Good Morning, this past week was a week full of brain storming of ideas for our up and coming spring “Open House” designed to show the public new ideas and perhaps change the mind-set of those who choose to omit the Value Added distributor over the “Box Store” mentality shoppers. I myself will certainly do the same, If I need a gallon of paint and will for go the Paint store and make a trip into the box store, it happens… My point is this; yes box stores have their needs but so do the smaller distributors of Paint, Electrical supplies, Plumbing supplies, Lumber Yards the list goes on, the bigger the project the more you need the smaller specialty distributors and in the majority of cases they have more knowledge then the box stores. Our business in Michigan as well as other businesses in Michigan need to change… we need to branch out and promote earthy projects, saving of fossil fuels and back away from the auto industry. In many areas that is happening just as we speak. Our spring show (open house) will do exactly that. Yes the home building market and house buying market is in a turmoil, but people still have houses, they need a roof over their heads and require a better bang for their buck. Take energy for instance. I will give you one of a million and one ways to save a few dollars off your energy bill each month and this will perhaps not astound you as much as it should because you and I will programmed into looking at the cost of the lamp not the benefit. Take for instance a regular 75 watt reflector lamp, most people have them yet still in recessed cans in the ceilings of their houses. Wattage 75 Lamp life 2500 hours (most think they last two to three years not so these are estimated numbers derived from like lamps over their life) lumens, now lumens are the light that is supplied by the lamp 1050… ok many think bigger is better, and in some areas… perhaps they are right…but that is another story and I do not want to teach that subject…just yet!... Ok now that you have your 75 watt old style par lamp burning in a socket. It can be indoor or outdoor (indoor is a reflector outdoor is a par, heavier glass) ok so this lamp will cost you about 4 to 6 dollars to buy 33-40 dollars in electricity to burn it or roughly 37-46 dollars over it’s life in costs to you…cheaper is not always better… Take a replacement up grade of s 48 watt par lamp halogen lamp cost 9 to 13 dollars lamp life 4200 hours (you almost doubled the other) electricity burned over it’s life 21-25 dollars so you can achieve a annual socket savings of 10- 17 dollars over the life of the replacement lamp…now viewing these two items in a store a no brainer would be 75 watt lamp cost’s me 5 bucks and the 48 watt cost me 11 bucks…hmmm 6 dollars more for less wattage… no way… but what you are really missing is actual true life cost of 48.00 bucks with higher wattage lamps compared to 31.00 bucks lower wattage… and this one just one socket…plus you will have to change (re-buy) the 75 watt sooner then the lower wattage halogen lamp…I have numerous examples and can answer a varity of energy questions…that is not the salesman in me talking, but more so the helper in me… why pay the electric companies gas and utilities more then they deserve? Well, normally people just do not pay attention, due to well this A-19 incandescent is a lot cheaper then that sno-cone fluorescent so I will but the cheaper $.40 lamp… which lasts sometimes one flip of the switch or maximum of 750 hours… not a long time, the Fluorescent will lamps 10,000 hours minimum and burn less watts, be softer on the eyes… save an individual 20.00 in energy perhaps more and less labor to change it 10 times…see I am not just another homely face… I do have some good qualities… We now are looking into wind and solar power to save even more for times with the grid is down (power-lines out) So if anyone has connections into solar power and wind turbines (you know the wind-mill type sources, ) and if those companies are looking for a distributor in Michigan to promote their products… whip a name and number on me… we will certainly get their name and product in the ears and eyes of fellow Michiganders. Other then that today’s lesson is done boys and girls… I am not the shell answer man but being in the electrical industry for more then 33 years I can save you money on your electric bill without doubt. That is primarily my job to do… Other then that my job is also to wish you and yours a fantastic weekend and a truly great day.
A huge hug and many pats
Mart
