A GPS navigation system makes a great graduation, birthday, retirement, or holiday gift. By giving your friend or family a car gps (global positioning system), you will save them the frustration and humiliation of being lost. Moreover, with a handy mobile navigation system or reliable in dash navigation, you will being giving the gift of saved time for your loved one–by keeping them on their way with easy directions! Putting this convenience at the fingertips of someone in your life is a truly useful and lasting present.  

In addition to the benefit of saving time and frustration, there are safety benefits to visiting your local car audio professionals for a navigation system.   An in dash navigation system or portable navigation system keeps your loved ones’ eyes on the road while they are driving, rather than on paper directions, or even worse an unwieldy folding map or gigantic atlas.  GPS navigation systems allow drivers to easily and safely arrive at their destination without ever having their eyes leave the road. The spoken directions are easy to follow, and the car gps system will even automatically recalculate the route in the event that a wrong turn is made.  For added safety, talk to your car audio experts about GPS tracking systems to find stolen vehicles or just know where the car is. GPS tracking features can be invaluable for anyone from business owners with a fleet of vehicles to parents of teens who are new drivers.

Now that you are convinced of the value of a navigation system, you just need to get into your car audio specialist to get this tool installed.   Contact your local mobile electronics pros today!

Window treatments are often seen simply as decorating tools, with patterns and styles designed to coordinate with any décor. However, you can also use your window curtains, blinds, and drapes to make your home more energy efficient. Did you realize that simply controlling the amount of sunlight entering your home can affect how much you pay in energy costs? Did you know that drapes can actually help insulate your home in winter? For reduced energy bills and a more energy-efficient home, it’s time for the right window treatments for your home.

Window Treatments Reduce Heat Gain in Summer

Have you ever stood in the sunlight to warm up on a cool day? The warmth of the sun’s rays, known as solar radiation, also heats up your house. This can be very helpful in the winter when you’re trying to warm your house, but during the summer, additional heat is not what you want! The warmth of the sun’s rays means your air conditioner will have to work much harder to keep your home a comfortable temperature. However, window blinds can be highly effective at preventing sunlight from entering your windows, keeping them from heating your home as much. In fact, lowered, closed blinds can reduce heat gain by up to 45%. Available in various materials, styles, and designs, both horizontal and vertical blinds are effective for increasing your home’s energy efficiency.

Window Treatments Decrease Heat Loss in Winter

In the winter, open window shades, blinds, and curtains allow the sunlight to enter-creating the opportunity for solar heat gain. At night and on particularly frigid days, though, your windows can let the cold in via conduction. Draperies can actually serve as insulation, helping to prevent this heat transfer and keeping your home warm for less. The energy efficiency of your window curtains is affected by a vast number of variables, including fabric weight and color as well as lining material and installation. One study showed that medium colored drapes with a white backing could reduce approximately 33% of energy loss. Because of the huge range of options in curtains, you’ll need to pay careful attention to the fabrics and especially linings and backings to ensure you get improved energy efficiency from your drapes.

Visit your local window treatment outlet today to learn more about the options for increasing your home’s energy efficiency. When you match your home with just the right window blinds, curtains, shades, or draperies, you get the ideal combination of beautiful looks and the energy-efficient performance that you need!

Statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy.