Put a gloomy, dreary day to good use

Put a gloomy, dreary day to good use: prep your deck


(ARA) - Now is the time to get outside and prepare outdoor living spaces for the entertainment season. While sunny days are perfect for fertilizing the lawn, planting flowers and laying mulch, don't waste those gray, overcast days, which are great for other DIY projects. One task that can be tackled on a dreary day is prepping and cleaning your deck for upcoming barbecues and get-togethers.



Staining your deck is one of the best ways to protect your investment from the elements, keep it looking nice and make it easier to maintain. However, professional results don't rely simply on laying down a coat or two of stain - any deck project should start with proper cleaning and preparation. And, while you may want a perfectly sunny weekend to stain your deck, prepping can be done at any time. Below are simple steps to help achieve great-looking results that last:



Gather your tools and materials. Plan to have the following within reach as you prep your deck:

* Broom or leaf blower

* Ladder (for decks off ground)

* Rags

* Tarps

* Buckets for mixing

* Synthetic brushes (2 to 4 inches)

* Rollers

* Long handles for rollers

* Roller frames and roller grids

* Cleaning product. Flood wood care offers wood cleaning and stripping products to help clean and brighten surfaces dulled and grayed by the sun, dirt and rain.



Check your surfaces. To ensure your deck is both safe and beautiful, be sure to inspect the area for bad wood, dry rot, loose nails, loose spindles and broken boards. Replace boards as needed and secure any loose nails and spindles.



Prepare yourself, the deck and the surrounding area. Make sure you take all safety precautions before embarking on your deck cleaning project. Wear gloves, safety glasses and old clothing - shorts are not recommended. Before starting, cover any areas you want to protect, wet down plants and shrubs, and wet your deck surface with water.



Clean, scrub and renew. Work the cleaner into the wood, working from the bottom up to reduce streaking. Be sure to keep the surface wet with water and let the wood cleaner stand for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing. Once cleaned, wood should dry for at least 48 hours before applying stain.



The cleaning process for an average-sized (300 to 500 square feet) deck should take approximately five to six hours. And, since Mother Nature won't harm your work, cleaning can be done on a gloomy day. A properly cleaned deck should be stained within 30 days. After 30 days, a light cleaning with bleach and water before staining will do the trick. For more information on wood care products, visit www.flood.com. Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Choosing the best water heater for your lifestyle

Choosing the best water heater for your lifestyle


(ARA) - When ranking household appliances that consume the most energy, no one is surprised to see heating and air conditioning units at the top of the list. On the other hand, many people are surprised to learn that their water heater ranks at Number 2.



"Monthly energy costs have become an important factor in the decision-making process for homeowners looking for a new water heater," says Ed Begley, Jr., actor and environmentalist. "That's why manufacturers are introducing new technologies that increase the energy efficiency of their products." In order to find the right water heater for your lifestyle, Begley points out that you need to consider both the performance of the machine and the monthly energy costs associated with it.



Your first option is a conventional water heater. These models typically include a glass-lined tank that holds anywhere from 30 to 120 gallons of hot water at a time. A 40-gallon tank is generally ideal for two or three people, while a larger family may need a 50- to 80-gallon tank.



A tank-type water heater can run on electricity, natural gas or propane. A natural gas model is generally the least expensive in terms of monthly energy costs, with an electric model costing up to three times as much to heat the same amount of water. Most homeowners simply select the type of water heater that matches their current fuel source.



A conventional tank-type water heater can operate at anywhere from 75 to 80 percent efficiency, depending on the brand. In other words, 75 cents of your heating dollar goes into heating the water, and the other 25 cents is lost.



Within the past 10 years, manufacturers have begun promoting another option - the tankless water heater. These models typically deliver about 82 percent energy efficiency. Compared to a conventional water heater, your savings will typically range from $30 to $75 per year.



A tankless water heater uses a very large burner to heat the water as it passes through a copper pipe on its way to your sink, washing machine or shower. These models are measured in gallons per minute.



If you don't use a lot of hot water, it can run almost indefinitely without running out. However, if you exceed the capacity of the machine, you will notice a drop in either temperature or water pressure.



A drawback to a tankless model is the initial cost. The unit typically has a price tag between $800 to $2,000, plus another $1,000 to $2,500 for installation. Compare that to a conventional water heater, which usually runs about $300 to $500 for the unit and another $300 to $500 for installation. That all adds up to a $1,200 to $3,500 difference.



The third option is a hybrid unit. As the name implies, the hybrid combines the technologies of a conventional and tankless water heater. The result is a product that performs better than both technologies with energy efficiency at 90 percent or above.



A hybrid allows you to have back-to-back showers or simultaneous showers because of the stored hot water in the hybrid design. The installation of a hybrid water heater is the same as a conventional model, however, the unit itself can cost $1,200 to $1,800.



"For the absolute 'greenest' option available today, homeowners should consider a solar thermal water heating system," Begley says. "These units include a solar thermal collector that goes on the roof of the home in order to supply up to 70 percent of the total energy needed to run the unit." A solar thermal system is typically more expensive, but right now they are eligible for a federal tax credit of 30 percent of the total installed cost in addition to other state and local utility rebates.



Homeowners looking for a conventional electric model have a new "hybrid" option to consider. "These water heaters include a heat pump that literally pulls heat out of the surrounding air, like an air conditioner in reverse," Begley says. "As a result, they are more than twice as energy efficient as a traditional electric model." This efficiency can translate to savings over $360 each year. These hybrid electric models qualify for the federal tax credit and there are also additional state and local utility rebate programs to encourage the adoption of these products.



If your current model is more than eight years old, you may even consider proactively replacing the older, less efficient model for one of the newer, more energy-efficient models and start saving right away. Courtesy of ARAcontent

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S'mores- A great summer weekend treat!

S'mores is the right activity for more than just camping


(ARA) - Americans have a love affair with that classic campfire treat, S'mores. The good news - S'mores are no longer reserved just for campfire cooking. Did you know you can enjoy the chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker goodness every day, inside and out?



S'mores have been helping families create memories since the delicious campfire recipe was first published in the Girl Scouts handbook in 1927. According to recent research, 79 percent of consumers polled believe S'mores are as much fun to make as they are to eat.



To help families make everyday S'mores moments this summer, Hershey's and Kraft Foods offer the following S'mores "snacktivity" ideas.



* S'mores time, any time - S'mores are the perfect summer campfire companion, and they offer a great "snacktivity" for after school, a ball game or family dinner. Incorporating S'mores into your regular summer activities allows you to create a memorable Monday or tasty Tuesday that the family will all enjoy.



* Turn your backyard into a fun get-together - Get the family, friends or neighbors together for an impromptu backyard party at the fire pit. Tell them all they need to bring is their appetite - you'll be serving S'mores.



* Grilling up sweet treats - Sweeten your next backyard barbecue by adding S'mores to the menu. As an alternative to toasting a marshmallow on a skewer, simply preheat the grill to medium-hot. Build the S'mores to your liking and wrap in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped S'mores on the grill and cook one to two minutes on each side or until the marshmallow is gooey and the chocolate is slightly melted between the graham crackers. In other words, build it, wrap it and grill it. Grilled S'mores are also always a win at tailgate parties.



* Tasty play for a rainy day - When bad weather strikes, keep the fun going by making S'mores in the microwave. Top each of four graham squares with one chocolate piece and one marshmallow. Place on microwaveable plate. Microwave on high 15 to 20 seconds or until marshmallows puff and chocolate begins to melt. Carefully remove plate from the microwave and then cover each S'mores with a remaining graham cracker square. Microwaved S'mores are also perfect for family game nights, sleepovers and afterschool treats.



You can visit www.smoressmiles.com to create more S'mores and more smiles and for a chance to win one of more than 1,000 family fun prizes including fire pits, indoor S'mores kits, backyard game sets and much more. No purchase necessary, game ends Sept. 7. See the website for official rules.
Courtesy of ARAcontent

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