Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Cold Weather Car Care Tips from Danny's Upholstery in Virginia Beach

Cold Weather Car Tips from Danny’s Upholstery in Virginia Beach

Cold winter temperatures can cause problems not only for one's health, but the health of one's car. Auto experts are advising drivers to properly winterize their cars so they can withstand the winter weather in the Hampton Roads area.

Auto Upholsterer, Danny White, owner of Danny’s Upholstery in Virginia Beach would like to offer a few car care tips to help the Hampton Roads community throughout this winter. "Antifreeze is number one because it's the life blood of the system," Danny said. Maintaining proper levels keeps the car's motor running and prevents it from freezing. However, the type of antifreeze one uses on a car is determined by the car's make and model.

By and large, auto experts say green antifreeze is intended for use on cars manufactured prior to 1996. Red antifreeze is tended for use on cars manufactured after 1996. Certain brands require diluting the antifreeze with water before adding it to the car.

Auto experts say you can avoid this by using gold antifreeze, which is compatible will all makes and all models.

"This time of year is not a good time to be walking on the side of the road, or have your [car] hood up," Danny White warns. He says he takes the time to winterize his personal and company vehicles each year. "I can't forget that, because I can't forget the cold!"

Workers at Auto Zone in Virginia Beach say antifreeze sales have soared since cold weather set in at the start of the week. Danny White stated, "You can spend $10 or $15 dollars for antifreeze or you can spend a $100 to $1000 later for engine repair. In my opinion it is best to be prepared for any weather."

Auto body workers say the average cost for cold-weather-related repairs starts at around $2000. Here are other ways you can reduce your chances of minimizing cold-weather damage to your car:

Battery: inspect the battery terminals for corrosion. Heavy corrosion will stop the electric current from starting the vehicle. Use a terminal brush to remove corrosion. Auto experts suggest using this with battery terminal cleaner spray, rather than homemade remedies, such as Coca-Cola or vinegar.

Belts: Check the engine belts for cracks. Cracks can eventually cause the belt to break, which will stop the cars engine from running.

Hoses: Ensure engines hoses are not rigid. They are more likely to burst and leak water when rigid. This can burn out the car's engine if not replaced soon after.

Tires: inspect the depth of the tire tread. Worn tire tread reduces the tires traction, which is especially dangerous on icy roads.

Fuel tank: Do not let your cars fuel tank level fall below a quarter tank. Also, inspect for moisture in the fluid. This can cause the fuel line to freeze.

Engine warm up: Mechanics say a good rule of thumb is to start the engine and wait until the frost melts from the windshield before driving at normal speeds. Most cars manufactured after 2000 only require one to two minutes to sufficiently warm the engine.

Auto body experts advise waiting for the engine to cool before adding liquids and checking the battery. They also suggest wearing gloves to protect from battery acid and other chemicals that may irritate your skin.

"Just make those small provisions and take care of that, and your vehicle will take care of you," Danny White said.

For more information on how to care for the inside of your car, contact Danny White at Danny’s Upholstery in Virginia Beach. They offer free estimates and have a pick up/delivery service. They can be reached by calling 757-363-5889.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HDae2JbEzA Upholstery for the Home, Office, or Business

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7s5F_1xE9M Upholstery for the Auto, Boat, Motorcycle, Marine

Stop by and see why Danny’s Upholstery is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop!

Danny's Upholstery is located in Virginia Beach and is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop for your auto, home, office, marine and business. Owned and operated by master craftsman, Danny White, who has over 33 years experience meeting the upholstery needs for the Hampton Roads community.

Danny’s Upholstery
Your One Stop Upholstery Shop
New Location January 1, 2011
4904 Rutherford Rd. Ste. 103
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
dannysupholstery@gmail.com
757-363-5889

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Danny's Upholstery Offers Tips for How to Avoid Holiday Stress

Tips for How to Avoid Holiday Stress and Burnout

Five Simple and Quick Steps to Organize and Enjoy the Season
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The Holiday Season can bring a tremendous amount of joy. But all of the preparations and activities also have the potential to bring anxiety and tension.

Throughout the month of December, the hints of the holidays are everywhere. Magazines, displays, catalogs, decorations, advertisements, and books all offer endless tips for the most perfect, peaceful, joyous holiday ever. The pressure to create the ideal holiday can be incredible, often leading to anxiety, stress and eventual burnout. But taking a few bold steps can make a significant difference in truly enjoying a meaningful season.

Danny’s Upholstery Tip #1: Decide What is Truly Important

No one can do everything during the holidays. There will always be one more cookie recipe to try, one more room to decorate, one more gift to buy, and one more event to attend. To avoid burnout, make a list of what is truly important and stick to it. List everything that normally happens during the season as well as the important things that never seem to happen because they get crowded out. Then cross off every activity, event or commitment that is truly not important. Be ruthless about what is valuable and get some input from your immediate family members.

Danny’s Upholstery Tip #2: Know Your Optimal Mode of Operation

One key to avoiding burnout is deciding if you are an early or late holiday person. In other words, is it less stressful to get everything done early or does starting too early cause you to continue at a frenzied pitch until midnight the night before because you can’t stop? Determine if you should shop early or wait, if you should bake ahead or wait until the week of, etc. Know what works best for you.

Danny’s Upholstery Tip #3: Write Everything Down in One Place

Trying to mentally juggle dozens of details is a sure-fire recipe for major stress. Write everything holiday-related in a notebook. Make lists for cards, foods, menus, gifts, parties, etc. If you have a brilliant idea, write it down immediately. If you find a recipe you want to try, make a photocopy and tape it in the notebook. Keep everything written down in one place.

Danny’s Upholstery Tip #4: Avoid People Who Ruin the Holiday
One of the biggest sources of stress during the holidays can be other people. If there are people who consistently ruin the holidays, don’t spend time with them. Yes, it may create friction with other people who will not agree with that choice. But if spending time with certain family members, friends, neighbors or coworkers literally ruins the holiday, find a way to get out of it if at all possible.

Danny’s Upholstery Tip #5: Less is More
Accept your limitations. Make peace with the fact that you cannot do everything and be everything to everyone. Do less and enjoy it more. Rather than attending two parties a week for five weeks, attend one party a week. Or attend a party every other week. Focus on truly enjoying the moment when you are there rather than worrying about the next thing you have to do as soon as you can reasonably get away.

The holiday season can be one of tremendous meaning and celebration. By focusing on those aspects that truly bring joy and peace, it is possible to avoid the stress and burnout so often associated with the season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HDae2JbEzA Upholstery for the Home, Office, or Business

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7s5F_1xE9M Upholstery for the Auto, Boat, Motorcycle, Marine

Stop by and see why Danny’s Upholstery is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop!

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours!

Danny's Upholstery is located in Virginia Beach and is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop for your auto, home, office, marine and business. Owned and operated by master craftsman, Danny White, who has over 30 years experience meeting the upholstery needs for the Hampton Roads community.

Danny’s Upholstery
Your One Stop Upholstery Shop
New Location January 1, 2011
4904 Rutherford Rd. Ste. 103
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
dannysupholstery@gmail.com
757-363-5889

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

10 Ways to Save This This Month By Danny's Upholstery

10 Ways to Save Time This Month by Danny’s Upholstery

Decorate! Entertain! Shop! Ship! These simple tips will help you feel less rushed this holiday season.


Edible Accents
Display a simple table centerpiece of nuts or fresh fruit. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: It doubles as a snack tray for quick on the go after school snacks or the nuts could double as a snack tray for company.

Color Convenience
Choose one go-with-everything color-such as white, silver, or gold-for gift bows. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Also a great idea when reupholstering your dining room chairs, living room furniture, cushions or custom window treatments. With so many upholstery fabrics to choose from, keeping a consistent theme throughout your home can sometimes save time and money. Stop by our showroom for a full selection of fabric samples or visit www.greenhousefabrics.com. Danny’s Upholstery in Virginia Beach is offering 25% Off Any Greenhouse Fabric Order and can ship fabric directly to you.

Points of View
Limit decorations to the places guests see. Hang a wreath on the door, put a candle in the powder room, and use festive napkin rings on the table. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Need a quick change, swap out decorative pillows. Can’t find something you like? Danny’s Upholstery can create them for you. For a free estimate, call 757-363-5889.

Purchase Prep Keep two things with you: a notebook listing recipients’ names and gifts purchased, and an envelope for receipts. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Also jot down quick phone numbers and keep a list of items that need to be picked up prior to the holidays. Did you know that Danny’s Upholstery offers a free pick up and delivery service for their customers?

No-Fuss Fruit Make mantel decorations using glass cylinder vases filled with fresh cranberries or limes. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Keep it simple, your family and friends want to spend time with you, not your decorations.

Package Deal Use the United States Postal Service’s flat-rate boxes to ship gifts. The boxes are free, and you can order them online. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Flat-rate boxes & envelopes come in different sizes; to save money, use the smallest one possible. We like to keep a few of the various sizes in stock since they fold flat and don’t take up much space.

Quick-Clean Routine Skip whole-house cleaning before a party. Just swipe surfaces, vacuum, and hide clutter. One exception: the bathroom guests will use. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Check out our blog at http://dannysupholstery.blogspot.com/ for some quick upholstery cleaning tips.

Greens for the Season For free and easy decorations, snip greenery from your yard. Spruce, holly, fir, juniper, and arborvitae can stay green for weeks in a house that is not too warm or dry. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: If you have children or pets, don't use greenery with poisonous berries such as holly, yew, ivy, Jerusalem cherry, bittersweet, crown of thorns - or mistletoe. Also, it is best to use free greenery 1-2 weeks prior to the holiday, a helpful hint is to soak the greenery in a tub overnight to give it time to soak up the water to help keep it fresh longer.

Flexible Gifts
Avoid being caught empty-handed. Stock up on a gift that can be given to just about anyone, such as a kitchen gadget, set of dish towels, or reusable bag for groceries. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: We have a gift certificate special! For every $50 you spend, we will give you $10 more. For more details or to purchase yours, call 757-363-5889.

On a Schedule
Take advantage of extended store hours; shop first thing in the morning or late at night to avoid long waits. Danny’s Upholstery Bonus Tip: Our hours are M-F 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Additional hours are available by appointment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HDae2JbEzA Upholstery for the Home, Office, or Business

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7s5F_1xE9M Upholstery for the Auto, Boat, Motorcycle, Marine

Stop by and see why Danny’s Upholstery is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop!
Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours!


Danny's Upholstery is located in Virginia Beach and is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop for your auto, home, office, marine and business. Owned and operated by master craftsman, Danny White, who has over 30 years experience meeting the upholstery needs for the Hampton Roads community.

Danny’s Upholstery
Your One Stop Upholstery Shop
New Location January 1, 2011
4904 Rutherford Rd. Ste. 103
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
dannysupholstery@gmail.com
757-363-5889

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Ways to Fix Your Auto Upholstery by Danny's Upholstery in Virginia Beach

Danny’s Upholstery
Your One Stop Upholstery Shop
New Location January 1, 2011
4904 Rutherford Rd. Ste. 103
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
dannysupholstery@gmail.com
757-363-5889

How We Can Fix your Auto Upholstery

Nothing can give you the old car blues more that torn auto upholstery. It happens to just about every car at one time or another and now that we are keeping our cars longer it is happening to even more of us.

This does not mean we have to accept this wear and tear. There are a couple of different ways we can restore our auto upholstery erasing those visible years of use.

Auto upholstery takes a significant amount of daily abuse and under high tension given the way it's made firm to support you while driving or riding. Of course, you could use automobile seat covers but before spending that money give these lower cost options a try. Once fixed, you could fall in love with your car all over again.

First thing to do is to have an upholstery professional analyze the seat or interior for any possibility to be repaired. Have them price a seat repair and a complete seat cover. Danny’s Upholstery in Virginia Beach offers free estimates! Walk-ins are always welcome or call 757-363-5889.

There are many reasons seat covers and fabrics wear out. Did the fabric rip due to stress on a seam? Did something cut into the fabric? Has the leather cracked and/or faded over time? Did it tear because you need a more durable fabric?
Seat covers can also be worn away from infant car seats rubbing on the auto upholstery. This can be an easy fix, since many times only a section of the seat cover needs to be replaced.

If the rip to your auto upholstery is on the seam near the edge it is sometimes possible to sew back together.

Danny’s Upholstery suggests having an auto upholsterer replace the actual insert or section to complete the repair if you aren’t looking for a new look and if matching upholstery fabric is available. Many times, factory original fabric can be ordered to match the existing material as close as possible.

Danny’s Upholstery is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop and they are there to help. In most cases, they will need to see the vehicle to give the most accurate estimate; however, they understand that sometimes their customers need a general idea of the cost prior to making an actual decision. As always, a free estimate is just a phone call away, 757-363-5889.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7s5F_1xE9M

Stop by our showroom and see why Danny’s Upholstery is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop!

Danny's Upholstery is located in Virginia Beach and is Your One Stop Upholstery Shop for your auto, home, office, marine and business. Owned and operated by master craftsman, Danny White, who has over 30 years experience meeting the upholstery needs for the Hampton Roads community. For a free estimate call 757-363-5889. Gift certificates are available.