Gutters: To Protect and Serve

Yorktown Gutter Cleaning

Dear Homeowner,

When you think about all of work that goes into maintaining your beautiful home, we might not be top of mind, but I speak for gutters everywhere when I tell you that we are more important than you think!

Did you know that we protect your home from the elements?  Think of us as the silent protectors of your beloved home. Gutters direct water away from the house preventing the area around your home from getting waterlogged.  We also prevent structural damage and water from possibly leaking into your basement.   

Unfortunately, we are one part of the house that most homeowners do not think about until we are having a problem, so we tend to feel forgotten by our owners.  We don’t expect to receive the same praise as our friend, the roof, but we think we deserve a little more of your love and attention.

Do you know who does seem to love us? Dry leaves and small critters!  That’s right, leaves, birds, small animals and insects absolutely love us.  We don’t mind housing these guys for a little while, but eventually it gets overcrowded and we need help evicting these squatters.  That’s where you come in! 

We need a little more TLC throughout the year, dear homeowner.  What does that mean exactly? We should be cleaned at least twice a year.  This will help us live longer to protect your home.   We know that cleaning us can be an arduous, time consuming and sometimes dangerous task.  I’ve seen many injuries among homeowners which is why I highly recommend going with a professional service, like Westchester Gutter Cleaning. 

Westchester Gutter Cleaning

Our friends over at Westchester Gutter Cleaning are true experts. They know exactly how to care, clean and maintain us so that we can continue to protect and serve your home.  From Yorktown Gutter Cleaning to Purchase Gutter Cleaning to Valhalla Gutter Cleaning, Westchester Gutter Cleaning serves the entire Westchester area. 

Give them a call today at 914-720-4600 for your free estimate and consultation and next time it rains or snows, remember to give your gutters a head nod to thank them for protecting your home.

Sincerely,

The silent protectors

Learn more about Westchester Gutter Cleaning:

Yorktown Gutter Cleaning
Purchase Gutter Cleaning
Valhalla Gutter Cleaning

DIY Garage Torsion Spring Replacement: Is it Dangerous?

If you look on the internet you will find numerous articles proclaiming how safe and easy it is to replace a torsion spring on your garage door.  Be very careful if you are considering taking this project on yourself.  Have the proper skills and proper tools before taking on such a project.  If you are not 100 percent qualified consider hiring a professional such as Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators.  With their years of experience Hudson valley has offered 1000’s of LaGrange Garage Doors,Germantown Garage Doors, Somers Garage Doors, Yorktown Heights Garage Doors, Gardiner Garage Doors

So why is changing a torsion spring so dangerous? Simple.  Torsion springs are devices that are specially made to lift most of the weight of a garage door.  This allows the door to be manually opened or by some type of mechanical compartment.  When you consider the amount of weight of a garage door you will begin to understand why these springs can be dangerous.  All this weight translates to stored energy in the spring that if improperly let loose can cause some serious damage or worse death. 

There are hundreds of stories of people being rushed to the emergency room because of a torsion spring accident.  If done intelligently and with the proper equipment this job is a cinch but if not given the proper respect it deserves in can come and bite you in the ass. 

The argument from most is well what’s the difference between this and someone wanting to do some work on their jacked car, or someone who wants to fix their lawn mower, well not much really.  Those are all good examples of do it yourself projects that can really hurt you if done incorrectly. 

So remember if you must do this project on your own inform yourself the best you can and buy the best torsion replacement kit out there you can get.  If you’re anything like me you may want to consider obtaining the help of some professionals like Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators.  With their help your garage will be up and running in no time. 

Services offered:

LaGrange Garage Doors

Germantown Garage Doors

Somers Garage Doors

Yorktown Heights Garage Doors

Gardiner Garage Doors

How to Install Gravity Fed Septic System

In suburban cities all over the world the houses tend to be spaced so far apart that a sewer system is out of the question due to its elevated cost. Thus, people install their own private sewer systems which regulate the flow of water and waste. These are called septic tanks.

Now, there are two types of systems used the first of which is ‘Gravity Fed’ and the second are known as ‘Alternative Systems’. Alternative systems tend to include electric pumps and they are recommended for professionals or individuals with experience because of the potential risk to the environment because of the pollution of the watershed.

Gravity Fed Systems

Gravity fed systems are septic systems with a septic or treatment tank in front of an absorption facility and does not use pressurized effluent.

The first step in installing a gravity fed system is to assemble the tools required for an excavation, equipment such as: shovels, contractor’s dummy level and rod, PVC perforated pipe, backhoe tractor, hand saw, trencher etc.

You then need to make sure you comply with health regulations stipulated by your county and state and make sure to obtain required permits. You will probably need to have a test done which determines the type and size of drainage field you will need for the septic system you’re installing. A local health inspector may have this test performed on your property.

The name itself states that it depends on gravity rather than mechanical help to dispose of the waste from the tank. What this means is you have to plan for the flow to go downhill and for this you’ll need only a concrete aerobic divided tank and a perforated pipe embedded in gravel.

Be sure to excavate a hole large enough to place the concrete aerobic tank below ground. Lay out and excavate your leech field as it has been determined by the test done in the permit process. When excavating make sure to maintain the positive flow between the tanks and the drain field. Next, when inserting the pipe, be sure to add gravel around the pipe to hold the pipe in place.

Your last step would be to cover up the pipe and tank once you have a tag giving the green light from a health inspector.

You if you feel up to the task and want to save some money, you can have this installation done yourself but if you happen to not feel so comfortable with operating the machinery, we suggest you call a licensed and trained professional. If you find yourself in Westchester County or the Poughkeepsie area and need some help be sure to call Jones Septic Services. For over 60 years, Jones has been working the Poughkeepsie and Westchester County area and is the pioneer for all things septic. With services including: Septic Pumping Patterson NY, Septic Pumping PoughquagNY, Septic Pumping Wappingers Falls NY, Septic Pumping Lagrange NY, SepticPumping Wappinger NY, Septic Pumping Amenia NY and Septic Pumping Pawling NY you can trust that the name Jones Septic is well-known in Westchester County and Poughkeepsie NY.

Learn More about Jones Septic

Septic PumpingPatterson NY

SepticPumping Poughquag NY

SepticPumping Wappingers Falls NY

SepticPumping Lagrange NY

SepticPumping Wappinger NY

SepticPumping Amenia NY

SepticPumping Pawling NY

Renovating the garage? How to *gently* tell your adult child to move out of home.

Tired of having a cramped living space due to the fact that your 30-something adult child is still living in the garage? Wouldn’t you rather use the garage space for, say, the family car or those bicycles that have been getting increasingly weather-damaged out in the rain?

We’ve developed some foolproof tips that will help you get that ageing beast out of the family garage so you can reclaim your sanity and storage space. Remember, subtle hints (such as casually placed real estate pamphlets and emailed links to “rooms for let”) just won’t do. Try a more passive aggressive approach:

• Don’t restock your fridge.
• Put that treadmill or exercycle in the garage (i.e. their filthy den of empty bottles and soiled sheets), and insist on watching soap operas while doing your 45-minute a day workout.
• Begin a family-wide “earlybird routine” where the last person to get up (i.e. that ageing beast in your garage) will be treated to a daily 6AM wakeup call replete with whistles, tambourines and a large gong.
• Put the washing machine and drier in the garage (after all, that’s what garages are for) and insist on helping a charity or sports team with excess laundry.
• Walk around naked. No child, no matter how mature they think they are, ever wants to see their parents in the nude. 
• If all else fails, leave a trail of pizza crumbs leading outside the garage door to lure the adult child out of their den. Then bam! Run back inside and lock the doors.

All jokes aside, Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators have been supplying satisfied customers with excellent garage doors for more than twenty years (about the time your adult child should have moved out, huh?). With our help you can be sure we will supply you with the proper door that will add value and character to your home.

Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators uses the highest quality products to assure the safety and longevity of your garage door. In a large industry with a wide selection of choices, let us help you choose a garage door that best fits your home’s style and functionality.

For more information or a free consultation contact Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators for our following services:

Saugerties Garage Doors

Somers Garage Doors

Yorktown Heights Garage Doors

North Salem Garage Doors

Is the Dotcom Bubble Destined to Repeat Itself?

With all the success technology has been having recently we have seen a huge increase in investments from private sectors.  Experts are seeing investments reach record highs just like back in the hay days before the dotcom bubble. 

For those who don’t recall, the dotcom era was a time in the 90’s where people were investing in tech companies feverishly.  People were trying to gobble up all the companies they could in the hopes of hitting it big.

 

A piece has recently been published in which respected venture capitalist Bill Gurley told The Wall Street Journal  the “Huge amount of capital pouring into startups-and the great expectations all that money represents-is forcing new companies to spend more, and faster, than they have in 15 years. So much spending sets companies up for a fall if the funding dries up and they still have big bill to pay.

It seems though that people are not paying attention to this warning digging themselves deeper by the day.  The problem is if your competitor is spending then you must spend to also keep up.  The experts seem to divide 50/50.  Half of the experts seem to feel like the market is strong and this is the time to continue pumping funds into new businesses while others feel like we are seeing a reoccurrence of what happened in 1999. 

Unlike the 90’s tech companies now are concentrating on tangible products.  People aren’t trying to sell ideas anymore, they are more concentrated on making a product or a service that will make a person’s life easier.  Take for example the new field of home automation. 

In the last 10 years home automation has been making moves.  Companies like Nest Labs have created a product that saves you money on your energy bills by creating smart thermostats that can keep a close look on your energy consumption.  These companies are thriving.  Nest lasb recently was bought out by Google for 3.2 billion dollars. 

Companies like Cyber Technologies provides some of the best products on the market for home automation, security systems and system integrations.  For more information contact Cyber Technology today for the following services:

New York City CCTV Systems

New Canaan Alarm Systems

Westchester Fire Alarm Systems

Fairfield Alarm Systems

Are You Ready For The IDA Expo?

The Garage door business has become very competitive as of late.  With so many new technologies such as home automation and new production methods more and more businesses are trying to keep up with their competitors. 

Luckily there exists the IDA Expo, a yearly event that has been bringing together all the top Garage Door companies under one roof.  This year’s event was held in Las Vegas, Nevada during the days of April 23^rd-26^th.  This 4 day event was jam packed with workshops and events such as:

• Opening Session
• Tradeshow
• Workshops
• Banquet Portraits
• The Presidents Banquet
• Gold Outing
• Motorcycle Poker Run
• VIP Banquet

The IDA Expo provides what is needed to make good door dealers better.  2014’s Expo showed a lot of promise in the industry with some great exhibits and workshops.  The dealers who attend the Expo make up about 75 percent of the annual U.S. garage door volume.  Roughly 85 to 90 percent of garage door manufacturers attend this event.  Making this yearly event a major deal. 

There are many reasons for door companies to attend the IDA Expo.  The one that sticks out the most is sharpening one’s competitive edge.  Today market place is constantly changing.  Dealers need to keep up with this ever changing world and provide the easiest most efficient means of business to their customers. 

2014’s Expo saw 75 hours of educational programming being provided to those who sell, install and service garage doors and access systems. There was also an increase in new exhibits, 2014 saw 19 new exhibitors.  This goes to show how far this industry has come.  Although this years event is long gone don’t worry.  A new event is in works for 2015 during the days of April 8 through the 11^th. 

When looking to purchase, install or service your garage door always go with a trusted name.  Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators has been at it for years delivery quality service and a quality product.  For more information contact Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators for the following services:

LaGrange Garage Doors

Germantown Garage Doors

Newburgh Garage Doors

Woodstock Garage Doors

Snapchat’s New Update: What It Means For You & Silicon Valley

Snapchat, the popular photo sharing app has released a new update in which it will now implement video chat and instant messaging. This is a new platform for the growing application and should make an impact on the tech industry. The California based company was founded by two Stanford University students and was initially released in September 2011.

According to blog.snapchat.com:

 "Swipe right on a friend’s name in your Snapchat inbox to start chatting. When you leave the chat screen, messages viewed by both you and your friend will be cleared – but either of you can always tap or screenshot to save anything you’d like to keep (addresses, to-do lists, etc.)!" 

This move should come as no surprise to those savvy to the on goings in Silicon Valley. Snapchat was initally offered a $3 billion buyout from Social Media giant Facebook in November 2013.Then a follow up of $4 Billion from Google the following week. Both offers were declined and thus wide speculation began as to why this could be. $4 Billion is a sizeable chunk of change for two recent graduates. This is especially remarkable because as of October 2012 they were not turning a profit at all. $4 Billion dollar growth in 13 months and still less than satisfied. It was obvious that Snapchat had plans to grow beyond mere photo sharing  and is well on its way to an empire.

For those unfamiliar, the premise of the app is to capture an image or a video and instantly share it with someone else, who also has the Snapchat App on their phone or tablet. The image then deletes itself immediately after its opening and is erased from the Snapchat servers for good. If the recipient screenshots the image, the sender is alerted. Though there have been a handful of sexting controversies that surround this future tech giant, they have managed to keep their reputation clean overall.

With updates to the app, users eventually gained the ability to save pictures that are captured and with the introduction of the Snapchat story in October 2013 they can be viewed multiple times before being erased. Users' images and videos are saved for 24 hours  and can be viewed multiple times by anyone on the friends list of the one posting the content.

The introduction of video chat and instant messaging will not be an easy field for Snapchat to gain traction in. Though they have millions of users, those looking to message or video chat on their phones have plenty of options already. With Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, WhatsApp and of course Skype the question remains as to how Snapchat will differentiate itself. What exactly will it provide to its users that these other messengers and Silicon Valley giants cannot provide already.

Can Snapchat become part of your New York Systems Integration project to connect everything on the cloud? Or will this become obsolete. Find out how video sharing can be implemented into your New York Home Automation improvement today.

Game of Drones: New York Home Automation & the Internet of Things

The internet of things is the new buzzword that is taking the technology and design world by storm. What exactly is this “internet of things”? Can it hurt? Can it help? Can you have an internet of things? The answer to all those questions is YES. The internet of things and New York Home Automation projects have been incorporated to bring unprecedented and futuristic ideas that are poised to spark immense lifestyle changes across North America.

The internet of things is essentially the notion that everything you use…everything… will be connected to a network. The network is completely automated and will incorporate previously unconnected and obsolete home items to your life. The advantages of this are easy to see. For example the technology exists, through Nest Products Westchester NY, to have your thermostat turn down when you leave your home. Your thermostat turns down to save you energy while you are not home. Your CCTV systems are monitored from your handheld, miles away, and you live a more convenient and comfortable life.

The latest and most anticipated piece of the new internet of things is Amazon PrimeAir. No this is not an airline that you can take with your Kindle, this is a drone delivery service that is fully automated. The features are functional and Amazon is leading the way, only waiting on FAA approval. Autonomous drones are set to deliver goods purchased online on Amazon.com to your doorstep for selected areas in thirty minutes or less. Imagine adding this to your New York Home Automation project.

The ease of ordering online is now even easier than it has ever been. For example let’s say you are having a party, listening to your Savant Systems Westchester NY sound system in your home when for whatever reason (I would say you trip over a wire, but wires are now also part of the past) one of the speaker cuts out. The party is starting to die down when you remember the internet of things and your fully functional New York Home Automation. You fire up the iPhone and order a new speaker and in less than thirty minutes the speaker is dropped at your door by drone. The speaker and the party turn up as they should. The only problem now is getting from the party to the front door to take the speaker out the package…there isn’t an automation solution for that yet.

The conveniences that drones will add to the world of New York Home Automation projects and the internet of things are something that has only been thought of in the Jetsons thus far, but the more one reads about automation the more you learn that there is no such thing science fiction.

Learn more:

New York Home Automation

New York City Home Automation

Savant Systems Westchester NY

Nest Products Westchester NY

Garage Doors Repair, Garage Door Services and now Garage Doors connected to a cloud?

Garage door services have always been a part of the home that is difficult to figure out and work on as a DIY project. Though technology often makes projects like this easier, there is no substitute for an experienced technician for your garage door services or garage door repairs. After all it is the largest mechanical device in your home. With that being said, modern technology has formed a partnership with your garage door to help simplify your commute and while easing your life in general.

The modern garage door is activated either through a password connected control panel, a remote control button, or is a manual action lift. This, however, is swiftly shifting into a more automated world.  Nothing is immune to the app-ification of our society and this is now shifting into realms previously immune to this technology. As our ever connected world becomes even more connected there is now a program that you can download that will open your garage door remotely from your smartphone.

Though garage door service and garage door repairs should obviously be left to the experts, it is worth noting that you can now open and close your overhead door from your phone. This is another layer of convenience to add to your home and has the potential to add value to your already valuable overhead door. Controlling remotely from your phone is a futuristic and forward thinking technological advance with the potential to unlock new and improved dimensions in overhead doors.

By downloading an app from the app store and speaking with a garage door professional technician, you can easily link your phone to your home. It’s as simple as downloading apps, and making a phone call. We recommend learning about the full range of overhead door products before jumping into something like this. For example, contact a local professional today about about garage door services, garage door repairs and how to receive a free estimate contact.

Garage door services

Garage door repairs

Garage door sales

source:http://lifehacker.com/build-a-smartphone-connected-garage-door-opener-with-an-1563008120

Home Security Alarms and Alarm Systems Tricks: Stay Protected in Fairfield and Westchester

For Fairfield Security Alarms or Westchester Security Alarms there are a few tips and tricks that you can use to help upgrade your property. These are simple and free tactics that when implemented on the exterior or interior of your home can protect your property from the dangers of a home invasion or burglary. Of course none of these tactics are fool proof and for a free consultation on your property you should contact an expert, however, without further adieu here are the top security tips.

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Your Home Was Exposed To Enough This Winter

So let Hudson Valley Overhead Doors help you

Even though the winter and its elements are hopefully behind us, as a

homeowner any product that is exposed to these must have extra care and

durability. One especially weather demanding home decor idea to think

about is your garage doors. These need to be durable to the rain, snow,

or temperatures in the area.

When picking out the best garage doors for your home, these are the

factors that are most important. In order to have quality, long-lasting

doors, you need to start with the high grade materials. Using these

materials combined with above standard installation techniques can keep

your doors looking best after meeting the elements.

Even if your doors have already encountered the weather or other damages, you can easily get them back into working order by hiring quality professionals. Trained and experienced technicians can quickly fix your exterior doors to a better condition. These fixes can help to keep your garage space cleaner and warmer for any activity you may use

it for.

To get quality garage doors that can handle the elements, check out

Hudson Valley Overhead Doors. They have expert staff that can help you

to both choose and install the perfect garage doors for your home. Visit

them today.


Learn more about how to have your garage door serviced or installed:
Garage Doors Great Barrington MA
Garage Doors Sharon CT
Garage Doors Lakeville CT

Enhance Your Home With Custom Carpentry

Korth & Shannahan, the leading Westchester wallpaper installation specialists, also offer high quality carpentry Westchester NY Services. Enhance your home with custom carpentry Westchester NY services provided by the experts at Korth & Shannahan. With many years of experience, the seasoned professionals at Korth & Shannahan have the knowledge, tools and skills that are necessary in order to deliver the highest quality carpentry job.
 
Offering custom carpentry services that range from framing, trim, and custom mill work to the installation and repair of windows, and siding, Korth & Shannahan are the leading carpentry Westchester NY services experts. If you are a homeowner or business owner that is searching for the best carpentry service in town, look no further than Korth & Shannahan. 

Interior Painting Deliver Impressive Results

Korth & Shannahan, the leading interior painting Westchester NY experts, always deliver a quality job. If you feel that your home or business deserves the very best paint job then contact Korth & Shannahan, the interior paining Westchester NY experts that always get the job done right.

From the very start of the job to the final stroke of the brush, you will be impressed with the results. Korth & Shannahan will turn your house into the beautiful home you have always imagined. Their professional house painters promise to get the job done right the first time. We can help you to choose the absolute best colors as well as paints for your home.

Throughout the process their workers will be respectful of your home and deliver a thorough on-site clean-up once the job is done. When they arrive on your scheduled day, they take great care with your home through the process.

The best results for interior painting Westchester NY begin with proper preparation. They have dealt with all types of interior conditions. All of the areas to be painted are prepared for painting including cleaning surfaces, sanding loose or peeling paint, filling minor cracks and repairing larger problems.

Once the preparation is complete, the interior painting Westchester, NY experts will then begin to cover your home’s walls with the paint that you have chosen. Throughout this process they pay special attention to the details including an even and seam-less coat, the trim, the doors, and lastly deliver a thorough inspection and perform final touch-ups, if necessary.

Exterior Painting Experts In Westchester NY

Exterior Painting Westchester NY

Korth & Shannahan’s exterior paint Westchester NY job is sure to make the neighbors jealous. There is nothing more rewarding than having a beautifully painted home or business. Korth & Shannahan, the leading exterior painting Westchester NY experts has the skills, knowledge and experience to get the job done right. All of their  workers are only the very best professionals and the work will be done in a safe, and efficient matter. Contact the leading exterior painting Westchester NY experts and  make your property the envy of all our neighbors. They guarantee an exceptional exterior paint job.

During the pressure washing process we are conscious of your landscape as well as belongings and do everything that is possible in order to ensure that your property remains undisturbed and undamaged. Their professional staff of exterior painters is committed to delivering excellent service to all of their  customers.  Korth & Shannahan is truly dedicated to quality. This obsession with quality penetrates every aspect of the business. They use only the leading  premium brands of paint and their commitment to quality also includes using only professional grade paint brushes, rollers and sprayers designed for flawless finishes for both interior and exterior residential painting.