With Valentine’s Day edging past and Random Acts of Kindness Day coming up this February 17th, have you given any thought to how helpful your recent actions have been to your bottom line?

Lighting accounts for approximately 5-10 percent of total energy use. Simply turning off the lights in unoccupied rooms can save a great deal. Multiply that savings times thousands of households, and you’re taking part in a huge random act of kindness for planet earth.  

One of the simplest energy savings tips is caring for your water heater by wrapping it up in an insulated blanket, and it can help you save $20 for gas and $50 for electric heaters annually. Setting it to 120 degrees also boosts energy savings and improves safety.

When temperatures are extreme, be thoughtful about your thermostat settings. Adjust accordingly: 68 degrees in the winter, 78 degrees in the summer. Turning your thermostat down 10-15 degrees for 8 hours a day can save you up to 10 percent on heating and cooling costs. Upgrade to a programmable thermostat to make it a simple, automated task.

Another one of the simplest energy saving tips - turn off computers and other devices when not in use. Leaving your PC constantly running could be unkind to your wallet – to the tune of over $100 a year.

Many of the devices we use daily ruthlessly consume electricity, even when they’re switched off. This vampire power consumption can be curtailed with the help of point-of-use surge protection. Rather than unplugging each item individually, with the flip of a button, power to every device plugged into a surge protector is simply and easily terminated. A perfectly humane way to cut off unnecessary power consumption.

Surge protection can also safeguard your checkbook from the hazards of excess energy. Whole house surge protection adds an integral layer of security against budget-busting power surges that can quickly zap your expensive electronics. Be considerate of your wallet. The cost of replacing a single large home appliance such as a TV or hot water heater could cost you twice the expense of an investment in whole house surge protection. Find out how much professionally installed surge protection can save you from getting zapped with a free in-home quote from Mr. Electric®.    

Looking for a few more energy saving tips to protect your pocketbook? Treat your home and your budget to a little kindness with the loving care of Mr. Electric today.

If you own or manage a commercial property in Boston, you need a high performance but efficient heating system that can keep up with a heavy workload. That’s why it’s important to regularly schedule commercial heating services, such as maintenance every year to keep your unit in top shape, repairs whenever you notice problems, and new installation when it’s time for your older unit to go.

When you decide it’s time to heating system, an experienced technician may have many of the components on hand and knows where to order any additional components. And commercial repairs and maintenance may require additional equipment over some residential systems.

Commercial heating systems are not only different because of their size; they are also generally constructed in a different manner. Commercial boilers are large and complex and require careful installation and repairs to ensure they last for years to come. A packaged heating unit, another heating option, usually contains all of the elements of your business’s heating and cooling system. You need technicians familiar with the layout of this cabinet so that they can quickly locate parts and make any necessary repairs.

Finally, the ductwork of a commercial property may be more complex than a residential system’s ducts. Your technician must be able to understand the layout of the ducts and any zone control installed in your forced-air heating system. If you own a commercial boiler, your technician must be able to inspect the length of piping that allows hot water to move through the building.

When you need commercial heating services in Boston, trust the commercial specialists at FB Electrical Services.

pursue electric lights.

A Timeless StyleIn the post-Victorian era, brass chandeliers shimmered with crystal drops and porcelain lamps were embellished with colorful floral themes. For members of the British aristocracy, the early 20th century was a time of elegance, luxury and opulence.

A quick glance through the latest designer catalogs are ample evidence that the decor of previous eras are still hugely popular. The style can easily be recreated with antique brass desk lamps. In contemporary homes, an elegantly crafted modern light fixture can give you the look of the most treasured antique.

picture light would also do the trick.

The history of electricity is a fascinating subject. When we see a light go on or an appliance fire up, it is hard to imagine the thought processes that went into making that possible. In this article, we will look at the history of electricity from its very beginnings to how it has evolved over the years.

Benjamin Franklin flying a kite during a thunder and lightning storm. Franklin tied a key to the end of the kite string. The electricity from the storm clouds flowed down the wet string and ended up giving him an electric shock. This would serve as the first form of evidence that electricity existed. But it would be a long time until people could actually figure out how to use electricity in a practical sense.

One of the first breakthroughs in the history of electricity occurred when British scientist Michael Faraday discovered its basic principles. He discovered he could create an electric current by moving magnets inside of coils of copper wire. This revolutionized how we use energy. Faraday’s basic theory still comes to play on how we produce power today. Although now, we have the capability of doing this on a much larger scale.

Rural Electric Administration that ensured the availability of electricity in rural areas. By 1939, the number of rural homes with electricity had risen by 25%. Farmers were able to access electrical appliances like stoves and washing machines which made life much easier for them.