Welcome to the Adventures in Paver Sealing podcast with your host, Jeff Evers of Paver Protectors. Thank you for tuning in to the Adventures in Paver Sealing podcast. I'm your host, Jeff Evers and today I wanted to talk about sand levels. The sand level is the brick paver sand that's in between the joints of the bricks.

We often get asked, "Do we need sand? How do we know if we need sand?" ...and so on. So I wanted to make this podcast to address that issue so that people can listen to it. And then whether you're a paver sealing professional, somebody just getting into the business or a homeowner that is considering doing this themselves, you will have the information to get you started in making the decisions on what to do.

​There are many advantages and disadvantages of re-sanding your paver joints. First of all, you may ask "Why sand?" Well years ago, the sand was needed to keep the bricks in place to keep them from shifting. In a sense, it filled the gap between the bricks.

Now, most pavers are interlocking pavers, which means they have small ridges on the sidewall of the pavers, and when installed correctly, these ridges combined with the sand create the interlock, which keeps the bricks from shifting and keeps them in place.

Advantages to sanding is it will reinforce the interlock that we just discussed. When combined with sealing, the sealer will help keep the sand in place and this reinforces the interlock. To a lesser extent, it can help with weed growth, but it won't completely stop weeds. That's important to know when you have pavers. You're still gonna need a regular maintenance program or some type of treatment to repel those weeds. But sanding and then sealing to lock that sand in place, definitely helps.

Now some disadvantages: Really when the correct type of sand is used. There aren't any disadvantages that I can think of. If you use a poor quality sand, that could be a big disadvantage because it will most likely have seeds and nutrients, which will provide the perfect breeding ground for weeds, mold growth, as well as insect intrusion.

So there's different types of sand that you could choose from. If you use the wrong type of sand or just go with the cheapest, that will lead to more issues than you're already dealing with. So you may ask "What type of sand should I use?" Well, there's a couple of different types. There's paver sand or play sand as they call it. There's silica sand and a polymeric sand. I want to address all three of those, give you a brief description of what those are, and so on.

Welcome to the Adventures of Paver Sealing podcast. I'm your host, Jeff Evers. And we touched on weeds and mold in a previous podcast. And we got a lot of response from customers and potential customers calling us and asking questions and how we can help with weeds and mold.

So I kind of want to dedicate an entire podcast to weeds and mold. It's a common issue in our industry and anybody who owns pavers knows what I'm talking about. So I wanted to address this and maybe help with some suggestions. And I also want to talk about the pros and cons and things you need to know.

Okay so first of all, weeds. How do they grow? Well, you're going to have some weeds that grow from underneath the pavers and come through the cracks, the joints of the pavers, and you get some weeds that grow on top. These are little weeds where the little seed will drop in, and then the root structure is very small. If you were to pull it out with your fingers comes out very easily. There's not much to the root structure.

Whereas the weeds that grow from underneath, they typically have a stronger root structure and they're a little more difficult to get out. We see both of these on a daily basis, whether it be on a pool deck, walkway, or a driveway. The way the seeds get in there are typically live plants around your house, in your landscaping, on your pool deck, that sort of thing. And when the landscapers cut the grass, seeds blow everywhere and they get into those joints and that's, what's gonna make those weeds grow. Okay?

So we get asked all the time, people call and say, "I want to seal my pavers. The reason I want to seal is because I need to stop these weeds." And we let them know upfront and center that, just so you know, sealing will not stop weeds. And we explain why, and we explain how it can help. And that's what I want to explain here today.

TRANSCRIPTION:

Welcome to the adventures in paver sealing podcast, with your host, Jeff Evers of Paver Protectors.

Thank you for tuning in to the Adventures of Paver Sealing podcast. I'm your host, Jeff Evers and today I wanted to discuss a little bit of who I am, what I do, and why I do this podcast. As you probably realized by tuning in, I own a company called Paver Protectors and what we do is we clean and seal brick pavers in beautiful Southwest Florida. I started this business years ago because I saw there was a need that pavers needed protection. They needed protection from the environment, as well as intrusions, like weeds and mold and that sort of thing. 

And so I started this business and we've been doing this for...going on nine years now. I've had a very good track record and I wanted to do this podcast to actually help not only my customers, but people looking to maybe do this themselves or what people can do to help maintain their pavers. 

At Paver Protectors we help with everyday problems associated with having brick pavers and these are problems that our clients typically have. Most people have problems with:
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• Mold growth and weeds

• Sand wash out
• The color of the bricks fading from the sun
• Stains from automobiles or spilling drinks on your lanai/pool deck area.

Some people have settling issues with their pavers, whether it be root intrusion or settling around the pool deck area. And we have a VIP maintenance program that is designed to help with these issues. 

But most importantly, I want to help you figure out how you can maintain this yourself and the pros and cons of different ways to do these things. The number one reason for this podcast is to help through education and answering questions that our clients have and offer solutions. 

​So what I'd like to discuss just briefly is I'll hit on a few subjects and if this can help you out, that is great. That's what we're here for. And you can always call me if you have questions. I'm very proactive in helping my clients and other people with their pavers, whether you use us or not, they need to be maintained. And so we're here to help you with that. 

TRANSCRIPTION:

Charlie (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. I'm your host, Charlie McDermott. Welcome to episode number 85 of the Good Neighbor Podcast. And today we have Jeff Evers. Now Jeff is the owner of Paver Protectors, and who knew that pavers needed protection other than our guest today. Jeff, Jeff, how you doing?

Jeff (00:25):
I'm doing good. How are you doing Charlie?

Charlie (00:27):
I'm doing real good, man. I really appreciate you spending time with us. So tell us all about Paver Protectors.

Jeff (00:33):
Appreciate you having me on. It's been a real pleasure to listen to your podcast and hear all the different businesses. And so basically I started my business nine years ago. I noticed that there's a need for paver sealing in Florida. We do service Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties. And our office is located here in Fort Myers. We're currently running five crews to keep up with the demand here.

And what we do is brick paver cleaning and sealing as well as maintain them. But we've got a maintenance program where we maintain pavers for people so that they look good at all times, keep the maintenance up on them. And in the process of coming up with these things, to help our customers, we developed our own line of sealers that we use. We don't distribute them. They're basically made just for us and they give...they offer superior color enhancement and protection to the pavers. And the best part of our sealers is they're breathable.

So in Florida, the high humidity levels and water levels, you can get trapped moisture underneath the sealer. Our sealers allow the pavers to breathe and so you don't get that trapped, white, milky look underneath the pavers.

Charlie (01:34):
So is that what happens when I see driveways, I guess in my neighborhood with that white, milky sheen or whatever you want to call it? Okay.

Jeff (01:42):
Yeah, that's correct.

Charlie (01:45):
Alright, so for someone who has no idea about what this whole process is about. So...driveways... In an ideal world, we should after guess what's, what am I trying to say? The maintenance program...is it a once and done thing? Is it...what happens if you don't seal it? Can you get into some different possibilities there?

Covid-19 (Coronavirus). What can I say about it?

First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families who have been affected by it, especially those who have lost a loved one. I hope that you are able to find comfort in this time of suffering. :( No doubt, the effects of this pandemic are very real to you and the coverage by the media is justified.

To members of the media, CDC, WHO, and politicians who are working around the clock to keep the public informed, while I wish the message and frequency were toned down a bit, in my heart I believe you are trying to do your best in the midst of unchartered territory.

To all of the nurses, doctors, and health care workers who are putting their own lives and livelihoods at risk, I'm so grateful for people like you. You are incredibly brave, selfless, human beings, and I am proud to call you my neighbors.

To all of the business owners who are losing money because of cancellations and fear, stay vigilant. I encourage you to:
​

1. Reduce your overhead if possible
2. Wash your hands as usual
3. Maintain a positive attitude
4. Go out of your way to make a lasting impression on your customers. This may be the very thing that keeps you in business.

Here's a little something to help you with numbers 3 and 4.

Last Friday, one of my technicians was out sealing a customer's pool deck and the customer complained that the storm-water drain wasn't flowing properly and appeared to be clogged.

Even though he's not a plumber, my technician Austin Munson, decided to take a look and see if he could fix the blockage.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUMMARY:
Paver Protectors, Inc. of Fort Myers, Florida is participating in Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink shirts throughout October and requesting locals to donate to the Cancer Research Institute.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Evers
Paver Protectors, Inc.
(239) 288-0705
PaverProtectors.com/contact.html

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA (October 11, 2019) – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this year one local business owner is rallying his friends, family, team members, and customers to donate to the cause. Jeff Evers, president of Paver Protectors, Inc. has purchased pink shirts for his team of nine to proudly wear in the office and on job sites to call attention to this deadly disease and hope for its cure.

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA (JANUARY 18, 2018) – Paver Protectors, Inc. is proud to announce that it has earned the home service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award (SSA). This award honors service professionals who have maintained exceptional service ratings and reviews on Angie’s List in 2018.

“Service pros that receive our Angie’s List Super Service Award represent the best  in our network, who are consistently making great customer service their mission,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “These pros have provided exceptional service to our members and absolutely deserve recognition for the exemplary customer service they exhibited in the past year.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUMMARY:
Thanks to numerous homeowners in Southwest Florida, Paver Protectors was able to donate over 100 bicycles to Bikes for Birdies, a charity golf tournament.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Evers
Paver Protectors, Inc.
(239) 288-0705

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (December 12, 2018) For every job over $500 that Paver Protectors sold in the month of November, the company donated one bicycle to Bikes for Birdies, a recent charity golf tournament benefitting children in Charlotte County with a new bicycle for Christmas.​

PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA (November 7, 2018) - Some child residents of Charlotte County are in for a big surprise this holiday season when they get a brand new set of wheels for Christmas or Chanukah. That's because several business owners and organizations serving Southwest Florida have teamed up to present Bikes for Birdies, a charity golf tournament that will provide new bicycles to children in need in Charlotte County.

The tournament organizers, Hotsy Pressure Systems and Deco Products of Florida, have scheduled the event for December 8th, 2018 with a shotgun start at 8:30am. The cost of admission? One (1) new kids bike per golfer, of course! And for every job over $500 that Paver Protectors does in November 2018, they will donate one bicycle to the cause.