Indy Home Marketing - October 2009 Newsletter

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October 2009 Newsletter

Volume 3, Number 10


			It's Gutter Cleaning Time Again ... Cleaning your gutters is one of those icky chores that needs to be done at least once a year to ensure that rain water is diverted away from your house. Ignoring gutters can result in a host of ills including rotted fascia boards, water damage to the sides
	of your home, and foundation problems. You've probably seen a few homes with small trees and ferns growing in gutters be- cause the homeowner hasn't cleaned the gutters in recent years. Over the course of time, organic muck builds up and creates a wonderful medium for growing all kinds of stuff. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to clean gutters. Continued


	RECIPE OF THE MONTH Loaded. Twice-Baked Potatoe As the air gets chillier, head inside to cook up this fall favorite in less than 10 minutes. Recipe courtesy of: The Food Network

INGREDIENTS:

•	4 medium russet potatoes	•	1 cup water
•	1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream	•	1/2 teaspoon salt
•	8 ounces 90%-lean ground beef	•	3 scallions, sliced
•	1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
•	1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
•	1 cup reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Place in the micro-
wave and cook at 50% power, turning once or twice, until
the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. (Or, use the
"potato setting" on your microwave and cook according
to the manufacturer's instructions.)

Meanwhile, brown meat in a large skillet over medium-high
heat, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large
bowl. Increase heat to high, add broccoli and water to the
skillet, cover, and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Drain the broccoli; add to the meat.

Carefully cut off the top third of the cooked potatoes; re-
serve the tops for another use. Scoop the insides out into
a medium bowl. Place the potato shells in a small baking
dish. Add 1/2 cup Cheddar, sour cream, salt and pepper
to the potato insides and mash with a fork or potato
masher. Add scallions and the potato mixture to the
broccoli and meat; stir to combine.

Evenly divide the potato mixture among the potato shells
and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Microwave on
high until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted, 2 to
4 minutes. Serves: 4.


			FOR THE KIDS Rogues' Gallery of Pumpkins... The tradition of pumpkin carving hasn't always had such a lighthearted purpose. According to one Halloween legend, a notoriously mean-spirited blacksmith named Jack was doomed to wander the earth forever, finding his way through the darkness with only a hollowed-out turnip lit with embers from the devil's
	furnace. Whether to help guide Jack or to ward him off, people placed their own jack-o'-lanterns in doors and windows. You can use jack-o'-lanterns to safely lead trick-or-treaters straight to the goodies by lining your walkway with illuminated pumpkins. Here's a great web site with carving instructions and hundreds of free face patterns for you and your kids to create really spooky pumpkins of your own!

It's Gutter Cleaning Time Again... (continued)

To cut down a bit on the amount of debris that gets trapped in
your gutters, make sure that trees and tall shrubs are not touch-
ing or arching over the house. You'll have less to clean up, and
cut down on moss on the roof, too. A ladder, preferably an
articulating type, can be set up so it doesn't rest directly on the
gutters. It prevents dents or damage to the gutter. If you don't
have one, it's not a show stopper, just be forewarned that placing
a ladder against the gutter could cause damage unless you're
cautious.

What You'll Need

You'll need gloves, a bucket or plastic bags,
and a hose. Gutters are fraught with sharp edges and are no place
for unprotected hands. Rubber gloves are flexible and protect you
from most things that can poke or slice you. Keep a bucket with
you instead of tossing the muck over the side of the gutter to the
ground below. It helps keep the periphery of the house tidy. Rather
than climb up and down with a bucket, hang a small bucket from
the gutter and slide it along until it's 2/3 full. (Make a "gutter
bucket" by cutting the bail of a plastic bucket in half. Bend the cut
ends so they can be hooked on either side of the gutter edges.)
Secure and hook the hose to the gutter so it slides along the gut-
ter, too. The fewer things you carry up and down, the faster the
process goes. Keep in mind that gutters are not designed to take
any appreciable weight, so don't let your bucket get too full.

Cleaning

Use your hands or a scoop to clean out the muck and
leaves in the bottom of the gutter. Inexpensive scoops are sold at
home improvement centers or you can easily make your own by
cutting the end out of a 1/2 gallon plastic milk jug. Hold the handle
to scoop and dump into your bucket. When full, toss the muck in
the compost. Once the gutter is reasonably clean, use the hose to
flush out the last of the debris. Look for leaks or holes that need
repair and note their location.

As you clean the gutters and hose them out, the downspouts should
run freely. If you have blockage in the downspout itself, try dis-
lodging it by running a hose down the spout. The water pressure
shouldn't be too strong—you don't want to blow it up. If it's still
tight, use a plumbing snake to clear it.

If there are angled joints, you may need to remove the downspout
from the gutter to clear it. If you break a seal, clean the old caulk
off with a wire brush and then apply silicone caulk to reseal. Re-
attach the clean, sealed downspout. Install downspout strainers to
trap debris so you can clean it easily and prevent knots of debris
from blocking them.

Gutter RepairOnce your gutters are clean and dry, it's easy to
check for leaks or damage. If you consistently clean your gutters
in spring and fall, repairs are usually minor and require little more
than a hammer, screwdriver, extra fasteners and nails, and a
silicone caulk for sealing seams. If pieces are worn or damaged,
replace them as necessary. Seams between pieces of downspout
or where the gutters corner connect are susceptible to leakage, so
pay close attention to these areas. Leaks left unattended for a
couple years can result in rotted fascia, which requires complete
removal and replacement... a project that can suck up the better
part of a weekend.

Roofing cement is commonly used in the gutter itself to heal small
leaks or holes. Use a putty knife to patch the hole taking care to
keep the repair flat. For more substantial damage, repair the
whole section with new gutter. Return to Top