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Many people choose to build decks with compositematerials because of the low-maintenance characteristicsof the product. Although composite products are, in fact,less work then traditional wood decks, some care isrequired to keep the product looking great over time. Asthe cooler weather approaches, there are a few things youcan do to protect the look of your composite deck:

Basic Cleaning RecommendationsComposite materials reduce the reoccurring work of

painting, staining or sealing, but for the best results, aregular cleaning with an eco-friendly cleaner is required.TimberTech, a leading manufacturer of compositedecking products, recommends using Corte Clean andspraying the deck with a pressure washer before winterweather approaches.

To clean with a power washer, use a fan tip nozzle andspray in the direction of the brush/grain pattern. Be sureto use proper safety precautions, including the

recommended maximum pressure of 1500 psi.Ice and Snow RemovalFor homeowners who live in harsh winter

environments, it's important to remove ice and snowfrom your deck in order to eliminate damage. For iceremoval, it is best to use either rock salt or calciumchloride on the composite surface. However, either ofthese products may leave a white residue, which can beremoved by either rinsing with water or a mild soap- and-water solution.

Prevention Is KeyComposite products, like the ones manufactured by

TimberTech, are formulated to inhibit mildew growthand minimize staining. It is important to rinse off anycomposite product periodically with a hose in order toprevent the build-up of pollen and debris. Just as youwould rake and gather leaves from your yard to maintainthe grass, it's important to clean decking in the fall toremove build-up. Even if it appears clean, mildew stainsmay occur where moisture, pollen and dirt are present.

Maintaining a clean, dry surface is the best method tocombat mildew. Ensure that water drains effectively fromyour deck, and be sure that gaps exist between planks toallow for adequate drainage.

No matter what type of composite product youchoose, it is important to follow the manufacturer'sdirections carefully and maintain a periodic cleaningschedule to ensure that your deck is an enjoyable spacefor years to come. For more information about compositedecking care, visit www.timbertech.com.

Fall and Winter Maintenance Preserves Looks of Composite Decks

Source: NewsUSAHalloween

Month!

w w w . P r o p e r t y Q u i c k . c o m

Email: darlene@propertyquick.comCell: (321) 223-88066905 Wickham Road #405, Melbourne, FL 32940Darlene@PropertyQuick.comJ. Darlene Jones, Realtor/Consultant

© 2010 First American Home Warranty Corp.

How to Reduce The Amount of SugarYour Kids Get This HalloweenSource: NewsUSA

Halloween is the time of year when your sweetchildren can turn into sweet-toothed monsters; that is,when they have too much sugar. That's why it'simportant to implement strategies to keep them out ofthe candy jar.

With the prevalence of child obesity and diabetes,it's important to keep your kids on a healthy diet,even during holidays that focus around sweets. Hereare some tips from Healthy Balance(www.HealthyBalance.com) to help you this Halloween:

Set limits. If you let your children have an entire bag of trick-or-treatcandy, you can't control how much they eat or when they eat it. Instead, divideup the candy into sandwich bags for each day of the week.You can control howmany pieces of candy your kids eat by telling them that each small bag has tolast them an entire day.

Don't leave the candy out. If a bowl of candy is out in plain view, kids willsurely sneak a few pieces. Instead, store the candy in a high cupboard or otherplace where they won't have such easy access to it.

Steer the focus of Halloween onto something other than candy. Get kids tohelp decorate the porch with a scary scene or work on a special costume withyou. Encourage them to eat healthy Halloween-themed food such as BlueWitch's Brew, made with Old Orchard juice cocktails.

The Old Orchard Healthy Balance line of juice cocktails features 75 percentless sugar, carbohydrates and calories than other fruit juices of the samevariety. These juice cocktails are fortified with 100 percent of the dailyrequirement of vitamin C. They are preservative-free and feature no artificalcolors or flavors.

A portion of proceeds from all Healthy Balance sales goes to the JuvenileDiabetes Research Foundation in support of its efforts to fund diabetesresearch.

Blue Witch's BrewServes 2

1/4 cup each Old Orchard Healthy Balance Cranberry juice andPomegranate juice cocktail

2 cups low-fat blueberry yogurt1 cup fresh blueberries

Blend cranberry juice, pomegranate juice and blueberries until smooth. Addyogurt and blend. Keep in refrigerator or serve immediately.

MyPyramid Helps Families FindBalanced Nutrition

Source: NewsUSA

MyPyramid -- also known as the food pyramid -- is a guide for good eating for healthy peopleages two to 102. It serves as the blueprint forbetter nutrition, focusing on foods to include,rather than exclude, in a diet for you and yourfamily.The pyramid's eating patterns are meantto help you increase your intake of essentialnutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber;minimize saturated fat, trans fats, andcholesterol; and help to promote a healthy weight.

MyPyramid is based on the latest scientificevidence about nutrition reflected in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.The bestpart of MyPyramid is that it is easily personalized to fit your needs and foodpreferences. Under the MyPyramid system, you pick the suggested amount of foodfrom the food groups based on your age, gender, and physical activity level.You canfigure out what you need at www.MyPyramid.gov.

Here are some tips for including the nutrient-rich foods MyPyramid recommendsfrom each food group:

Grains: Go With the Whole GrainStart the day with a natural, whole grain cereal, like Mom's Best Naturals

Sweetened Wheat-fuls, to get nearly all the whole grain you need.Prepare sandwiches with whole grain breads.Snack on popcorn -- a whole grain -- rather than pretzels and snack chips.

Vegetables:Variety Is KeyMake vegetables part of soups, casseroles, meatloaf and pasta dishes.Serve raw, sliced vegetables with peanut butter or hummus for snacks.Choose bean-based soups, such as lentil, and add beans to salads.

Fruits: How to Get Your FillStock up on dried fruit. It's portable and versatile. Make trail mix with raisins,

Mom's Best Natural's cereal and chopped nuts for a snack with selections from threefood groups.

Keep fruit in plain sight so kids and adults will think to snack on it.Puree canned fruits, such as apricots, or berries, and combine with plain yogurt.

Milk: Dairy Delivers NutrientsWork in a serving of fat-free or low-fat milk when you have a bowl of cereal.

Microwave oatmeal with milk instead of water.Make a smoothie with fruit and milk.Sneak a piece of low-fat cheddar into your sandwich.

Meat & Beans:An Array of Animal and Vegetable ChoicesMake chili with half the lean ground beef and twice the beans.Sick of chicken? Opt for pork tenderloin. It has less fat than skinless, boneless

chicken breast.

Do-It-Yourself ProjectsThat Offer Big ROI

Source: NewsUSA

The road to homeowner bliss mayinvolve necessary upgrades, butdon't rush into large homeimprovement projects. Smallupgrades can significantly boost thevalue of your home.According to the 2009

HomeGain.com Home SaleMaximizer survey, updating ahome's lighting costs $200 to $300on average but increases home value

by $1,000 to $1,500 -- that's a 572 percent return on investment. Repairingfloors amounts to a 250 percent return on investment, while updatingbathrooms means a 172 percent return on investment.

Some products enable homeowners and DIYers to tackle homeimprovement projects without spending money on multiple tools. Forexample, the new RZ2000 Spiral Saw from RotoZip can be paired withattachments that enable it to quickly and easily cut through a wide variety ofmaterials, including wood, metal, Plexiglas, drywall, ceramic wall tile andeven porcelain floor tile.

Not sure where to start? Try the following home improvement projects toenjoy small investments with big returns:

Install can lights. Recessed lighting is a great way to transform any room.To make perfect circle cuts, pair your RZ2000 Spiral Saw with the drywallXBIT and a circle cutting guide. Select the desired hole size, make a pilot hole,tilt the tool at a 45-degree angle and plunge it into the material, lining up thecenter point. As you plunge, bring the tool to a vertical position and cut in aclockwise direction using steady, even pressure.

Update your bathroom. Decorative tile backsplashes are a natural choicewhen updating a bathroom. For wall-tile work, install a Wall Tile XBIT on theRZ2000. Start the tool away from the work-surface and then plunge the toolat a 45-degree angle into the tile while bringing to a vertical position. Followa clockwise motion.

Install hardwood floors. From shaping hardwood to cutting openings forheating registers, use the RZ2000 combined with a Jigsaw Handle Attachmentand a multipurpose XBIT. Start by tilting the tool at 45 degrees and bring itupright as you plunge through. Finish with the tool vertical to the surface, andcut in a clockwise cutting motion.