diff --git a/calendar.go b/calendar.go
index e7f6ca0..c17aae5 100644
--- a/calendar.go
+++ b/calendar.go
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 func (ps ObjectStatus) KeyValue(s ...interface{}) (string, []string) {
-	return string(PropertyStatus), []string{ToText(string(ps))}
+	return string(PropertyStatus), []string{string(ps)}
 }
 
 type RelationshipType string
@@ -317,48 +317,48 @@ func (calendar *Calendar) SerializeTo(w io.Writer) error {
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetMethod(method Method, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyMethod, ToText(string(method)), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyMethod, string(method), props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetXPublishedTTL(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXPublishedTTL, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXPublishedTTL, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetVersion(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyVersion, ToText(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyVersion, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetProductId(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyProductId, ToText(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyProductId, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetName(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyName, string(s), props...)
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalName, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyName, s, props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalName, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetColor(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyColor, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyColor, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetXWRCalName(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalName, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalName, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetXWRCalDesc(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalDesc, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalDesc, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetXWRTimezone(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRTimezone, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRTimezone, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetXWRCalID(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalID, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyXWRCalID, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetDescription(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyDescription, ToText(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyDescription, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetLastModified(t time.Time, props ...PropertyParameter) {
@@ -366,23 +366,23 @@ func (calendar *Calendar) SetLastModified(t time.Time, props ...PropertyParamete
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetRefreshInterval(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyRefreshInterval, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyRefreshInterval, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetCalscale(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyCalscale, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyCalscale, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetUrl(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyUrl, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyUrl, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetTzid(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyTzid, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyTzid, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) SetTimezoneId(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	calendar.setProperty(PropertyTimezoneId, string(s), props...)
+	calendar.setProperty(PropertyTimezoneId, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (calendar *Calendar) setProperty(property Property, value string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
diff --git a/components.go b/components.go
index bf30b04..4b5ccbb 100644
--- a/components.go
+++ b/components.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (cb ComponentBase) serializeThis(writer io.Writer, componentType string) {
 func NewComponent(uniqueId string) ComponentBase {
 	return ComponentBase{
 		Properties: []IANAProperty{
-			{BaseProperty{IANAToken: ToText(string(ComponentPropertyUniqueId)), Value: uniqueId}},
+			{BaseProperty{IANAToken: string(ComponentPropertyUniqueId), Value: uniqueId}},
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -214,19 +214,19 @@ func (cb *ComponentBase) GetDtStampTime() (time.Time, error) {
 }
 
 func (cb *ComponentBase) SetSummary(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertySummary, ToText(s), props...)
+	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertySummary, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (cb *ComponentBase) SetStatus(s ObjectStatus, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertyStatus, ToText(string(s)), props...)
+	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertyStatus, string(s), props...)
 }
 
 func (cb *ComponentBase) SetDescription(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertyDescription, ToText(s), props...)
+	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertyDescription, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (cb *ComponentBase) SetLocation(s string, props ...PropertyParameter) {
-	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertyLocation, ToText(s), props...)
+	cb.SetProperty(ComponentPropertyLocation, s, props...)
 }
 
 func (cb *ComponentBase) setGeo(lat interface{}, lng interface{}, props ...PropertyParameter) {
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ func NewTimezone(tzId string) *VTimezone {
 	e := &VTimezone{
 		ComponentBase{
 			Properties: []IANAProperty{
-				{BaseProperty{IANAToken: ToText(string(ComponentPropertyTzid)), Value: tzId}},
+				{BaseProperty{IANAToken: string(ComponentPropertyTzid), Value: tzId}},
 			},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/property.go b/property.go
index 388160b..95360ae 100644
--- a/property.go
+++ b/property.go
@@ -88,6 +88,121 @@ func trimUT8StringUpTo(maxLength int, s string) string {
 	return s[:length]
 }
 
+func (p *BaseProperty) GetValueType() ValueDataType {
+	for k, v := range p.ICalParameters {
+		if Parameter(k) == ParameterValue && len(v) == 1 {
+			return ValueDataType(v[0])
+		}
+	}
+
+	// defaults from spec if unspecified
+	switch Property(p.IANAToken) {
+	case PropertyCalscale:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyMethod:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyProductId:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyVersion:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyCategories:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyClass:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyComment:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyDescription:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyLocation:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyResources:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyStatus:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertySummary:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyTransp:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyTzid:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyTzname:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyContact:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyRelatedTo:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyUid:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyAction:
+		fallthrough
+	default:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyRequestStatus:
+		return ValueDataTypeText
+
+	case PropertyAttach:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyTzurl:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyUrl:
+		return ValueDataTypeUri
+
+	case PropertyGeo:
+		return ValueDataTypeFloat
+
+	case PropertyPercentComplete:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyPriority:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyRepeat:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertySequence:
+		return ValueDataTypeInteger
+
+	case PropertyCompleted:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyDtend:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyDue:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyDtstart:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyRecurrenceId:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyExdate:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyRdate:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyCreated:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyDtstamp:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyLastModified:
+		return ValueDataTypeDateTime
+
+	case PropertyDuration:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyTrigger:
+		return ValueDataTypeDuration
+
+	case PropertyFreebusy:
+		return ValueDataTypePeriod
+
+	case PropertyTzoffsetfrom:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyTzoffsetto:
+		return ValueDataTypeUtcOffset
+
+	case PropertyAttendee:
+		fallthrough
+	case PropertyOrganizer:
+		return ValueDataTypeCalAddress
+
+	case PropertyRrule:
+		return ValueDataTypeRecur
+	}
+}
+
 func (property *BaseProperty) serialize(w io.Writer) {
 	b := bytes.NewBufferString("")
 	fmt.Fprint(b, property.IANAToken)
@@ -117,7 +232,11 @@ func (property *BaseProperty) serialize(w io.Writer) {
 		}
 	}
 	fmt.Fprint(b, ":")
-	fmt.Fprint(b, property.Value)
+	propertyValue := property.Value
+	if property.GetValueType() == ValueDataTypeText {
+		propertyValue = ToText(propertyValue)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprint(b, propertyValue)
 	r := b.String()
 	if len(r) > 75 {
 		l := trimUT8StringUpTo(75, r)
@@ -306,7 +425,10 @@ func parsePropertyValue(r *BaseProperty, contentLine string, p int) *BasePropert
 	if tokenPos == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	r.Value = string(contentLine[p : p+tokenPos[1]])
+	r.Value = contentLine[p : p+tokenPos[1]]
+	if r.GetValueType() == ValueDataTypeText {
+		r.Value = FromText(r.Value)
+	}
 	return r
 }
 
diff --git a/testdata/serialization/expected/input4.ics b/testdata/serialization/expected/input4.ics
index e8a51ec..5dc38ea 100644
--- a/testdata/serialization/expected/input4.ics
+++ b/testdata/serialization/expected/input4.ics
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ UID:uid5@example.com
 ORGANIZER:mailto:jsmith@example.com
 STATUS:DRAFT
 CLASS:PUBLIC
-CATEGORIES:Project Report,XYZ,Weekly Meeting
+CATEGORIES:Project Report\,XYZ\,Weekly Meeting
 DESCRIPTION:Project xyz Review Meeting Minutes\nAgenda\n1. Review of
   project version 1.0 requirements.\n2. Definitionof project processes.\n3.
   Review of project schedule.\nParticipants: John Smith\, Jane Doe\, Jim
diff --git a/testdata/serialization/expected/input5.ics b/testdata/serialization/expected/input5.ics
index e8a51ec..5dc38ea 100644
--- a/testdata/serialization/expected/input5.ics
+++ b/testdata/serialization/expected/input5.ics
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ UID:uid5@example.com
 ORGANIZER:mailto:jsmith@example.com
 STATUS:DRAFT
 CLASS:PUBLIC
-CATEGORIES:Project Report,XYZ,Weekly Meeting
+CATEGORIES:Project Report\,XYZ\,Weekly Meeting
 DESCRIPTION:Project xyz Review Meeting Minutes\nAgenda\n1. Review of
   project version 1.0 requirements.\n2. Definitionof project processes.\n3.
   Review of project schedule.\nParticipants: John Smith\, Jane Doe\, Jim