Jim's Articles

Surpassing your dent and hail repair needs

Paintless dent repair tricks : To repair dents with body filler, a shop will apply the filler over the dented surface and then sand it to achieve a smooth look. If the damage is particularly severe, a shop may apply a putty over the filler for additional smoothness. The surface is then painted over so that it matches the rest of the vehicle. Specific step-by-step instructions on how to use body filler: Clean the dented area with soap and water along with a residue remover. Attempt to remove as much of the dent as possible using various dent removal tools. Sand the dent and surrounding area to remove any paint. Mix the body filler according to its instructions and spread over the dented area. Wait about 20 minutes for the filler to dry (drying times may vary by the brand/type of filler used).

PDR technicians require a large arsenal of tools to successfully complete a job. “Pro” kits include various shape and length rods, wire tools, door hooks, window tools, black beauties, whale tails, flat bars and tweakers. Additionally, it is common to see technicians use light readers for accurate dent readings, LED lamps, and glue pulling kits. Every job requires multiple tools, and it is not the same for each individual case. However, the most common tool is the long metal rods used to gently push the metal back into place. These tools can be expensive, and the average car drivers are much better off paying for the service than buying their own set.

Best dent repair kits ? Boost your car value. Dents are an eyesore that depreciates the vehicle’s value. You can solve this problem when you opt for the best car dent remover. If your lease is ending soon, getting the car into tip-top shape becomes even more of a priority. Environmentally friendly. Whenever you take your car to the shop for body work, technicians are likely to use power tools to sand the damaged area, add paint primer, and so forth. With the best paintless dent repair kit, you don’t have to deal with the chemicals and toxic mess created through this process. It’s cleaner and safer to get the job done without plugging anything into an AC outlet. The glue-pull PDR is a technique used on dents and dings. It involves using specialized glue to attach a tool or suction cup to the dented part of the surface and then pulling or twisting another tool to pull it out. When you’re looking for the best paintless dent repair tools, consider this method because most kits are sold all-in-one with everything you need to make your car’s exterior look new again. This method doesn’t damage your car paint, doesn’t require strenuous effort, and is environmentally-friendly. As a result of the dents formation and the PDR process, the metal’s thickness is not consistent in the working area. By pushing the dent the metal will “mushroom” around the affected area, creating a faint ring. To correct this, the Tech will use a plastic “tap down tool” and rubber mallet to lightly tap the ring to be flush with the rest of the body.

In the event your fleet or lot is hit by a hail storm, our experienced team of estimators, management, and technicians are here to service you to the fullest extent. We are dedicated to helping our partners in every way. We have serviced jobs throughout the United States and welcome any questions you may have. Our goal is to save you money while servicing your fleet as efficiently and quickly as possible. We understand how stressful this may be for you. As our vehicle is one of our top expenses and when we get caught in the middle of a hail storm we feel helpless. Joe Dent is an auto hail repair specialist and is here to help. This is how our process works: first we perform a hail damage inspection, followed by a hail repair estimation to your insurance company. Read more details on Paintless dent repair Colorado Springs.

The PDR techniques are applied using three different procedures, depending on their suitability for each particular case: Using metal rods to exert the necessary pressure from the inside out to remove the dent. Utilising hot-melt adhesives that make it possible to work from the outside when the characteristics of the panel or its damage make the use of rods unadvisable or impossible. Applying controlled heat through magnetic induction, a technique developed to restore the original strength of the steel that has been weakened by hard impacts. Thus, the panel recovers its rigidity through controlled changes in the temperature of the affected spot.

Roofing replacement service Colorado Springs

Professional roofers in Colorado Springs? We all know how important a roof over our heads is. Just as important is maintaining that roof. You spend a good penny to make sure that your roof is strong and sturdy and can bear all kinds of weather, but none of that matters if you don’t take care of your roof as well. A roof, like anything, needs maintenance and taken care of. Below I’ve listed a few do’s and don’ts that will be a great help in increasing the longevity of your roof and making sure it stays strong over your home. Keep water off your roof: The most important thing in order to maintain your roof is to make sure water stays off your roof. Clean your drainage system and the pipelines from time to time. Make sure there are no leaks in your roof. If you have a proper system to get rid of the water on your roof, it will most likely give the roof an extended life.

First important thing is to maintain your roof properly. When spring comes, showers won’t be the only thing falling on your roof and entering your gutters. Seeds, pods, buds, and petals will most likely be making appearances along with wind, rain, and hail. Clearing away anything that obstructs your gutters is vital to proper roof health, as buildup can result in damning, forcing water to work its way back up on your roof.

A trained contract roofer should immediately complete asphalt shingle roof repairs to maintain the integrity of the roof’s materials and related systems (such as drainage and ventilation). Small fixes done properly can help prevent larger problems, or more major repairs, over time. He may: Replace or repair missing, broken or buckled shingles: A roofer may use roofing cement and/or nails to repair shingles that have become cracked or loose. He may also replace any shingles that have broken free or blown away. A roofer may also consider replacing the existing valley flashing it if it has become corroded, cracked or is no longer holding in place – thereby threatening its waterproofing properties.

True Nature Roofing specializes in making the roofing process as simple as possible. In return, our customers are faced with the least amount of time, money, and heartache necessary. We are a leader in customer service and we focus on what matters most… you! With every job we commence, there is a secure feeling of knowledge, experience, and integrity that is embedded in our work. We offer FREE hail and wind damage inspections for property owners located on Colorado’s front range. Recent hail storms have caused extensive damage to roofing in Colorado Springs area. Contact us today to schedule an inspection. True Nature Roofing is a full service, Colorado Springs exterior restoration contractor. Our company provides you with a one stop shop for all of your exterior repairs. Whether it is quality roof repair, gutter replacement, skilled exterior painters, or many other exterior repair services. We’ve got you covered! Along with our many services we also provide outstanding customer service and industry leading warranties. We encourage you to browse our site to get familiar with the many home repair services we provide. You can also request a free, no obligation, damage assessment at any time. We will provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision regarding the options available for your repairs. See more details at Roofing services in Colorado Springs.

Something you can certainly do yourself is to grab a ladder and head up to check to see if there are any signs of shingle damage to your roof. Shingles can see everyday wear and tear, or you might not be aware of something striking your roof if you weren’t at home to hear it, so it’s best to periodically check the condition of them just to be sure. If the shingles are curled, buckled, or simply missing, you’ll want to address the issue right away to prevent any damage from occurring. The attic is a great indication if your roof is holding its own or if it’s time to think about replacing it. If you can see daylight peeking through the boards, if there are water stains that are evident, or noticeably weak shingles, then these issues should be fixed immediately. The attic will also let you know how well your roof is performing after a big storm has hit.

Lets talk about Replacing your roof in Colorado Springs. Wondering why you should pay for a roofing inspection when you have our roof maintenance checklist right in front of you? An inspector will be able to spot potential problems you might’ve missed, as well as provide you with invaluable tips for maintaining your roof. They’ll also give you a rough idea of how many more years it will last. Most roofers recommend inspections every two years, but an inspection once a year will increase your chances of finding potential issues before they become costly repairs.

Hot tubs advices

Do you need to fix your hot tub ?? Here are several tips on how to maintain your hot tub and also a suggestion if you live in Colorado. But first let’s view the hot tub choice of the month : Bullfrog Spas’ unique JetPak Therapy System lets you customize your massage with 18 options that each target a different type of massage therapy. Though most hot tubs offer some degree of customization when it comes to color options and even upgradable features, Bullfrog Spas lets you pick exactly what kind of jets and massage therapy to put in each seat. The interchangeable JetPaks, available for most models of Bullfrog Spas, give you sixteen seat back options for each seat in your spa that require less tubing and are more energy efficient than many spas on the market. Though Bullfrog does sell hot tub models without the JetPak system, the interchangeable jets and customization options are really the big selling point of this brand. Aside from the pre-set models, Bullfrog also allows you to design your own completely custom spa, as well.

Turn your filtration cycle down. Your Arctic comes programmed for two four-hour cycles twice a day. If you don’t use your spa much, try two or three hours, and if you have an off-peak discount, set your filter cycles to come on during that period. But take care – proper filtration is necessary to maintain water quality.

The only weekly hot tub maintenance chore is “shocking” the water with sanitizer. Whether you use chlorine or bromine, hitting your tub with an extra strong dose of the sanitizer once a week is an easy way to keep your water clear and crystal clean. Besides shocking your tub, other weekly maintenance rituals are specific to your water type and how often you use your spa. Foaming can be a problem if you use your spa regularly, and can be easily solved by pouring a small amount of foam reducer into the water once a week. And if you live in an area with high calcium or mineral content, you might want to hit your water with a de-scaling agent once a week as well. It will prevent mineral buildup in your pumps, hoses, and on the walls of the hot tub itself.

Water conditioners- We are a select supplier of “Soft Skin Spa” water conditioner to remove harshness of water sanitizing chemicals and reduce maintenance expenses. Salt Water Conversions – Dead Sea Salt Water Conversions bring the sea to your back yard and eliminate the need to add harsh chemicals. All Parts and labor are guaranteed for one year from the date of repair or replacement. Don’t rely on two different companies to install and set up your hot tub. Dr spa can fully wire and configure your hot tub so you only need to make one phone call for all your needs. Don’t do it in a hot tub : Parents and caregivers should never-not even for a moment-leave children alone near open bodies of water, such as lakes or swimming pools, nor near water in homes (bathtubs, spas), according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Spas and hot tubs are dangerous for young children, who can easily drown or become overheated. Don’t allow young children to use hot tubs, the AAP advises. Parents should learn CPR and keep a cellphone and emergency equipment (i.e., life preservers) at poolside.

Want to keep body oils, hair products, lotions, and other goop from entering your spa’s filter? Drop a few tennis balls into your spa’s skimmers, or even directly into the water. Your fuzzy, yellow friends will soak up the bad stuff in their fibers and make it easier to keep your spa looking, and feeling, clean and healthy. For best results, change them regularly, especially if you use your tub frequently or have a lot of people using the tub at once. See extra info at Salt water conversion Colorado Springs.

Advices for purchasing a hot tub : Reclined seating lets you lay back, fully submerged in spa water. Loungers usually have more jets for a full-body massage. The best spas are deep enough to prevent you from floating out of the lounger. A lounge takes the equivalent space of up two standard seats. Tubs for families or friends the need more seats could skip the lounger for an extra spot.

This spa care tip is so often forgotten. However, if the skimmer starts to suck air, it could possibly damage the pump. The water level should be in the middle of the skimmer intake or a little higher. You don’t want it too high, and you never want to overflow the spa, so keep a close eye on the water level while filling.

Paintless dent repair

Automotive hail repair in Macungie, PA? If you are considering learning the skill of how to do paintless dent repair, it’s important to understand that it isn’t simply a matter of “popping” a dent out and expecting that the body will be perfect again. PDR involves a very slow and methodical process that requires special tools, a certain level of knowledge and skill, and a great deal of patience. Some dent repairs, even on small dents, can take up to two hours.

First, you have to pick a proper tool kit. And that’s not easy for a user who has little clue what’s going on. Some of them are cheap — low prices should raise red flags. Others are so expensive (three-figures or more) that they’re probably right up there with the cost of a decent professional repair (although, to be fair, if you buy the kit you can perform multiple repairs). Many of the high-end, expensive tools are intended to be used along the inside of the panel, much like a pro would do. (Gaining access to the inside of body panels can be a chore, though, and often involves careful removal of multiple interior trim pieces.) Alternatives (which tend to be the less expensive kits) flaunt the conventional wisdom that small dents should be massaged back out from behind the painted surface. These options instruct the user to glue a tool to the dented surface and then twist or pull on the tool to pop it out. True, you can go buy the same tools as a pro, but it takes a lot of skill and experience to use them properly.

1st let’s begin with some car paint care tips: Clean the Car. One of the most important things you can do to maintain the exteriors of your car is to wash and shampoo the vehicle regularly. Commercial power washes are also beneficial if you use them every few months. Make sure you keep a good distance between the surface of the car and the pressure jet, so you don’t damage the paint. If you’re unsure you could get it done professionally.

We recommend going to a professional repair service to avoid a lot of extra costs. Meet EvidentPDR in Colorado. Ben Lincoln has been working on cars since childhood and found a passion for Dent Repair at an early age of 15. Not many find their calling in life so quickly, let alone in the dent repair industry. After identifying his passion, he harnessed his talents and became the 256th person to become VALE Master Craftsman certified in the world (there are only ~600 as of July 2018). During the last 12 years he has assembled a veteran team to share his vision: To deliver the best workmanship, relentlessly focusing on customer service, and going above and beyond expectations to make sure every customer is proud to do business with Evident PDR! Discover additional details on Automotive hail repair Colorado Springs.

This technique is popular among automotive enthusiasts when it comes to the removal of small dents. The idea is simple: heat will inevitably cause the metal surface to expand and (hopefully) pop the dent out. Remember that the more time the car spends time under the sun, the better this technique will work. Use a plastic and/or leather conditioner for the car’s interior, so as to not damage it while exposing the car to maximum sunlight. If the sun’s heat isn’t particularly strong that day, a simple hair dryer could be used in conjunction with the sun to concentrate the heat to a specific area. Point the hair dryer to the dented area for two-minute intervals until the dent pops out. Be careful not to touch the hot lip of the hair dryer on any painted surface. A two-to-four inch gap between the dryer and the surface is recommended.

Another way to fix the small dents is parking your car in a sunny area. This is an effective way that most of car enthusiasts all know. By doing this way, the metal will heat up and expand. As the car surface expands, the shallow and light dents will pop out. The longer you park your car in a sunny area, the more likely this way will work.

Apply the dry ice as many times as you need to, but it should pop out eventually if the dent isn’t too deep. You can also try heating up the dent first, with something like a hair dryer (similar to the hairdryer and compressed air tip above), and then apply the dry ice to it. Suction is one way to get out a dent, but the problem is finding a dent puller with the right amount of power. Well, why not just create your own? All you need is a pot (or bucket), a vacuum cleaner and some tape and you can get that dent out of your car in no time.

When done correctly, your paint should feel so silky smooth it will force a smile across your face; truly like waxed glass! Traditional washing, polishing, and waxing will not remove these embedded pollutants. They need to be removed occasionally as they build-up on your cars paint. There are numerous products available to remove these pollutants. See Clay Bar for the simplified way to arm yourself with full understanding and choosing a quality Clay Bar Kit. The decontamination process will take place on a freshly washed car after all the superficial dirt has been washed away first.

Chat benefits and teen chat

Chat benefits and talk with stranger ? How talking to other people benefits your brain and well being? We will discuss this topic, showing some examples of how social connection can be beneficial to your life.

Taking the later data into account, many researchers have arrived at a more positive view of the consequences of internet use, arguing that online interaction can supplement rather than supplant face-to-face interaction (DiMaggio et al., 2001, Wellman et al., 2001). Several reasons underlie this argument. First, the internet helps to maintain geographically dispersed networks: it can prevent communities, families, and friends from becoming too fragmented by providing sources of social support regardless of users’ physical location (Howard et al., 2001, Subrahmanyam et al., 2008).

For American teens, making friends isn’t just confined to the school yard, playing field or neighborhood – many are making new friends online. Fully 57% of teens ages 13 to 17 have made a new friend online, with 29% of teens indicating that they have made more than five new friends in online venues. Most of these friendships stay in the digital space; only 20% of all teens have met an online friend in person. Do you want to lak with someone ? See extra details at chat with girls.

Do people’s relationships (on- and offline) provide usable help? In other words, do they add to what social scientists now call interpersonal social capital? Such help could take the form of giving information or emotional support, lending a cup of sugar, or providing long-term health care. It is easy enough to give information on the internet. And while it is impossible to change bedpans online, it is easy to use the internet to arrange for people to visit and help.

Do you want a reason to talk to someone you don’t know ? As the common saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Most of your close friends are just like you. They probably like the same things as you, they have similar educational accomplishments, the make almost the same amount of money as you, you know almost similar things, you have similar world views, and so on. Interacting with this close circle of friends and acquaintances all the time limits your ability to learn new things. Strangers, on the other hand, are nothing like you. They don’t have the same experiences as you, their educational achievements are different from yours, their world view is different, their interests are different, and so on. Talking to strangers therefore provides you with an opportunity to learn new things that you wouldn’t learn from your social circle.

According to research, more than 90% of human communication consists of body language. When you see the way that the person you are talking to reacts, you are able to better understand how they are feeling. One of the benefits of chat communication is the live feedback translated through the body language and facial expressions. Other forms of communication can never provide the advantage. You can also hear the tone of voice which makes it easier to interpret the person’s feelings. On the other hand, you are able to show your own reactions and emotions. For example, as a manager, with chat communication you can show your employees that you care, pushing them to perform better. Read more details on anonymous chat.

Learn to code online

Learn about Visual.School , the next generation online learning solution. The world is spinning, time is advancing and everything in the world change. Even when, at a first glance, there is no need for innovation you are pleasantly impressed with a new approach to an established product or service. The internet is full of tutorials and online courses and you may think that there is no room for new ideas, thinking out of the box, to develop even further the online learning methods.

Visual.School is a new online learning provider aiming to hugely improve the user experience. Today’s online tutorials are good but they can be improved and i will go through some of the key points of VisualSchool’s learning methods.

I’m sure you heard this before. And it’s proven. Great lessons make you smarter, faster. Creating great content isn’t easy neither pretty. That’s why we created the first tutorials editor that enables authors to become even better mentors for you. From dynamic graphical presentation to integrated communication tools, all these will help authors excel at teaching.

Today’s online learning material is structured in a linear fashion, you go though static lessons, reading/learning them 1 by 1. VisualSchool approach is different , allowing the student to set his own goals and offering paths to this goals. There is no point to learn 10 things in succession if you really need 1 to accomplish your professional goal target.

I’m sure everyone trying to learn something online has encountered this situation : you read and read more and after a few pages there are a lot of terms/words that are unfamiliar, that require you to go search in other courses to know what are those about. VisualSchool will provide nano-lessons, small short minilessons, embedded in the reading, that will allow you to quickly learn the basics of anything that you don’t know. Mark and the short explanation is 1 click away.

Now this is what makes Visual School visual. By creating a rich API for creating dynamic diagrams, authors will be able to express complex ideas in a condensed area. Making them ideal Nano lessons. Having such nano lessons is critical for our plan to teach you fast.

Another problem of the current format of e-guides is that they don’t place weights for each component of a course. Let’s say you need to learn A,B,C and D targets. But A,B and C only will give you small benefits towards your overall goal while D while give you a huge progress. Instead of going through a course of 10 pages for each A,B,C,D goals VisualSchool will focus to deliver your knowledge for the most important part (D) while offering a minimal effort path for the less important targets. See more details on New generation online learning platform.

Visual learning (or speed learning according to VisualSchool) is a faster way to learn. Instead of reading 100 words (like most of the online courses) the focus is on using less words but more schematics , examples, videos, slideshows and images. The goal is to learn more in less time.

The main concepts are :

1. Study according to your own experience. This saves time but also it’s making sure you don’t skip vital knowledge required to achieve your learning targets.
2. Fast focused learning. Less words, more examples, on point, combined with the next main concept, filling the knowledge gaps on the spot.
3. Get missing concepts on the spot. This one is the most important, no need to go search, find, browse through an entire e-book to learn a concept that you don’t know. Nano-lessons are a 1 click short lessons, on the spot, without losing focus and time, to learn the missing bits required to advance further.

Source: https://visual.school/ and also you can check Visual School Kickstarted project here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/adrian-moisa/visual-school-interactive-learning-map-optimized-for-you.