Dale Earnhardt Jr. may be Jack Kaelber’s favorite race car driver, but that didn’t stop the Martin Door & Window VP from making the nine hour drive to Talladega to support Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne and the #5 car – regularly sponsored by LiftMaster.

“It turned out to be a great weekend full of fun with friends and a chance to watch Kasey Kahne, a very talented, young driver, in the car my colleagues always root for – the number 5 car backed by LiftMaster,” said Jack, who camped over the weekend with friends just outside the world famous track.

Turned out Earnhardt Jr. won the race and Farmer’s Insurance served as #5’s primary sponsor, but Jack and his friends still had a blast cheering for LiftMaster’s car. “I’m very proud to work in an industry that supports NASCAR,” he said.

The skies were clear in Alabama that weekend and Jack and his friends captured some great shots including a beautiful sunset as night fell over Talladega.

Martin Door & Window congratulates our Top Senior Repair Technician, Earl Brown, who is retiring from field service repair at the end of July. But although he is finished working on garage doors and openers, Earl will still be a part of the Martin Door family – lending his expertise in the office part time.

Earl has been in the door business since 1971 and has spent the last 20 years repairing doors and openers for Martin Door & Window.

“With an outstanding work ethic and years of experience Earl has gained the confidence and respect of customers, many of which request Earl when scheduling a service repair call,” said Martin Door VP, Jack Kaelber.

Earl plans to spend more time riding his motorcycle and getting some projects completed around his property. “The Garage Door Industry has provided me with a good living over the years. I will miss my customers as well as making their garage doors work again,” he said.

Congratulations Earl on your field retirement!

Martin Door & Window urges every customer and potential customer to make sure that the company they are choosing for their garage door or window needs is, in fact Martin Door & Window. Recently we have learned that a Texas-based garage door company continues to operate in the St. Charles/St.Louis area, posing as Martin Door & Window, offering low or discounted service calls then charging high prices and performing poor quality work.

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At Martin Door & Window, we are committed to offering our customers the best, most professional service possible. We are an EPA lead safe certified business and follow EPA established guidelines and rules when working in places where lead paint is present.

What you should know: In 2010, the EPA established a rule that applies to all persons who are paid to perform renovation, repair and painting projects where painted surfaces are disturbed in pre-1978 housing, child care facilities and schools where lead paint is present. Window and door replacement companies were also impacted by the rule.

We are required to distribute an EPA lead safe informational brochure in advance of our work and to follow lead-safe work practices outlined in the training, including proper clean up and verification testing to determine compliance with the rule, as well as requirements for proper record keeping.

The rule also requires all firms that perform renovations for compensation must be EPA lead safe certified and use certified renovators who are responsible for ensuring compliance with the rule’s work practice standards and for training workers on the work practices on the job.

We care about your health. Make sure to always use EPA lead safe certified contractors including painters and contractors.

If your garage door isn’t working correctly, don’t try to find the problem and fix it yourself. Not only is do-it-yourself garage door repair unsafe, it can also be more costly than having it done by garage door professionals if you don’t get it right the first time. And most garage door repairs can e done quickly by a garage door technician, saving you stress and hassle.

Below are the top five reasons to call a garage door service and repair professional. If your garage door is showing any of these signs, give Martin Door & Window a call. We promise fast, expert service for all of your garage door needs.

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Garage doors have a tough job during the winter. With freezing temperatures, strong winds and damaging precipitation, garage doors can take a beating all winter long. To help keep your residential or commercial garage doors in good condition and free from drafts, try these winter garage door tips for maintenance and troubleshooting.

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In mid-May Martin Door & Window had the honor to attend the Clopay Leadership Conference in Sonoma, CA. The event is held every year for Clopay’s top selling Clopay authorized dealers. This year, Martin Door VP Jack Kaelber and his team attended the four day conference, where he met with other top garage door companies from across the world.

“It was an amazing opportunity to surround myself with people from all over the world who are in the same business,” said Jack. “I heard different points of view and approaches that really helped me see things from a new perspective. It was truly a life changing experience.”

Throughout the week Jack and the team attended business seminars on topics including social media, marketing and product line expansion opportunities. The week culminated in an awards ceremony honoring Clopay dealers for achieving sales and service in their markets.

In addition, the Martin Door crew had an opportunity to visit San Francisco, see the trolley cars, sample fantastic wines at Sonoma wineries, and captured some great photos of Alcatraz.

“I simply cannot say enough about the opportunity,” said Jack. “It was one of the most rewarding weeks I’ve had – both personally and professionally.”

Fall is a popular season, and it’s easy to see why. Fall brings the beautiful changing of leaves, the start of football season, and promise of holidays just around the corner. While it’s usually necessary to bundle up a bit when you go outside this time of year, you shouldn’t have to do this in your own home.

If your home seems drastically colder than it was last fall, or your heating bill is more expensive, it may be time to trouble shoot and get your home ready for winter with new products. Ready for fall home improvement? Check out these products from Martin Door & Window to get your home ready for the last few months of the year:

• LiftMaster garage door openers keep your door running in the coldest months and can even be controlled from a smartphone.
• New insulated garage doors can keep your garage warmer on those chilly fall mornings.
• Entry doors will give your home a unique look for the upcoming holidays and keep in the warm air.
• Replacement windows can enhance the appearance of your home, reduce heating bills and even eliminate outside noise.

Remember: Now is the time for fall home improvement so you don’t end up with extra costs and difficulties come winter. These simple and relatively low-cost additions can give your home that look you want for the upcoming holidays, and make your home a cozy and relaxing place for the cold months ahead.

There are some ways to enhance a home’s curb appeal that are more than obvious to anyone. Ask the least informed person about the subject and even the most unenlightened will mention things like landscaping and fresh paint. What too few homeowners realize is the tremendous impact a quality garage door can have, especially if your home faces the street. For all passersby, the garage door is the primary focal point—it’s what people see first. So why not make a good first impression?

Garage Doors are 40% of the Front of Your Home

On a typical home, a garage door will dwarf any other door or window on the property. On average, it actually takes up 30 to 40% of the front of a home.  It stands to reason, then, that its aesthetic value will be even greater because of this. Imagine a home with beautiful entry portals and premium windows installed that has a cheap, weathered garage door. The very effort to make the rest of the home appealing makes that garage door into even more of an eyesore. Now, imagine the same home with a high-end garage door like a Canyon Ridge or Cypress model from Clopay. Now the biggest door on the property actually contributes to its appeal.

Garage Door Can Be Inviting

For many people, the sound of an automatic garage door opening brings on a visceral feeling of coming home. This is an often overlooked aspect of curb appeal. It is not enough to look like a home that someone has spent a great deal of money and/or effort on. The goal is to look like a home where people imagine themselves living. Very few things can inspire this feeling like the sight and sound of a quality garage door smoothly sliding open to welcome someone home.

Garage Doors Can Complete Your Home Theme

Once again taking advantage of the sheer size of them, garage doors can be used to tie different style elements together into a pleasant whole. While it works for many situations, the classic white garage door with we are all familiar may be a jarring contrast to a sleek, contemporary design.  Many of our customers choose the Gallery Door Collection because it fits most houses and has a high degree of design flexibility from colors and window styles down to decorative hinge and handle options.

As opposed to a more generic look, a custom door actually completes the statement that this is a modern home owned by people who care about its appearance. In the vast list of things someone can do to increase the curb appeal of a home, too many forget the impact their garage doors can have on the overall scheme of things. Do not make the mistake of ignoring your garage door. No one else will.