Things to consider when choosing an overhead door.
Does your garage face the street, or does it face the alley? Is there a room above the garage, or a workshop located inside the garage? Is it attached to the home, or is it free standing?

These are important questions you need to consider if you’re getting ready to build a new home or replace your existing garage door. A garage door, after all, is the largest opening of your home and it deserves the same amount of consideration when choosing new windows and doors.

As you know, Hershocks, Inc. sells and installs many styles of overhead doors from quality manufacturers like Clopay and Wayne Dalton. From the standard overhead style to custom-design doors that will give your property a look of distinction, you’ll find the right style, the right options and the proper amount of insulation you’re looking for at Hershocks.

If you have a separate garage or one accessed from the alley, then a basic, uninsulated panel door is what you want. However, if your garage is attached and faces the street, then you want an overhead door that is safe, energy efficient and ultimately adds style and curb appeal to your home.

“It’s amazing how many styles there are of overhead doors and the number of options that are available,” says Hershocks’ Sales Manager Tom Bowman. “We help our customers through the selection process by first narrowing down what their needs will be, and then by helping them select the proper style, color and insulation.”

One of the most important aspects to consider is how much insulation (the Rvalue) is needed in the door. The “R-value” represents the door’s resistance to heat flow. “When selecting a garage door, we encourage our customers to ask themselves a few questions when choosing the R-value that best fits their needs,” explains Bowman. “Does the customer want a climate controlled garage? Is the garage attached to the house? And do they spend a lot of time in the garage like working on the car?”

Having a well-insulated door is very important if you heat or cool your garage. It will keep your heating or cooling costs down by reducing the heat flow through the door. If the garage is attached to the house, the garage door’s R-value will affect the insulation of the whole house.

Another important factor to consider when choosing the R-value of an overhead door is when there is a bedroom or other interior room located above the garage. Whether the room is part of the house or is a separate apartment-style room above an unattached garage, the insulation value of the garage can greatly affect the insulation of the room. Thus, a higher insulation R-value can equal lower heating and cooling bills and reduce noise as well.

At Hershocks, we work with our customers every step of the way. Starting with the selection process, we help them with choosing the right color, the length of panel (long or short), the style of window and the proper insulation to fit the customer’s budget and taste.

“Depending on the door size and style, it usually takes between one to four weeks from the time the order is made to the installation,” says Bowman. “Our four professional technicians, each with an average of 15 years experience, install over 150 overhead doors a year. With this wealth of experience we are able to guarantee our installation for one year in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty.”

Besides installation, our technicians can service and repair any type of overhead door. We replace rollers, springs, hinges, cable and hardware, and offer garage door maintenance and tune-ups. Plus, we install and service automatic garage door openers.

For more information, please visit our showroom at 3501 N. 6th St., Harrisburg, or call 238-7331 and ask for a member of our residential sales team.

The View From Here
The other day I was driving to the office when I noticed that some ground was being cleared for new construction. Suddenly a view I had enjoyed for many years was being altered. And to be honest, I was more than a little upset about it.

Where there was once a stand of tall full trees, there is now a wide sweeping meadow flanked by a narrow winding creek. Where there was once a sense of mystery about what those trees kept from view -there is now a park-like setting that is like a revealing mural painted across a living room wall.

The point is that the familiar scene I was used to had been replaced with something all together different, and just like that my perspective changed as well.

It then hit me that our windows and doors often do the very same thing, and sometimes we are surprised by the changes they bring.

Why? Because most of us usually look at new windows and doors from a more practical point of view. As homeowners, we’re interested in fuel savings, more or less direct light, or maybe more warmth and security. We know that by changing our windows we may be able to increase the overall window area, making our homes lighter and more open. We realize that special touches like curved windows or stained glass can give a room special appeal. Specialty products, like greenhouse windows and bow windows, can dramatically change the look and function of a room. Windows can also come with films providing ultraviolet protection so that rugs, drapes, and upholstery are less susceptible to fading. Frosted windows are available to offer more privacy.

But we should also be aware that new windows (or even doors that feature integrated windows) can change what we see in front of us. And what we see in front of us can dramatically change our perspective.

This, of course, can be a very good thing. It may in fact be the best possible reason to change your windows and doors. But it is also a very good reason to do business with window and door professionals -like the folks here at Hershocks. We not only handle the practical aspects of your investment, including an explanation of the very real savings you can expect by replacing those drafty old windows and doors. But we can also show you how changing the view can change your perspective - and help you make the most of that opportunity.

As for me, I’ve come to enjoy the wide meadow and narrow creek. It’s not only a beautiful spot - it’s a mystery solved.

Barry Deaven President, Hershocks Inc.

Employee Focus
Is there a doctor in the house? At Hershocks, Inc., the answer is a resounding “yes”. And his name is Jeff McClain – although all of Jeff’s “patients” are automatic doors. You see, Jeff was the original mechanic of Hershocks’ “Dr. Door Program” that was the brainchild of Ralph Deaven, Barry Deaven’s father, over 35 years ago. And since then, Jeff has always been the “go to” guy when it comes to emergency service and quick diagnostics for manual and automatic swing and sliding doors.

“This unique program was developed for an elite group of men who were trained to respond quickly to our customer needs when their automatic doors were damaged and emergency service was needed,” explains Hershocks marketing manager Mark Swartz. “This group did so well that they not only moved into the installation, but also in servicing Stanley Automatic door systems, a nationally recognized company.”

Jeff is an account representative, as well as dispatch manager, for the Dr. Door Program. His responsibilities include sales and service of security and mechanical door issues. He is also our in-house expert when special hardware problems arise and we need technical expertise on how to fix the problem.

In addition to his 35 years of experience, Jeff has received his AAADM (the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers) certification. What this means is that Jeff has been trained by Hershocks, and then was sent to AAADM certification classes where he was thoroughly trained and tested on industry standards regarding the installation, service and inspection of automatic doors.

According to Swartz, “Jeff is a very hard working and dedicated employee. He loves challenges, and that is demonstrated everyday by his on-the-job performance.”

A native of Harrisburg, Jeff graduated from Central Dauphin. He and his wife reside in Dauphin. In addition to hunting, Jeff loves to golf in his spare time. And on most weekends, you will find him on one of the local golf courses.

Silent Auction Raises over $3400 for area Hospitalized Vets
One of the highlights marking the end of summer in Central PA is the Harrisburg Senators “Fan Appreciation Night”, the team’s final home game of the season. And one of the special highlights of last year’s Fan Appreciation Night was Hershocks Inc. 2nd Annual “Support Our Veterans” Silent Auction that benefits hospitalized veterans at the VA Medical Center in Lebanon, PA.

In addition to receiving free Senators memorabilia and promotional items, fans were also able to place bids on over 80 items including an autographed football by Arizona Cardinals Head Coach – and Harrisburg native – Dennis Green; a Lynn Swann autographed Football Gift Package; a Terry Bradshaw autographed NFL Hall of Fame card; and autographed photos of Jack Nicklaus, John Travolta, Jerry Lewis and Tom Selleck to name a few.

On the morning of the auction, WHP AM held a “mini” auction on the air by inviting their listeners to bid on four items between 7:30 am and 8:30 am. In less than one hour, over $800 was raised. And by the bottom of the ninth inning that evening, over $3400 was raised.

“On behalf of the veterans served at the Lebanon VA Medical Center, I send sincere thanks to everyone involved, from the support of Hershocks, Inc. to the organizations, businesses and individuals who donated items,” said Voluntary Program Coordinator Kathy Trostle. “The funds raised from the auction allows us to provide many extra amenities to the veterans that might otherwise not be available. Thank you all for remembering our country’s heroes.”

“Hershocks is committed to helping our hospitalized veterans by holding the auction every year,” says Barry Deaven, president of Hershocks, Inc. “And we are thankful that the Harrisburg Senators support this auction by letting us hold it during their final home game. It’s a great time for the fans - watching the Senators play ball and having the opportunity to bid on valuable sports and celebrity memorabilia.”

This year, the 3rd Annual “Support Our Veterans” Silent Auction will take place once again during the Harrisburg Senators Fan Appreciation Game on Sunday, Aug. 27.