Showing some love to your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day is a beautiful thing. Are you also showing that love to the electronics that keep things running smoothly in your home year-round? Much like your honey, ignoring those electronics for any length of time without giving them a little much-needed TLC could leave you in the doghouse.

Or your 2-year-old… Or your morning coffee… Or your dog. Your electronic devices need to be protected. Are they properly cased and safely stored?

Cleaning your electronics immediately is essential after unwanted exposures to items of all sorts, from your daily cola, food crumbs, dirt and grime, to a hosing from an over-friendly pet, and more. Don’t just grab a wet paper towel. Make certain to use compatible cleaning solutions and rags by making a worthwhile investment in specialized cleaning sets available for each of your sensitive devices. Here are some tips for properly cleaning and maintaining your electronic devices:

Recycle unnecessary or extraneous cords and chargers. Properly organize wires leading to electronics like televisions and DVD players, which are dust bunny magnets courtesy of static electricity. Untangle wires and straighten them together with zip ties to allow for easier cleaning and vacuuming without dislodging connections.

Opt for additional insurance or available protection plans that cover the parts and labor necessary to resurrect expensive devices.

Remove batteries from items you don’t use often to prevent damage from corrosion. Keep batteries on hand for items like remotes (which should also be cleaned) and store chargers carefully. Consider the addition of a professionally designed and installed charging station for the safety of sensitive portable electronics and to drastically cut the clutter.

Today’s expensive electronics and appliances are more sensitive to power spikes and surges than their predecessors. Keep them protected with whole house and point-of-use surge protection. The cost of replacing a single item destroyed by a surge will often cover your investment. Losing a single large home appliance will cost you double the investment of professionally installed surge protection from Mr. Electric®.

Ready to show the love? Contact Mr. Electric today.

“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.  I rejoice in life for its own sake.  Life is no brief candle to me.  It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”-George Bernard Shaw  This quote is one by which Hy Goldman lives.

Whether by association to the torch and the carrying of light, these words are powerful and reminiscent of a work ethic that elevates life to divine heights.

Hy Goldman celebrates his birthday at Benvenuti Ristorante in East Hanover. Pictured here with treasured friend, Gloria Schwartz, grand-daughter of the late Ethel Lebersfeld.  Ethel Lebersfeld hired Hy on June 1, 1941.  He has worked for Capitol Lighting ever since.

In this day and age of the perpetual search for an easier life, more leisure time and the latest frivolity, we hold dear to the depth of character and bright quality of a life that continues to sustain a great worker and humble man who lights up our lives.

Hy Goldman celebrates family and an outstanding career.  He said he will retire on his 100th birthday this Saturday August 17, 2013, but time will tell!  We intend to keep him shining brighter than a Capitol chandelier.

Hy with Donna Costello, a recently “retired” Capitol Lighting star.   Donna Costello remains close in spirit to all who have been blessed to work with her.

Hy Goldman celebrates with friends and family.  Pictured with Adele Lebersfeld (standing), Max Lebersfeld (standing), Moya Goldman and  Stanley Goldman.

His family, son Stanley and daughter-in-law Moya, say that “Hy” is stubborn.  He stubbornly holds unto the values that keep him strong, and this may be the key to his longevity.  He wastes nothing and appreciates everything. “Every day is a gift,” he says with a smile and a quiet graciousness that uplifts the spirits of all who come to greet him.

Hy with Carol Saggiammo.  Carol recently celebrated her outstanding career with Capitol Lighting, and she is still going strong.

Governor Chris Christie officially acknowledges Herman “Hy” Goldman’s 100th birthday…

Hy Goldman at work:

He may be moving a bit slower than when he was 20, but he is at the top of his game in creativity and spirit!

Check out the latest “Hy Original Re-creations”…

A stunning crystal lamp brilliantly designed and reworked and wired into a magnificent one-of-a-kind piece.

The Tree of Light and Glass.  He has customers, as well as co-workers competing for his original works of art.

Local Dallas and Plano electrician with over 27 years of experience providing electrical repair and installation services, has reached a landmark in their service to the local community by performing their ten thousandth job for local homeowner, retired military veteran, and retired school district employee Mr. Frank Norwood.

As a thank you to Mr. Norwood for his loyal repeat business and a celebration of this huge milestone for the company, ElectricMan Inc. installed a new ceiling fan and ceiling fan rated brace kit in Mr. Norwood’s master bedroom at no charge.  Master electrician and Owner of ElectricMan Inc., Nick Schaeffer, said “We are very excited to have passed this milestone as a company, and are honored and happy to provide this complimentary service to Mr. Norwood, a gentleman who has given so much for this country and the community.”

ElectricMan Inc. is committed to providing the absolute best customer service and reliability in serving the local community’s electrical repair and installation needs.  In light of the current status of many businesses, for a local company to reach the landmark of 10,000 jobs certainly speaks to their character and the quality of service that they provide.

About ElectricMan Inc.

One of the hardest parts of electrical work is accessibility. In some situations, adding a new outlet or replace old wiring can require nearly tearing your walls apart. There is a solution, however: Open building can make things easier by focusing on flexibility, ease of access and disentanglement of systems. If you’re building, renovating or putting an addition on your home, try incorporating open building principles to make it simple to change or upgrade your electrical system.

Total Flexibility

The big picture when it comes to open building is to keep the support structure of the house separate from the interior fill-out. This construction style also keeps wall spaces accessible and strives toward total flexibility. After all, chances are you'll have to replace one or more of your internal systems before you need to rebuild the whole house.

That means infill systems like your wiring are separated from others like plumbing and insulation so it's not difficult to access and remove them. So if you need to remove outdated wireing, add new circuits or upgrade your whole system to comply with local code, there's no need to gut your house. Instead, you remove some panels, install the electrical with no fuss and pop the panels back into place. No need to break through drywall or struggle with ducts and pipes that are in the way.

Rational Form of Design

The open building concept is being driven by the Open Prototype, a collaboration between MIT and Bensonwood Homes to build and test various models for open building principles.

“The simple act of disentangling the wiring from the structure and insulation layer allows you to upgrade, change, or replace a 20-year-lifespan electrical system when new technology arises without affecting a 300-year structure,” Bensonwood Homes founder Tedd Benson said to Ecobuilding Pulse. “Open Building provides a more rational form of design and construction that supports long-term sustainability for buildings with increased shell longevity, and more control and flexibility for the homeowner.”

The idea is to ensure that the home of today is ready to adapt to the needs of the tomorrow's homeowners. “We can’t predict what people will need and want in their living environment,” Benson said. “Open Building principles respond to occupants’ changing needs rather than force the occupants to conform to a preconceived design.