himself! #algae #facadecleaning #conservation With Orla Hennessy Ward

A nicely graded roof on Elphin Pharmacy will be looking better over the following weeks! We often work on Sundays because it suits our customers. It's not all historic buildings and fancy monuments, but we will be at Powerscourt in a couple of weeks! Orla Hennessy Ward Rachel Corbally #algae #conservation #facadecleaning

The view from our office a few days ago was the private fishing lake at Temple House where some monster pike have been landed. Being that high was not the reason I was staring aimlessly out of the 'window'. A close inspection of the balustrade, followed by a healthy dose of our specialist biocide was the order of the day! Once the weather has biodegraded the remains of the now dead algae, fungus, moss and lichen, the creamy colour of the columns will once again give a charming contrast to the stone walls and topping rail. The architect chose those colours and textures for a reason and cleaning the façade of heritage buildings so that those different colours and textures are once again visible is what we do. More than that, we do it in a way that will do no damage so that future generations of façade cleaners (and everyone else) can enjoy that view! #algae #conservation #facadecleaning Orla Hennessy Ward Rachel Corbally .

We were delighted to be asked to treat the façade of Temple House last month. The Knights Templar first built a fortress here in 1181 and the remains of that castle are still standing. Temple House itself was first occupied by ancestors of the current owners (Helena and Roderick Perceval) in 1665. We don't think the façade has been cleaned since it was remodeled in 1825. As is typical with buildings of this age, the façade is delicate and just would not withstand any form of abrasive / aggressive cleaning like power washing, sandblasting or steam cleaning. The specialist biocide that we use is pH neutral and there is no damage to any part of the building as it is applied at a low pressure. The biocide flows into every crack and crevice so there is no need to force the algae and fungus out. The results are not instantaneous as our system works with nature to biodegrade the now dead biomass. In fact, the building will look worse for a couple of days as the now dead algae releases its beta-carotene, and can be seen flowing down the walls as we work. All of our work is covered by our 100% guarantee and we will ensure that Helena and Roderick Perceval are delighted with the results. #conservation #algae #facadecleaning Orla Hennessy Ward Rachel Corbally

We were delighted to be asked to treat a sculpture at Powerscourt Estate recently. It was suffering badly from algae and fungus growth. The speed at which the sculpture had become covered with fungus along with the speed at which it came clean again are clear indicators that something else is at play. It is likely that this is a case of whiskey fungus, where small amounts of ethanol in the air have the effect of turbo-charging the growth of fungus. Whatever the reason for the rapid growth of the fungus, it is good to see this piece returning to it's former glory. Orla Hennessy Ward #algae #conservation #whiskeyfungus

I was asked recently "when is a sale a sale?". The answer is when the value of the goods or services being offered exceeds the cost. It is obvious that the value of cleaning the waters of Lough Neagh is huge. Not only will it reverse the biggest ecological disaster in Northern Ireland but it will give a big boost to the fishing industries and tourism. But what is that worth? Is it worth saddling the tax payer with a £20 million contract every year with no end date? Some people think so. We don't. Our proposal will leave no footprint. It will not only remove the algae but keep it under control. It will reduce the nutrient content of the water much faster than any other method. It will re-oxygenate the water so that the lough can breath again. The best bit? Once the problem is under control and the lough can look after itself like nature intended everything is removed and the contract is over. No paying indefinitely. Our proposal will cost less than £10m and we can have the lough clean in 10 years. That is £1m a year. Does that sound like great value? We think so. #Algae #Loughneagh #Environment Orla Hennessy Ward Brendan Murphy