Get Sweeping!
DeckTec’s Adam Guilford talks about taking care of your snowy deck. The man in the parking lot wrapped his coat tighter and called out, “It’s too cold today.” While indeed the weather was cloudy, temperatures that day were in the high 30’s. Wonder what he’ll do when the real cold of Colorado’s winters hit. And snow. And ice. Colorado winters can indeed be harsh, not only on you, but on your deck as well. Our snowfalls can occur any time during approximately eight months of the year. And when the risk of snow stops, you can often be hit by hail, as the residents of southeast Denver found in late September this year. DeckTec’s Adam Guilford said, “With the bigger storms, and even the light dustings, you want to get the snow off your deck as soon as possible. Don’t wait for it to partially melt and then re-freeze over night.” Adam, who has been on the DeckTec team for 8 years, is on the front line of customer service, and repeatedly supports homeowner efforts to[...]
A Letter of Thanks
Dear DeckTec Friends, Anyone who has been around me long knows that Thanksgiving time is very special to me. It is the chance to look about and acknowledge the blessings of another good year, the wonderful team I work with and, of course, the terrific people who call themselves DeckTec customers. Blessings of the Year The summer of 2014 was tremendously successful. But we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks! Here are some of the things that made last season so great: 68 new decks were designed and built for our community. That’s roughly 22372 square feet of decking, over 3000 planks of beautiful redwood, countless deck screws and nails of the highest quality carbon steel being put into those planks, and innumerable smiles of people throughout the metropolitan Denver area. Our maintenance crews cleaned, re-stained, re-painted and repaired 759 decks, ensuring that those decks will support happy families for another year in the deck's twenty-to-thirty year lifetimes. We built 25 new roof covers over existing and new decks. This means that for 25 customers,[...]
Holiday Decorating with Wildlife In Mind
Ready or not, the holiday season is just about upon us once again. Time to enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey and start sending your holiday greeting cards. As you dig your Christmas lights and decorations out of the garage or basement we'd like to remind you, especially if you live in one of our wilderness cities, to take care to decorate with wildlife needs in mind. Colorado Parks and Wildlife public information officer, Jennifer Churchill, said that every year the situation happens where a member of our wildlife community gets caught in tennis or soccer nets, or sometimes a trampoline, and often our larger deer and elk get tangled in holiday lights. When we watch these "adventures" on YouTube, they can seem quite funny, but in reality, such episodes often result in broken limbs and even death. "Last year, there was an elk calf caught in a trampoline in Evergreen," said Jennifer. "If you watch the video you'll see that its legs kept slipping out from under it. Eventually, the elk got out, but this kind of[...]
Ready, Set, Holiday Shopping Begins!
Often during the holiday season we have more people on our shopping lists than dollars in our budget. Isn't there a considerate way to say, "you're important to me," without spending like we've just won the lottery? And what about gifting to all those friends who deserve more than a card, but who don't need a big present? Whether you're planning a thoughtful Thanksgiving or big holiday event, the Arbor Day Foundation has a great way to acknowledge your friends and family with a wonderful, low-cost, high value gift—a tree. Sarah Beckius of Arbor Day Foundation Member Services, says that many people buy beautiful cards from the Foundation each year, and in return the Foundation plants a tree in national forests throughout the country in honor of the friends you care for. "I feel proudest of working here," said Sarah, "when I talk to members who have been with the Foundation for as much as 30 years. I talked to someone recently who has been a member since 1985." She said that people return to the[...]
It’s About Time
Daylight Savings Time Ends If you've been out late trick-or-treating, don't worry. This is the weekend to re-energize from your Halloween parties, and enjoy a little extra snooze. Daylight savings officially ends at 2:00 Sunday morning (November 2, 2014), so you'll want to reset your clocks to an hour earlier Saturday before falling back into bed. An hour extra sleep is yours. And for your trivia file, did you know Daylight Savings (DST) was first observed in the United States as part of the World War I? Yes, although designed in concept by Ben Franklin, it was first implemented during the war as an effort to reduce energy use by making better use of summer's longer daylight hours. DST was dropped after that war, but reinstated by President Franklin Roosevelt in World War II, where it became known as "War Time." Generally speaking, Daylight Savings Time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. This schedule has been in place since 2007 following the Energy Policy Act of 2005.[...]
Forever Living with California Redwoods
As a member of the DeckTec community you have, no doubt, heard about our love affair with California redwood. This wood is strong, long-lasting, bug and disease resistant, and one of the finest building products ever discovered. And chances are if you have a DeckTec deck, you have it right under foot. But is redwood's existence going to be there when I need a new deck? We don't tend to talk in terms of the wood's natural state, unless there is something in the news that might affect either the quality or the price of the great wood we use. Lately, the drought in California has been frequently mentioned on television and in magazine articles, so we thought we'd check in with the California Redwood Company (a subsidiary to the Green Diamond Resource Company) to see if there is cause for concern. Gary Rynearson, Manager of Forest Policy and Communications, from the California Redwood Company said not to worry. "While the El Ninos and La Ninas lead to fluctuations in precipitation, redwood endures. In fact it's[...]
Mule Deer, Icons of the West in Decline?
For many people, one of the great attractions to Colorado is our abundance and wide array of beautiful wildlife. Some of us with homes in the foothills have the added advantage of being able to watch that wildlife from the comfort of our backyard decks. And this time of year is a great time to get out the binoculars for a glimpse at the magnificent wild mule deer. What is a mule deer? There are two main species of deer in our region—the whitetail and the mule deer. Both animals weigh between 130 and 280 pounds, support large antlers or "racks," and are seen in abundance throughout the year. The whitetail tends to be found more on the eastern plains of our state, while the mule deer or "muley" is scattered throughout Colorado and the entire west. The big visual differences between the two species are in the tails and the ears. Hunters are encouraged to identify the deer by their tails. The mule deer has a rope-like white tail with a black tip and large[...]
Keeping Cats Indoors
Once, at a local veterinarian, I saw a cartoon that read, "When you call a dog, he comes right to you for a treat… But when you call a cat, he'll take a memo." You have to love these independent, self-content creatures that wander in and out of our lives and who allow us meager humans to service their needs. But should you keep your cat indoors for 100% of its life? Shouldn't Fluffy enjoy the exercise and fresh air of a life outdoors? Isn't it inhumane to curtail such independent tendencies and hunting instincts? This is a topic that sparks debate at any time, and at every cocktail party. We love our pets and want what's best for them, yet our neighbors don't necessarily appreciate our intentions nor the "presents" of dead birds, mice, or poo left in their yards. Beyond the impact on neighbors and friends, there are also other serious considerations for keeping your cat indoors: Cats live longer when kept indoors – According to an article by WebMD, "Cats who are kept[...]
Fall is Time to Play in the Dirt
The first cold of the autumn hit recently, and with it comes the desire to pack everything into the garage and snuggle up under your nearest blanket. But for gardeners everywhere, this change in weather is all part of the rhythm of life. There is still plenty of work to do at this time, and plenty to enjoy about being outside. Right now is a great time to be thinking about next spring. We gardeners can run to our garden shops and catalogs and picture great color for when the last of the snows melt away, even if we haven't experienced the first touch of winter yet. Now is a great time to amend the soil for next year's gardens. Betsy Kelson, staff horticulturalist with Jared's Nursery spent a little time with us to review this past summer's challenges and getting the ground ready for next spring. "The problem this year," said Betsy, "is that there's been so much moisture and so much disease as a result. All the lovely greens from your squash and pumpkin[...]
Enjoying the Change of Seasons
Most of the time, we like to think of the art of outdoor living as having something to do with enjoying your backyard and the deck you may have had built there. But the great outdoors can encompass so much more. Take, for example, the wonderful colorful display Coloradans enjoy each fall. This year, sometime between September 15th and the end of October, we will have a chance to see Mother Nature in all her glory as the trees of our state first burn with incredible color before dropping off for a well-earned winter's nap. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn't keep time the way we humans do, so you need to be prepared to jump into your car on your own chosen weekend and drive to locations throughout our area to truly enjoy the spectacle of the season. Wave Dreher, a spokesperson for AAA Colorado said, "These autumn drives are a very popular activity. There are wonderful routes in any part of Colorado, depending upon where you start." She said that many great Aspen views could be[...]
Recent Works
