Overhead Door of Permian Basin Blog!

Here are some fun facts you probably didnt know about cars:

1. There are 1 billion cars currently in use on earth
2. The “new car smell” is composed of over 50 volatile organic compounds
3. It would take less the 6 months to get to the moon by car going 60 mph
4. The average car has 30,000 parts
5. 75% of cars Rolls Royce has ever produced are still on the road today (talk about a well made car!)
6. Volkswagen owns Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Audi, Ducati, and Porsche! Let us say that again… Volkswagen!
7. It’s a criminal offence to drive around in a dirty car in Russia
8. In Turkmenistan car drivers are entitled to 31 gallons of free petrol a month
9. The inventor of the cruise control was blind
10. Most new cars fake engine noise through speaker. They are quite silent otherwise.

1. Lowes Home Improvement

http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas

Explore easy DIY projects, home makeover ideas, decorating tips, and more!

2. HGTV

http://blog.hgtv.com/design/

With multiple writers contributing, you are bound to find something for you. Take a peak into the home of DIY.

3. Better Living Through Design

http://www.betterlivingthroughdesign.com/

Your design guide to home and style

4. Sensational Girl

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/

Fabulous for less

5. Charles Hudson

http://charlesandhudson.com/

Charles & Hudson is a web magazine that covers the best in design, DIY, smart homes and the “Internet of Things”.

6. Life in Sketch

http://lifeinsketch.com/

An interior designer sketching her way through life

7. Nesting Place

http://www.thenester.com/

It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful

8. Simplified Bee

http://www.simplifiedbee.com/

Home organization and design solutions

9. The House Of Smiths

http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/

Taking once space at a time

10. Rambling Renovations

http://www.ramblingrenovators.ca/

This blog chronicles the adventures in transforming our nondescript 1950's house into a home bursting with traditional character interpreted in a modern way.

Wanting to use your garage this winter? Here are two ways you can take your garage and turn it into another heated area of your home.

Natural gas forced air heater

This heater is great if you want your garage warm in a short amount if time. Keep in mind; every time you open and shut your garage, it will let out heat taking a little while to heat the area up again.

With a forced air heater you will have warmer air at the ceiling rather than at your feet.

These forced air heaters are pretty inexpensive but may cost you more in the long run compared to infrared tube heating.

Natural gas infrared tube heater

Because the infrared heater warms objects first, you will not feel the heat immediately. But once the concrete floor begins to warm up, you will then feel a warmer garage temperature all around. With this heater you will have more uniform air than the forced heater.

Keep in mind you should always have objects at least 3-4 feet from the infrared heater to avoid overheating.

The infrared heater is going to have a larger upfront cost but will save you in the long run.

*Please read all heater instructions on installation and safety precautions

Forced-air verses infrared

Forced-air heater:

Pros

• Less expensive initial cost (50 percent less than comparable infrared heater)

Cons

• Noisy
• Loses heat quickly if garage door is opened (longer recovery time)
• Heat rises and stratifies (the air is warmer at ceiling, cooler near floor), but you won't notice it with a 7- or 8-ft. ceiling
• Air movement tends to blow airborne dust around (woodworkers will have to shut down unit before staining and finishing projects)

Low-intensity infrared tube heater:

Pros

• Little noise
• No air movement (dust settles)
• Lower cost to operate
• More uniform heat distribution (no stratification)
• Quicker heat recovery if door is opened/closed (floor and objects retain heat)

Cons

• Higher initial cost (50 percent more than forced-air)
• Correct location of heater is critical (minimum 7 ft. from floor, 3 ft. from objects). Adequate headroom is also critical, because you can overheat if you're working near the unit.

To learn more on how you can keep your garage warm this winter, give Overhead Door a call or visit our scheduling department by clicking here: /schedule-a-service-call

Weather you are looking for a new place to live this year or simply want to sell your home, here are a few things to know. Josh Altman of Bravo's reality show "Million Dollar Listings" chimes in on a few tips and tricks when getting involved with the real estate market this year.

What to do before you sell

Become the real seller

Selling your home can be a process, so prepare yourself. Begin viewing your home as an investment. And trust your realtor, they know what they are doing.

Price it right

No matter how well your home is advertised, if it is not priced right, it will not sell. Altman mentions pricing depends on the type of market and strategy your agent uses. He does recommend pricing a little above the market so there is room for negotiation BUT not to high to miss your buyer pool.

Depersonalize

Remember you are selling this home to others, so anything that makes your home yours, temporarily put it away. The buyers want to make sure to picture themselves living there.

Fist impressions, always

The first impression is the MOST important. It will either make or break your buyers decisions so make it perfect! Insure your home is clean, tightly, bright and smelling great.

Always be ready to show

You never know when your potential buyer will want to see your home so be ready. Selling your home is a full time job.

Don't over indulge

Put a little money into updating your home. Nothing to drastic or custom, you want to keep your home likable to most. Most of your money should go towards the kitchen, flooring and bathrooms.

Kitchens sell!

The kitchen is the heart of the home so make sure that is the most noticeable part of your home. Altman recommends stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.

Closets

Take out the clothes you have in your closet to show how much room they have. When cluttered they can seem small and less attractive.

Light it up

A bright home will sell.

What to do before a buy

Check school districts

With children it is important to see what schools are in your area. The better the school the more expensive the home.

Visit the home at different times of the day

As a buyer you need to know all the good and bad your future home offers. Different parts of the day can mean to little lighting.

See storage

Check out pantries, closets, and other storage options. Very important!

Ignore paint

Ignore those ugly paint colors if you can. A new coat of paint is no big deal when it comes to buying a new home.

Get an inspection

Altman recommends to all of his buyers to have a thorough home inspection. It can be expensive but it will be more pricey if you encounter these problems later down the road.

Last, check for red flags

Here are a few things Altman suggests: Has the home had any issues with mold? Is there lead paint in the home? How is the foundation? Have you had bug problems? Are there lots of homes for sale in the neighborhood? If so why are they leaving?

It seems odd to buy a new garage door in the dead of winter. But with the freezing temperatures and wind speeds it is important that you have your garage working perfecting. If your garage is not working properly you are losing energy and money.

The garage door is the biggest moving part in your home. With the correct garage door you will be saving energy cost during all seasons. Great garage doors not only make your house look great on the block but also affect the rooms in your home located near the garage. A well-insulated garage keeps moisture out and creates a noise barrier to keep your home calm and quiet.

So what should consumers look for when purchasing an energy saving garage door? For starters check out the thermal resistance to heat flow. This is described as the R-value. The higher the number the more insulated the garage door will be.

Now garage doors come with much more insulation than they did in the 1990’s so make sure to do your research! There is a noticeable difference between doors to the past and now, not to mention the functionality as well.

So before you go any buy just any garage door. Make sure to do your research and give Overhead Door a call for our best option.

If you would like to see what our garages would look like on your home, check out our design center for an easy step by step visual : http://www.overheaddoorpermianbasin.com/access-our-design-center-now