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To a true artist, the whole world’s a canvas. To an artist who’s also a homeowner, there’s no greater canvas than the plain garage door. Long neglected as a platform for artistic expression, now the garage door is being recognized for it’s decorative potential. Now, thanks to one imaginative homeowner from Germany, the garage door is the source of a whole new business for him, and a new fad for homeowners. The product, created by German artist-entreprenuer Thomas Sassenbach and sold on styleyourgarage.com, is a weather and fire-resistant print designed to disguise the kind of boring, flaky, greying metalwork that characterizes the average garage door.

Sassenbach’s company prints images onto plastic sheets which can be stuck onto the facade of any garage door. Held in place by industrial strength Velcro, the extremely realistic images can create the impression that the garage contains a luxury vehicle, or a private jet,an oversized animal, or “the kind of equipment that any fledgling rock band would be proud of.” The garage door cover-ups are so realistic that, from a distance, they would undoubtedly fool an onlooker. Sassenbach’s available images include a Manhattan subway station, Formula One racing cars, an elephant, a crocodile, a private jet, and a speedboat. The weather and fire-resistant prints are easy to change and virtually indestructible.

These photo-realist garage doors are part of an international craze: designed not so much to keep up with the Joneses (and their private jet parked in the home garage), but to freak them out, says the Daily Mail. The paper published a series of photos of the garage doors online. Although the trend began in Germany, it’s now gone international. Now garage door owners with a sense of humor in the UK are clamoring for the garage door designs. And for fellow imaginative homeowners, Sassenbach will customise any image on request.

This post first appeared on https://www.fortworthgaragedoors.co

A garage door is something that almost every house has these days. They are so common most people don’t even think about them unless they are broken for some reason. While this might be the norm it is not the best way to be dealing with your garage door. A garage door is still a very heavy piece of equipment that if not handled properly can fall on you or a loved one. That is why there are certain safety measures you should go to.

You should never let your kids or animals play on or around the door. A lot of people will put in basketball hoops in the driveway, and that is fine…just make sure that the hoop is far enough away from the garage door that if for some reason it unexpectedly opens or closes it won’t possibly harm anyone who might be playing a little b-ball.

You also want to make sure and keep all pets away from the door at all times. We never recommend letting an animal loose inside the garage even if the door is closed because you never know if the door will open or become faulty.

Teach your kids not to play with the door and that they should stay away from it whenever possible unless actually going in or out of the door. Too many kids get hurt riding the door up and down every year, and it is something that can easily be avoided. Be smart and stay safe!

This post first appeared on https://www.fortworthgaragedoors.co

In the first part of this series we started looking and what could be causing your garage door to make noises. Today we will conclude with part two.

The garage door springs could also be the cause of the noise. Garage doors have several different types of springs that could need replacing. There are extension springs found above the tracks above the door. You will see them on both sides of the doors. Some garage doors have torsion springs. You should never try to replace or remove these springs on your own. They are under a great amount of pressure, and can be extremely dangerous for a do-it-yourselfer to repair or replace. Call Fort Worth Garage Doors to have a professional handle it for you safely and quickly.

It could also be the hinges that are causing the problem. As with all parts of a door, the hinges will wear down over time and need additional lubrication. The hinges could be causing the noise whenever the door opens and closes. Check the hinges to see if it appears that they need a replacement or just a bit of lubricant.

Is Your Garage Door Still Too Loud?

If you’ve taken these steps and found that the garage still seems too loud, it could simply be the reverberation of the opening and closing seeming loud in the garage. Some choose to insulate the tracks with rubber to help cut down on the noise.

If you need a garage door repair, or a replacement, you will want to make sure that you get in touch contact us at (800) 416 – 9193. We can help make your garage door work perfectly and quietly.

This post first appeared on https://www.fortworthgaragedoors.co

On this record cold morning of -2 degrees, with the wind chill feel of -21 in Allentown, all of us are thinking about energy efficient products to keep your home as warm as possible. A.B.E. Doors & Windows sells the Raynor Affina garage door that has one of the highest insulating values on the market, R-18. Like most consumers, this number means nothing to them when you just say it. So I decided to perform a little experiment at my home this morning to explain what it means. I have two Raynor Affina 9’w x 7’h garage doors installed on my garage at home. My garage is attached to my home, but is not heated. I took a picture on my GMC Acadia’s dash board with the car parked in the garage. The temperature read 32 degrees. After I drove 3 miles to work, the temperature read -6 degrees. So when I ask the question, “What does an R-18 insulated garage door mean to your home?” I can say it kept my garage 34 degrees warmer than the actual temperature outside!

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com

We are happy to have been notified that A.B.E. Doors & Windows has been recognized in Window & Door Magazine’s national 2014 Top Specialists rankings.  According to the publication, the Top specialists list is Window & Door’s first effort to identify the largest independently owned specialty window and door companies in the United States, based on sales volume.  In light of celebrating our 40^th anniversary as an independently owned and operated business, we are honored to have been recognized nationally and published as a Top Specialist.  A.B.E. Doors & Windows is excited to continue moving forward, especially as we transition into the second generation of our company.   As we gain a much grander perspective of all that is to come in the future, we look forward to continuing and expanding upon the services that we offer to homeowners and businesses in the Lehigh Valley.

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com

Of all the businesses that will be founded in 2014, we can confidently predict that only a fraction will still be around in 2054. And if we look 40 years in the other direction, back to the spring of 1974, we’ll find that only a relative handful of businesses begun then are still with us now. One of those companies is ABE Doors and Windows. This June, we celebrate our 40th anniversary serving the consumers of the Lehigh Valley. It seems timely to pause and consider what’s helped get us here.

The company was started by a student just finishing his Business Administration degree at Bloomsburg University. Jim Lett, president of ABE Doors and Windows, says he wanted to open a business of his own – and the business found him. "I called home one day," he said. "My dad was selling building materials. He said one of the customers he represented, the Gordon Cellar Door company, needed someone to install their doors in the Lehigh Valley."

"It was just a casual conversation, but that’s how it began. I wrote Gordon a letter and they wrote back to get me started. I worked out of my bedroom and my parents’ garage – I had a lot of help from them."

With brothers helping with installations and his mom answering the phone while he was out on jobs, Jim replaced old wooden basement doors with modern steel versions. To free time for sales and estimating, he brought on his first full-time employee, Richard Miller, who’s still a top salesman at ABE today.

Jim branched out into other products. The Frantz garage door company needed coverage in the Valley. Jim flew to their headquarters in Sterling, IL for a crash course in the product, working with their field installation crews. He met the district manager of Perma-Door through his brother Bob’s involvment in Boy Scouts, and signed on with them just as steel entry doors were replacing wooden doors for residential applications. "People always say you need a good business plan," Jim says. "My business plan was hard work, good luck and taking care of the customer after the sale."

Year by year, with his wife Janet playing a vital role in the business, ABE kept expanding. The product line added patio doors, storm doors, commercial/industrial garage doors and garage door repairs. The emphasis for four decades remained basic: handle quality products, delivering quality installation and service.

In particular, ABE has emphasized customer care. "If there’s a problem, we want to take care of it immediately," Jim said. Today ABE continues to put service in the forefront, maintaining up-to-date factory training certifications among its skilled staff. "We hear from consumers who say the people who installed their doors and windows won’t answer their calls or are just our of business. The difference is, they know we’ll be here," said Shannon Seng, office manager. Mark Rapchak, general manager, said, "A big thing in service is employee longevity. Average tenure here is almost 17 years, which helps us realize Jim’s vision of pleasing customers no matter what."

A new generation of ABE personnel is moving the company into the future, among them Business/HR Manager Jim Lett II, son of the founder. "How we do going forward comes down to putting the customer first. If we’re going to meet or exceed their expectations, we’ll need to offer quality products – but we can’t do it without really excellent workers."

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com

Lead Safe Work Practices – what are they and how do they pertain to homeowners everywhere?  On April 22, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2008 Lead-Based Paint Renovation Repair and Painting Rule became fully effective.  The EPA issued this law, stating that “federal law requires contractors that disturb paint surfaces in homes, child care facilities and schools, built before 1978 to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.”  Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust that can be toxic to humans and animals.  Lead and lead compounds have been used in a wide variety of products found in and around our homes, including paint, ceramics, pipes and plumbing materials, solders, gasoline, batteries, ammunition, and cosmetics.  Though lead is especially dangerous to children under six years of age, it is also harmful to adults and can pose many health dangers.  Before taking on any home renovation project, it is important for any homeowner to educate themselves in Lead Safety and make certain that any company they hire to assist in any future home renovation project is federally qualified to honor and abide by EPA’s Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rules (Rule 40 CFR Part 745).  A.B.E. Doors & Windows is an EPA Certified Renovator and we pride ourselves in providing our customers with proper and professional installation and service.  Our company and staff recognizes the significant dangers of lead poisoning and are compliant in following all Lead Safe Work Practices to assure each of our customers comfort and security.  To learn more about Lead Safe Work Practices, please visit www.epa.gov.

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com

For more than a hundred years, the Better Business Bureau has provided guidance and assistance to the American consumer. Today’s BBB rates businesses on a scale from A+ to F, while offering accreditation to those who qualify. The Bureau also sets standards for business practices, and supports the efforts of businesses to respond to any complaints that may arise in the course of regular work. ABE Doors & Windows earned BBB accreditation on July 14, 2008, and has maintained it ever since. On the BBB’s ratings scale, ABE holds the highest rating: A+. The Bureau identifies no government actions against ABE, and reports no issues related to ABE’s advertising program. For a look at the relevant web page, visit http://www.bbb.org/washington-dc-eastern-pa/business-reviews/windows-installation-and-service/a-b-e-doors-windows-inc-in-allentown-pa-50001077. To be accredited and top-rated by this respected American institution is, of course, a substantial honor to ABE and all its employees. But we believe that what matters far more than our pride in these recognitions is what they mean to our customers. While the ratings and accreditations issued by the Better Business Bureau do not constitute specific evaluations or endorsements, countless consumers have been guided by them through the years. The good name of the BBB is such that businesses who achieve their ratings and accreditations have often been patronized by consumers. And if any difficulties arise, the good offices of the Bureau contribute strongly to fair resolutions for all. We believe that ratings from the Bureau are a legitimate consideration when choosing any business – and ABE Doors & Windows is no exception.

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com

 One of the most common questions and concerns that we address around this time of year is whether or not we are able to perform product installations in the frigid months ahead.  And, yes, we do!  It is a well-known fact that things expand in the summer heat and contract in the freezing winter, but, by using forethought and taking proper precaution, we are still able to complete most types of installation during this cold season.  We use silicone caulk that is rated for lower temperatures.  We also plan each installation before arriving at the job site, in order to do our best in minimizing the amount of time the house is exposed to cold air.  We prep each opening so our installers can replace an older product with the newly ordered product and have it fit right into the opening, without leaving an opening in the home longer than absolutely necessary.  We also back our work up with a 5-year workmanship warranty that we offer on every installation that we do.  The only time that we may need to push back any type of installation is if we should experience severely inclement weather that can cause unsafe working conditions and jeopardize the safety of our crew and the well-being of the home.  In order for us to perform jobs that require the removal and reinstalling of pre-existing siding, it is crucial that temperatures be above freezing.  By following these extra steps with care, winter weather is not an issue for our team of certified installers!

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com

September is here and Fall is quickly approaching!  Autumn welcomes the start of the new school year; and much of our focus is set on making sure that students (as well as ourselves) are supplied with all the required tools to be best equipped for achieving success.  In the often hectic and frantic hustling of change, it is easy to forget to take into consideration exactly how the changing of seasons will affect the home that we live in – one of our most beneficial means for basic survival.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home — typically making up about 54% of your utility bill.”  On average, it has been determined that a home can lose up to 30% of its heating and cooling energy through air leaks around doors and windows.  Such an essential and costly necessity makes it only beneficial to take every precaution to make certain that your home is not costing you empty and purposeless dollars.

Have you found that any garage doors, exterior doors, and/or windows have developed significant drafts over time? With each year that passes, prestigious product manufacturers within the United States (such as Raynor, Provia, Soft-Lite, and Andersen) are constantly putting to use the latest and most innovative technological testing and designs to create much more efficient and homeowner friendly replacement products.  The garage doors, exterior doors, and windows that are available today provide more quality than anything that was ever available years ago.  So many homeowners have fallen prey to relying on the use of home improvement “Band-Aids” – home-store bought weatherstripping and seals, caulk, door draft stoppers, applying plastic around drafty windows, etc. – which oftentimes only offers a temporary solution to an ever worsening problem and prolongs the inevitable.  Specializing in all things doors and windows, we can attest that updating any problem product on your home is a beneficial and educated investment – saving you from much distress and lost money, in the big scheme of things.  By considering replacing these specific products, any homeowner will gain a greater peace of mind – knowing that they are installing products that meet Energy Star qualifications and will provide for them with protection from the outside elements for many years to come.

If you find that you are interested in the replacement of any garage door, exterior door, and/or window in your home, please feel free to visit our showroom for more information or reach out to us to schedule a free estimate.

This post first appeared on https://www.abedoors.com