As a homeowner, you’re constantly on the lookout for cost-reducing tricks that will save you money on your monthly electric bills. If you open your electrical bill only to continually stress about the total you see staring back at you, it may be time to take some steps to reduce your energy costs. At Hoffman Electrical, we do our best to provide residents of Hillsborough and Pinellas County with advice that will save them money all year long!

Several debates continue to surround the idea of how video games affect childhood development. On one side, they have a reputation for causing violence and obesity in children, and on another, they prove to be very educational and encourage exercise. Because video games are so prominent in children’s lives, it is difficult to prevent them from playing video games entirely. However, when you truly analyze them, is it really necessary to rid children of video games completely? Research proves that while video games have their disadvantages, they also have advantages that can stimulate brain activity and help power tomorrow by assisting kids in setting and achieving their goals to reach their full potential.

Video games can be a powerful tool to help children develop certain life skills. They can help children’s brain development in several ways, including enhancing problem solving skills and creativity. They also induce quick thinking by having players solve problems to continue to a higher level, and create strategies to potentially win the game.

The most popular child development video games vary with a child’s age. For younger children, popular video games include: Wii Barbie Dreamhouse Party, Nintendo Super Mario 3D World, XBOX 360 The Lego Movie and Lego Marvel Super Heroes. For teenagers, popular video games include: XBOX 360 Transformers Fall of Cybertron, XBOX 360 Grand Theft Auto, XBOX 360 Guitar Hero II, Rock Band 2, Just Dance 2014 and FIFA 14.

Like so many other things in life, moderation is key, so monitoring a child’s video game intake is definitely important. Video games are a great form of entertainment that provide bonding time with friends and relaxation time during any afternoon. Although the negative effects of video games are very real, by allowing children to partake in developmental video games, the door is also opened for children to have a fun learning experience.

BMW, Honda, Ford, Mitsubishi and Nissan all offer full electric vehicles; however, despite the groundbreaking technology introduced in the new crop of electric cars, sales of pure electric cars that run off of a battery alone have risen by only about 6% from the same time a year prior, according to Edmunds.com, the leading automobile information company.  An analyst from Edmunds.com believes that what he calls “range anxiety” prevents most consumers from purchasing fully electric vehicles. It is also widely believed that this slow increase is due in part to the high prices of these vehicles. Furthermore, there is very little public charging infrastructure, which can make using an electric vehicle as a primary vehicle difficult for many consumers.

The sales of hybrid vehicles, on the other hand, are going through the roof. These automobiles travel using their battery power until a traditional gas engine turns on. One of the main reasons that hybrids are doing so well is because of the plethora of options. Hybrid vehicles eliminate much of the anxiety associated with limited range due to their ability to use a gasoline engine in addition to their plug-in battery. The proposed Ford C-Max Energi, for example, can drive for approximately 20 miles on electricity alone and an additional 530 miles with its gasoline engine. This makes them not only practical for everyday use, but also for longer trips. As a result of the variety of options and advancement of the technologies in these vehicles, sales have soared 381% in the first half of this year.

Although pure electric vehicle sales are lagging behind those of hybrid sales, it is important to remember that the technologies used in these vehicles are still relatively new, and with time are likely to advance very quickly as demand and interest in these vehicles grow. Because of this projected increase in demand and technology, a licensed electrician such as The Electric Connection expects to install many electric vehicle charging ports over the next few years. It is very common for a Los Angeles electrician to install easy to use charging stations right in your own garage.

In addition to Toyota’s new plug-in version of the Prius which can be charged with the assistance of a charging port installed by an electrician in Los Angeles, Chevrolet has introduced the Volt, and Ford will be releasing the C-Max Energi hybrid, which will be coming out in late 2012.

For more information on electric vehicle charging and electric vehicle technologies, you can read more at TheElectricConnection.com

These LED lights attach easily to the front and rear of your bike. The white light clips to the front break cables to help you see where you’re going, and signal to others that you’re heading their way. The red light clips to your seat rails, brightly marking your bike’s rear. They both operate in steady beam and continuous flash modes, visible from up to a mile away. They’re weather resistant and have a long battery life.

2. Twist On Bike Lights

Carbon Monoxide – The Silent Killer

ElectricMan’s motto is “Quality Electrical Services”, and to achieve this, we feel like it’s our duty to inform our customers of the importance of home and electrical issues that might affect them. One of these dangers is Carbon Monoxide.

Carbon Monoxide is a toxic gas that is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and non-irritating, so it is very difficult to detect unless you have a carbon monoxide detector. It’s often produced by older motor vehicles and other gasoline-powered tools, heaters, and cooking equipment such as furnaces, heaters, wood-burning stoves, electrical generators, and propane-fueled equipment like portable stoves. Simply put, carbon monoxide is produced whenever gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burning.

Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that carbon monoxide poisoning claims nearly 500 lives and causes more than 15,000 visits to the hospital emergency departments annually.

Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches, vertigo, and flu-like effects, but larger exposure can lead to severe heart and central nervous system problems and even death. If you do suspect poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Open windows and doors, turn off combustion appliances, and leave the house. Take your pets outside too! Go to an emergency room and tell the doctor. A blood test is the best way to make the diagnosis. Treatment usually involves high doses of oxygen using a facemask.

Prevention is the key to avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning. Have your fuel-burning appliances inspected by a professional at the beginning of every heating season. Don’t idle your car in the garage, even with the garage door open, don’t use a gas oven to heat your home, don’t ever use a charcoal grill indoors, don’t sleep in a room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater, and don’t use gasoline-powered engines in enclosed spaces. Have carbon monoxide detectors installed.

The National Fire Protection Association says that 93% of homes have smoke alarms but the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that only 15% have carbon monoxide alarms.

Here at ElectricMan, we can professionally install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, because carbon monoxide poisoning is no small matter, and we care about your safety. We’re a family business and we put family first, including yours! We’re also available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

At ElectricMan Inc, we can professionally install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, because carbon monoxide poisoning is no small-matter, and we care about your safety. We’re a family business and we put family first, including yours!