Glass Doctor Partners with Ronald McDonald House Charities

Glass Doctor is proud to announce that it is supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC) and their efforts to help families with children in hospitals across the United States and Canada.

The partnership is part of an initiative by five service brand concepts in The Dwyer Group® (Aire Serv®, Mr. Appliance®, Mr. Electric® and Mr. Rooter®) to provide a helping hand to Ronald McDonald House locations and the families that rely on them for support during stressful times.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is a non-profit corporation separate from the McDonald’s Corporation that creates, funds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. RMHC provides houses that are a “home away from home” for families with children being cared for at the most prestigious children’s hospitals in the world.

"Glass Doctor is a natural fit for RMHC because Glass Doctor franchises can provide in-kind services like window repair and replacement to Ronald McDonald houses in their areas," said David Kozlowski of Glass Doctor of Southeastern Wisconsin.

Glass Doctor franchises will also help support RMHC through fundraising efforts, volunteer activities and advocacy.

Usher in Spring by Decorating Bathrooms with Mirrors

If you felt like the walls were closing in on you this past winter and the gloomy chill lingered all day, think about decorating with mirrors to remodel your bathroom into that relaxing place you have always wanted it to be.

Mirrors are a great way to create a new look on a small budget. They can make a smaller space seem larger and also reflect natural light, making a room seem brighter and livelier.

Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to decorate with mirrors that are easy, fun and inexpensive:

• You can use an old frame or molding to border your mirror; you can easily attach the decorated piece to a mirror using liquid glue.
• Decorating an old mirror with flowers, garland or decals gives it a new flair.
• If you want candles by your tub, place mirrors under them to catch the flicker of candlelight, to make the atmosphere more relaxing.
• To create the illusions of more space add a mirror that covers the wall from one end to the other.

Ice Removal Myth #2 - Tap, tap tap

Myth: Tap the ice on the car windshield with a hammer to break the ice into pieces to pick off the glass. If that doesn't work, hammer on a screwdriver or ice pick.

Reality: This usually results in an impact hole or a large crack. You can even injure yourself if your hand goes through the windshield. Ouch.

Start New Techno-Free Thanksgiving Tradition

In our fast-paced techno-world it takes effort to slow down and appreciate our blessings – including the very technology we depend upon. Declare this Thanksgiving a techno-free day (after you read this article of course) and start some traditions beyond the feast.

A techno-free day means no use of television, DVDs, computers, video games, cell phones and music/video players.

Don't go crazy taking photos and video all day long. Designate one photographer. The photographer documents what each person is thankful for. During Thanksgiving dinner each person can share which techno-tool they miss the most and why. Older family members can each talk about one old tech tool they remember, such as black and white TV, 8-track tapes or wind-up telephones. Hide a gift card for a technology store or file downloads under one of the seats to find at the end of the meal.

Some alternative techno-free post-meal activities include board games, party games, and picnic games. If you’re having a large family reunion, turn it into an olympic games of sorts with competition according to teams or families, and multiple games in each category. Each team member participates in one game in each category. Winners get different colored construction paper turkey feathers for first, second or third place in each game. The family with the most feathers at the end of the day gets to take home the best leftovers.

If you don’t have extended family with you for Thanksgiving, you can cut and decorate construction paper turkey feathers or index cards as Christmas ornaments. Make them big enough so that people can write on the back. Mail one to each extended family member. Ask them to write their names and something they are thankful for on the back and return the ornament card or feather to you. In a couple weeks you should be able to post all of the thanks on a refrigerator, bulletin board or wall, string them across a fireplace mantle, or hang them on your Christmas tree.

Remember the families of soldiers who are deployed overseas, because they are sacrificing their Thanksgiving holiday to serve your country. Make a poster to give to a local military family. Title it “We’re thankful for you and your soldier.” Decorate it with well-wishes and encouraging messages, as well as holiday colors and designs. You may want to include a photo of your family and say that you are thankful for the freedoms soldiers protect.

Make Thanksgiving or Christmas decorations together from recycled glass and mirror. Before Thanksgiving ask your local Glass Doctor shop if they have pieces of leftover glass and mirror to recycle. They can even custom-cut large pieces for you. Thick mirror and glass can be cut into simple shapes with rounded corners and edges for ornaments. Use paint or glitter glue to decorate with symbols, characters, names or scenes. You could even write events, things or people you are thankful for.

Get ready for Christmas with simple glass decorations. Round mirror can be placed under candle jars or candlestick holders to reflect the light. You can recycle old picture frames too. Have a piece of mirror cut to size and attach it to the frame with glue. You paint the frame a holiday color and decorate the mirror first.

Most importantly, tell the people who are most important to you that you are thankful for them. On techno-free Thanksgiving, you may need to write a note. Count your blessings every day, in every way.

Glass Doctor Franchisee of the Year featured in USGNN videocast

USGNN magazine featured Ed Sieber of Glass Doctor of Charlotte in its video report of the GlassBuild America trade show in Atlanta last week. Ed talked about how the recession has affected his window replacement business and how Glass Doctor is working hard from the shop level to the corporate level to recover.

Custom Glass Shower Enclosure Idea in Seattle Solves Space Problem

Glass Doctor of King & Pierce Counties near Seattle, WA created a glass shower enclosure with a custom header design that completely changes the bathroom. The header is suspended one inch above the glass surface, giving the heavy glass extra stability. Notice the edge of the tub has become a seat to take advantage of extra space.

With the extra space the new shower enclosure has multiple shower heads. It also connects to the sink countertop. The shower enclosure in the photo below is from a different bathroom, but with the same "floating" custom header design.

If you are interested in more shower enclosure designs, check out the Glass Doctor shower enclosure virtual showroom where you can look and different designs and match the header colors to the bathroom wall colors.

Keep Kids Safe from Glass Injuries

Young children can be hurt by broken glass a number of ways, including stepping on glass shards, falling through windows, or running through sliding glass doors. The most common childhood injuries involving glass are severe cuts when a child picks up pieces of glass after a drinking glass, window, light bulb or lamp breaks. On their own, children often find stray pieces of glass on sidewalks, sports fields, parking lots and playgrounds. Even though injury prevention is best, you can use the Glass Safety tips below to teach children what they should do after glass breaks, when adults may or may not be nearby.

G – Get a parent.
L – Let the parent pick up the glass.
A – Avoid the area of the broken glass.
S – Stay clear of the area until it is cleaned up.
S – Safe habits will keep you safe.

Glass Doctor can replace broken glass or older, dangerous glass with new laminated glass or tempered safety glass. When these newer types of glass panes break, they form fragments instead of dangerous shards. Laminated glass has a layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) between two or more glass panes. If broken, the glass “sticks” to the PVB. This is the same principle behind laminated glass windshields.

If installing laminated or tempered safety glass is not possible, consider tinting films that can protect against breakage and shattered glass. Films also can reduce ultraviolet light, glare and heat in a room, which saves energy. You can even tape your child’s artwork to glass doors and windows at eye level to remind them about glass safety.

Glass Doctor of Longview, TX Now Open

The Glass Doctor of Longview franchise owned by Gary and Vivian Jacobson is now open and ready to “fix your panes” after a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Longview Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

Glass Doctor of Longview offers mobile residential, automotive, and commercial glass services to Gregg, Harrison, Smith, and Upshur Counties, including Kilgore, Marshall and Tyler. The shop is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 24-hour emergency service is available. In addition to repair and replacement of windows and windshields, Glass Doctor of Longview can install storefronts, shower enclosures, entry door glass, mirrors, tabletops and other glass products.

“We’re pleased to be a part of Glass Doctor because of their dedication to high quality and service,” Gary Jacobson said. “We want to give customers in the Longview, Marshall and Tyler area professional, friendly service. That’s what it’s all about.”

For that reason the Jacobsons installed an innovative glass storage and workstation system in their new Glass Doctor service van. The system is the only one of its kind among the more than 375 Glass Doctor locations in the U.S. and Canada. The modular system allows glass service technicians to safely carry both windshields and flat glass for home windows together in the van. Flat glass also can be cut using a sliding pullout board (at left). Storage boxes for tools and adhesives can be reconfigured depending up on the size of the flat glass and windshields that need to be carried.

The Jacobsons also attended the most in-depth training in the glass services industry, a 10-day training course on the latest glass repair technology, customer service techniques and marketing methods held at the Glass Doctor University training center in Waco.

The Glass Doctor of Longview shop is located at 2907 W. Marshall in Longview. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (903) 297-9100.

Glass Doctor Ready to "Fix Your Panes" in River Falls, WI: Window Repair, Windshield Replacement, Storefront Installation Now Offered

The Glass Doctor of River Falls franchise owned by Jamie Bark is now open and ready to “fix your panes!”

Glass Doctor of River Falls offers mobile residential, automotive, and commercial glass repair and replacement services, including windows, windshields and storefronts, to the eastern Minneapolis/St. Paul area. The shop is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 24-hour emergency service is available.

“We’re pleased to be a part of Glass Doctor, we know it will help us quickly grow our business,” Bark said. “Now we are able to add glass replacement services for home and business to our auto glass services.”

Upon purchasing the Glass Doctor franchise in December, Bark attended the most in-depth training in the glass services industry, a 10-day training course on the latest glass repair technology, customer service techniques and marketing methods held at the Glass Doctor University Training Center in Waco, Texas.

Glass Doctor of River Falls will offer windows that qualify for the federal income tax credit on energy-efficient windows. Homeowners who install energy-efficient replacement glass windows and doors can claim a tax credit in 2009 or 2010 of 30 percent of the product cost up to $1,500 per household. The glass must meet or exceed the new “30/30” criteria, which is stricter than the Energy Star criteria.

The independently owned and operated shop is located at 645 N. Main St. in River Falls. For service call (715) 426-3500.