A.B.E. Doors & Windows Blog

Spring is in the air, and people all over the Valley are getting serious about home repair, renovation and improvement projects that have languished for a long time. And that means, we believe, that this year's Spring Home Show at Lehigh University's Stabler Arena, sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Builders' Association, is going to be a well-attended, exciting one.

We're going all out this year, and we hope you'll make point of stopping by, April 5 through 7. (We'll be there Friday 6-10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at booths S068, S069, S070, S083, S084 and S085.) Prime examples from every product category we sell will be on display - windows, entrance doors, patio doors, storm doors, and beautiful wood and steel carriage-house garage doors by Raynor.

The real showstopper, though, is a fully operational Liftmaster 8550 garage door opener - one of the premier models on the market today. This unit features MyQ technology, the impressive cutting-edge application that lets you control all aspects of operation remotely from any smart phone. Another cool aspect of this operator is its ultra-quiet direct-current motor.  Equipped this way, the door starts and stops slow and smooth, without any extra jerks, vibration or racket.

To support our show presence, we're offering our loyal customers a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card in the ABE Doors and Windows Facebook Sweepstakes. You don't even have to leave the website to enter - just click over to homepage and use the link there that says Enter to Win. You'll see how to qualify for our May 1 drawing just by reviewing us on Google, liking us on Facebook, or checking in on Facebook when you visit our showroom. No purchase is necessary to win.

Lead has been banned from household paints since the late '70s, but in a business like ours that involves home repairs and upgrades every working day, you''re bound to encounter a lot of lead-based paint. ABE Doors and Windows is not a lead-abatement company, but we are trained and careful in dealing with this lingering household risk.

ABE personnel have been through third-party training leading to certification in lead safety. The company itself is also certified. We comply with the RRP rule (renovation/repair/painting) of the U.S. Environomental Protection Agency whenever we replace windows or doors in a pre-1978 house. Our skilled personnel will test for lead and use lead-safe practices to contain any dust if the older paints are identified.

This is very much on our minds just now, because March is National Poison Prevention Month. It's a good time to give some thought to the poisoning dangers that lurk in anyone's house. Of course, any old painted surfaces, especially if they're chipped, peeling or flaking, should be looked at by an abatement specialist. But there's much more to be done to protect your family. Here's a short list:

- Make sure all drugs, paints, cleaners, pesticides and other toxic household products are properly labeled and stored out of the reach of children.
- Properly dispose of these items when they're past their expiration dates. Check with your local municipality to find out how.
- Whenever possible, keep medicines and other potentially toxic substances in their original containers. Never store inedible products in food or beverage containers.
- Teach kids not to eat or drink anything unless it's given to them by an adult they know, and don't call drugs "candy."
- Whenever you take medicine, replace the safety cap immediately.

And finally, post this number where you can find it at a moment's notice: 1-800-222-1222. That's the hotline for the Poison Control Center, an excellent source for lifesaving information if you suspect that someone's swallowed something toxic.

HAPPY SPRING!

Oh my, spring has sprung! ... Literally.  What do you do?  Here at A.B.E. Doors & Windows, the word "spring" takes on a whole new meaning.  One of the most common factors that contribute to a misbehaving or inoperable garage door is a broken spring, or two.  Although it is a very dangerous task for any homeowner to address on their own, it's a problem that our team of certified technicians are trained to properly repair.  Springs counterbalance the weight of a garage door to make the door easy to open and close.  Garage door springs are rated by cycle life, or approximately how many times the door should open or close before the spring will break.  The cycle life of the springs that we provide and install for our customers have a higher cycle life rating than the springs that most manufacturers provide with a new door.  When a spring breaks, it becomes an immediate safety hazard because it will not allow the door to function properly.  It is so important, as a homeowner, to be proactive in the maintenance of your garage door, as you would with any other heavily used appliance in your home.  So whether you hear the tell-tale "POP!" of a broken spring, or realize that your door is just not operating as it should, please remember to put your personal well-being first and call a garage door professional to come out and do what they do best - provide you with efficient and effective service.  To reach our service department at A.B.E. Doors & Windows, feel free to call 610-398-2430 at any time, should you find yourself in any type of predicament.

Over the past ten years, A.B.E. Doors & Windows has worked together with Mercy Special Learning Center in providing our Showroom as a worksite for the Work Experience Program that is offered to the school's students.  Every Monday, since the start of the 2012 school year, one of Mercy's students, Irina, comes into work dutifully with her job coach, Joan.  Together, they provide greatly appreciated assistance to our busy staff by labeling all of our product literature and putting together company folders that our estimators rely on when providing free quotes to our customers.  This month, we were given an opportunity to sit down with Irina and had the great pleasure of learning more about her.

Irina, who is 16 years old, looks forward to attending school every morning and enjoys her studies in Reading.  She is a very busy student and hard worker, participating daily with food preparation in the kitchen at school, rolling silverware, and delivering lunch trays to classrooms.  Irina is also a member of the Tone Chime Choir, performing for others during special occasions and Mass.  Her favorite extracurricular activities include swimming and practicing gymnastics at Parkettes.  Outside of school and work, Irina has a passion for horseback riding, something that she has been doing since the age of 9.  She enjoys spending time outdoors and is looking forward to the weather becoming warmer.  Irina loves listening to music and some of her favorite artists include Rihanna, Usher, Dave Matthews Band, and Ke$ha.  Irina's sunny disposition, authenticity, compassion, and kindness shine brightly in everything that she says and does.  Joan expressed that the most satisfying part of her job is working alongside and interacting with the students she is paired with and witnessing their personal growth.

We consider ourselves truly blessed to be involved with such a terrific program at Mercy Special Learning Center and are honored to have Irina and Joan's presence in our office.  A.B.E. Doors & Windows holds deep gratitude and admiration for both of these lovely women.  We thank you eternally for your selfless hearts and the uplifting positivity that you emanate into the world!