<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618</id><updated>2012-02-16T20:26:41.181-08:00</updated><category term='frozen pipes'/><category term='power outage'/><category term='clockwork home services'/><category term='kent'/><category term='back to school'/><category term='generators'/><category term='fire hazard'/><category term='firefighter'/><category term='Mist Sparky'/><category term='unlicensed contractor'/><category term='federal way'/><category term='maple valley'/><category term='plumber'/><category term='HVAC'/><category term='customer service'/><category term='holiday'/><category term='burien'/><category term='electrician'/><category term='RED'/><category term='renton'/><category term='economic times'/><category term='normandy park'/><category term='one hour'/><category term='mister sparky'/><category term='safety'/><category term='candles'/><category term='temporary power'/><category term='faulty plugs'/><category term='lights'/><category term='ben franklin'/><category term='disaster'/><category term='no power'/><category term='savings'/><category term='heath'/><category term='tips'/><category term='seattle'/><category term='direct energy'/><category term='electrican'/><category term='fireman'/><category term='service and repair'/><title type='text'>Mister Sparky Seattle 88-88-SPARKY</title><subtitle type='html'>Full Service Electrician</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>16</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-4062173684199389344</id><published>2012-01-22T18:43:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2012-01-22T18:43:21.593-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='generators'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='temporary power'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='seattle'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='no power'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='power outage'/><title type='text'>Why does my neighbor have lights? Generators are the answer!</title><content type='html'>Generators can provide comfort, safety and security during power outages.&amp;nbsp; They can be installed permanently or used temporarily during outages.&amp;nbsp; In either case, you must install the generator properly to protect electrical workers, your family and your property.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If generators aren't correctly installed, they can "back feed" into the electrical utility system and energize dead lines, causing serious injury to electrical workers who may be working on those lines or others who may accidentally touch fallen lines.&amp;nbsp; They can also create wiring hazards and exhaust fumes that could injure you and your family.&amp;nbsp; Finally, you risk damaging your generator.&amp;nbsp; Electrical workers use a grounding system to protect themselves; that system will damage an improperly installed generator.&amp;nbsp; Also, when power is restored to the electrical system, it will feed into your home or business and burn out your generator if it's not installed right.&amp;nbsp; Read the manufacturer's instructions before using your generator.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;u&gt;Permanently Installed Generators &lt;/u&gt;can be especially useful if you rely on life support or critical care equipment because they can switch on within a few minutes after the power goes out.&amp;nbsp; All permanently installed generators require a transfer switch.&amp;nbsp; The transfer switch allows you to isolate the generator from the utility supply during an outage.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hire a licensed electrician to install a generator in your home.&amp;nbsp; Installation requires an electrical inspection to ensure the safety of your home and utility workers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;u&gt;Temporary Generators&lt;/u&gt; that you use only during extended power outages are not intended to run all of your appliances.&amp;nbsp; You should use them for a minimum amount of cooking, and during long outages to protect the food in your refrigerator and/or freezer.&amp;nbsp; These generators use an electrical extension cord to run the appliances, or an approved transfer device.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;NEVER plug a portable generator into a home outlet!&amp;nbsp; Put your generator outside (because exhaust fumes can be deadly), plug an extension cord into it and run your appliances from that extension cord.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For safety and protection, make sure that extension cords used with generators are UL listed and properly sized for the load and cord length.&amp;nbsp; Using the wrong extension cord can cause excessive voltage drops, which can cause overheating.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Safety Information -- Following these tips will help you operate your portable generator safely.&amp;nbsp; Be sure to read all manufacturer's instructions written specifically for your generator.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;Connections&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Never run electrical cords under rugs where heat might build up or damage to cords may go unnoticed&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;i&gt; &lt;/i&gt;Keep cords out of the way so they don't present a tripping hazard, especially in dimly lit areas&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do not operate a generator with a faulty ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), you risk electric shock&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Be sure that the total electric power load on your generator does not exceed the manufacturer's rated load&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do not connect your generator to swimming pool equipment installed before adoption of the 1965 National Electrical Code&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;i&gt;Location&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do not operate your portable generator indoors, exhaust gas contains poisonous carbon monoxide&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Provide adequate ventilation during generator operation&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Keep your generator dry (if a portable), operating in rain or snow, or near water, can lead to injury&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Keep the generator away from buildings and other equipment during operation&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do not enclose the generator in any structure&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Operate your generator on a firm, level surface&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Keep flammable materials away from the generator&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;i&gt;Fuel&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Use fresh, clean fuel&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Stop the engine before refueling&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Add fuel to your generator in a well-ventilated area, do not smoke or allow flames/sparks where the generator is refueled or where fuel is stored&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fuel vapors are flammable and may ignite after the engine has started, be sure to clean up any spilled fuel before starting the generator&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Check for fuel leaks before, during and after operation&lt;i&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;i&gt;More Tips&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Before operating the generator, carefully read and follow all manufacturer's instructions, generators are capable of providing enough electrical power to cause injury or death if misused&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Make sure all safety labels that come with your generator stay permanently affixed to the generator&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Know how to stop the generator quickly in an emergency, make sure other adults in the household also know how to stop the generator quickly&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do not let children operate the generator&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The muffler becomes hot during operation and may remain hot for a while after shutdown&amp;nbsp; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Test the GFCI on the generator before each use; if the GFCI fails the test, do not use your generator, and consult an authorized repair technician&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Ensure that the generator crankcase is filled with the oil recommended by the manufacturer&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;To prolong the generator's life, run the generator under load monthly&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If your generator has an electric starter, keep the battery charged&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The power quality produced by temporary generators may not be consistent enough to safely operate sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, fax machines and cash registers&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As with any equipment using electricity the best advice is to contact a qualified professional for advice and installation.&amp;nbsp; We here at Mister Sparky Seattle are exactly that!&amp;nbsp; If you would like to purchase a generator, would like to install a generator, need to maintain a generator, or just want to find out if a generator is right for you -- give us a call today!&amp;nbsp; 206-246-7123 or 1-88-88-SPARKY.&amp;nbsp; Don't get caught in the dark!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-4062173684199389344?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/4062173684199389344/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-does-my-neighbor-have-lights.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/4062173684199389344'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/4062173684199389344'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-does-my-neighbor-have-lights.html' title='Why does my neighbor have lights? Generators are the answer!'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-1045457618325277868</id><published>2012-01-04T14:18:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2012-01-04T14:18:58.471-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='plumber'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='service and repair'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='ben franklin'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='customer service'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='HVAC'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='direct energy'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='clockwork home services'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='one hour'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><title type='text'>We are one!  Who is Direct Energy?</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://images.clockworkhomeservices.com/we_are_one/we_are_one.html"&gt;Check out the video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This awesome video tells you more about Mister Sparky, and our affiliates.&amp;nbsp; As well as our corporate structure.&amp;nbsp; We are one!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-1045457618325277868?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/1045457618325277868/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2012/01/we-are-one-who-is-direct-energy.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/1045457618325277868'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/1045457618325277868'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2012/01/we-are-one-who-is-direct-energy.html' title='We are one!  Who is Direct Energy?'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-5213900978221252929</id><published>2011-12-17T09:34:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-12-17T09:34:56.348-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='seattle'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='service and repair'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='customer service'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Mist Sparky'/><title type='text'>What do you get when you do business with us?</title><content type='html'>You get guarantees and warranties unsurpassed in our industry.&amp;nbsp; You get peace of mind that the job will be done right the first time.&amp;nbsp; You get drug tested, background checked, professionally trained journeyman electricians.&amp;nbsp; You get 100% customer satisfaction!&amp;nbsp; We were just awarded the Angie's List Super Service Award for the 5th year running (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).&amp;nbsp; If you are needing any electrical work completed we are the company for you to call -- Guaranteed!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oWvmrzsSzSk/TuzSVcGodvI/AAAAAAAAAIk/pV9PvjF0W94/s1600/SSAHigh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="287" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oWvmrzsSzSk/TuzSVcGodvI/AAAAAAAAAIk/pV9PvjF0W94/s320/SSAHigh.jpg" width="320" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-5213900978221252929?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/5213900978221252929/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-do-you-get-when-you-do-business.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/5213900978221252929'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/5213900978221252929'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-do-you-get-when-you-do-business.html' title='What do you get when you do business with us?'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oWvmrzsSzSk/TuzSVcGodvI/AAAAAAAAAIk/pV9PvjF0W94/s72-c/SSAHigh.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-6098095526868764860</id><published>2011-12-09T14:06:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-12-09T14:06:45.406-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrican'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='lights'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fireman'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fire hazard'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='firefighter'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='RED'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='frozen pipes'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='disaster'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='holiday'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='candles'/><title type='text'>What are the Top Preventable Holiday Home Disasters?</title><content type='html'>&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt; 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  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt; /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}&lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"&gt;RED AND MISTER SPARKY UNITE TO “HOLIDAY-PROOF” AREA HOMES WITH FREE SAFETY INSPECTIONS&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: red; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 14pt;"&gt;Frozen Pipes and Fires Caused by Holiday Lights &amp;amp; Candles&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;are the Season’s Top Preventable Home Disasters&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;WEST SEATTLE, Wash. (December 9, 2012) — RED, a private company founded by local firefighters and University of Washington students; and Mister Sparky, West Seattle’s #1 on-time electrician, have joined forces to give area residents the ultimate holiday gift: the peace of mind that comes with discovering and preventing potential fire and flood dangers inside the home.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;The holiday season brings out the festive side of Puget Sound residents, but it also brings a lot of fire and flood hazards into their homes.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Holiday light displays often include frayed wires, cracked sockets and overloaded circuits, resulting in 170 fires per year. Candles and menorahs flickering too close to curtains, wrapping paper and holiday displays result in 15,600 residential fires - most of them in December. Frozen water pipes damage 250,000 homes per year.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;This year, Mister Sparky is a welcome addition to RED’s holiday home inspection team. “Your home’s electrical system is no different than your body or your car, it should be inspected by a professional at least once per year,” said Wendy Lind, operations manager of Mister Sparky. ”We are offering our services, free of charge, to as many area residents as possible this season. We want to catch electrical hazards before they can put a damper on the holidays.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;Holiday Proof Your Home&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt; inspections combine the expertise of off duty firefighters and highly trained, certified electricians. Mister Sparky’s portion of the inspection begins with a panel refresh: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Helvetica&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;tightening screws, inspecting busses, remaking bad connections and checking breakers. Electricians will also test GFCIs for functionality and use canned smoke to test smoke detectors. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Helvetica&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;RED works with off-duty firefighters to check the placement and functionality of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and more. RED will deliver a 2012 Family Emergency Plan and inspect the home for common fire hazards. They will also show homeowners how to shut off their gas and water at the main valve.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Helvetica&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;This free service is available to residents of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto; font-family: &amp;quot;Helvetica&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Seattle, South King and North Pierce Counties&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Helvetica&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;. Reservations are limited and will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis. To take advantage of this opportunity, please call &lt;span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;"&gt;Mister Sparky at 206-246-7123 or RED at 888-557-5167.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: red; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;About Mister Sparky&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;Mister Sparky, also known as Eagle Electric of Seattle, is a family owned and operated franchisee that has been serving Seattle since 1982. The company prides itself on providing the best quality and service in the industry and has received the Angie’s List Super Service Award four years in a row (2007-present).&lt;span style="color: red;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style="color: red;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.mistersparkyofseattle.com/"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;www.mistersparkyofseattle.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: red; line-height: 150%;"&gt;&lt;b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;About RED&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-outline-level: 2;"&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Founded by a local Firefighter,&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style="background-color: black; color: white;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;RED&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; is a private company that brings the resources of&amp;nbsp;trained&amp;nbsp;off-duty&amp;nbsp;firefighters into residential homes. RED’s mission is to prepare families and individuals for unexpected emergencies.&lt;span style="color: purple;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.countyred.com/" style="background-color: black; color: purple;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; line-height: 150%;"&gt;www.countyred.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-6098095526868764860?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/6098095526868764860/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-are-top-preventable-holiday-home.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/6098095526868764860'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/6098095526868764860'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-are-top-preventable-holiday-home.html' title='What are the Top Preventable Holiday Home Disasters?'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-1500012918657703368</id><published>2011-11-30T18:04:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-11-30T18:04:13.851-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='generators'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='kent'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='seattle'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='burien'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='normandy park'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='maple valley'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='renton'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='power outage'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='federal way'/><title type='text'>My neighborhood is without power...but my lights are on!  Why?  Because I have a GENERATOR!</title><content type='html'>&lt;h1 align="center" class="Heading1"&gt;Storm season is upon us! &lt;/h1&gt;&lt;h1 align="center" class="Heading1"&gt;Generators: Which is better, Automatic or Manual?&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h2 class="Subheading2"&gt;Thinking about a generator back up system for your home? You generally have 2 options.&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Manual Generators: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Typically a portable style generator that you  plug into a generator outlet that feeds a manual transfer switch that  you go out and manually transfer power from house power to generator  power when the power goes out.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;img alt="Kodler Generator" border="0" class="alignLeft" height="252" src="http://www.mistersparkyofwa.com/Portals/94627/images/Transfer%20Switch-resized-600.JPG" style="float: left;" width="433" /&gt;A  manual generator set up is usually a lower price point versus a fully  automatic generator although some makes and models of portable  generators can be close to the same cost as a automatic generator.  Installation costs are definitely lower on a manual generator set up and  are usually more straight forward.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Requires you to make sure you can get your  generator next to the outlet so you can plug it in, depending on the  generator you may have to pull start it yourself, will require you to  keep pouring gasoline into it as needed throughout the outage, will  require you to monitor the outage to know when to shut it down and  transfer power back to normal house power, typically is a smaller  generator that will or can limit what you can have on the generator.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;So, if you don't mind doing everything manually  the manual set up&amp;nbsp; can save you some money and accomplish a lot of what  you may want for a generator back up system such as keeping the lights  on and saving the food in the refrigerator.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Automatic Generators:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;&lt;img alt="Automatic Generator" border="0" class="alignLeft" height="126" src="http://www.mistersparkyofwa.com/Portals/94627/images/kohler%20gen-resized-600.JPG" style="float: left;" width="427" /&gt;Automatic  generators are as they imply. Fully automatic in that when the power  goes off it automatically senses the power outage, starts the generator,  and has your home back in power in 10 seconds or less (as is the case  with a Kohler Generator.) Costs are higher usually for the generator and  installation costs are higher as it requires a lot more installation  expertise and wiring between the generator, transfer switch, and main  electrical panel.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Automatic generators run on propane and natural  gas saving you from having to fill the generator throughout the outage  with gasoline.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Automatic generators sense when the power comes  back on and automatically shuts itself off and restores your home back  to normal house power.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Automatic generators exercise themselves weekly to keep the engines in good working order and ready for an outage.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Automatic generators can run your entire home  or most of your home depending on the size of the generator. (They are  capable of starting and running heat pumps and a/c units.)&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Automatic generators can be very quiet these days as they are now as quiet as most heat pumps or A/C units.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;div class="Subheading2"&gt;Automatic generators will kick on even if your  not home so your food in the refrigerator and freezer will be saved plus  keeping the home warm enough above freezing in long outages to keep  plumbing safe.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;h5 class="Subheading2" style="font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;Both options can be very good depending on your  need and we hope this helped you with seeing what both options can and  cant do. If you would like to see what option would best suit your  particular situation please feel free to contact us for a free  no costs, no obligation consultation and we would be happy to help.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;h5 class="Subheading2" style="font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;Thank you Olympia Mister Sparky for sharing! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-1500012918657703368?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/1500012918657703368/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-neighborhood-is-without-powerbut-my.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/1500012918657703368'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/1500012918657703368'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-neighborhood-is-without-powerbut-my.html' title='My neighborhood is without power...but my lights are on!  Why?  Because I have a GENERATOR!'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-8867308528073101378</id><published>2011-09-12T18:20:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-09-12T18:20:53.802-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='seattle'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='service and repair'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><title type='text'>What does Mister Sparky do?</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.clockworkhs.com/mrs_pages/mrs_downloads/mrs_rem_eml.swf"&gt;CLICK HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know a boring post! But I get this question all the time and thought it was time to put it out there.&amp;nbsp; Click on the link about to learn more about us and what an appointment looks like.&amp;nbsp; It is a great video!&amp;nbsp; Let me know if you still have any questions!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-8867308528073101378?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/8867308528073101378/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-does-mister-sparky-do.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/8867308528073101378'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/8867308528073101378'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-does-mister-sparky-do.html' title='What does Mister Sparky do?'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-1471607444465262159</id><published>2011-09-06T17:54:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-09-06T18:00:20.629-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='seattle'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='back to school'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='tips'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='heath'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='safety'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><title type='text'>Is Summer Over? Back to School Tips</title><content type='html'>&lt;div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;The first sign that summer is over is all the kids heading back to school.&amp;nbsp; Tomorrow is the first day back for Seattle Public Schools.&amp;nbsp; We decided to pass along some tips (not electrical this time) to help get the new year off to a good start.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #6600cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;MAKING  THE FIRST DAY EASIER &lt;/b&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Remind  your child that she is       not the only student who is a bit uneasy  about the first day of school.       Teachers know that students are  anxious and will make an extra effort to       make sure everyone feels  as comfortable as possible. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Point  out the positive aspects       of starting school: It will be fun.  She'll see old friends and meet new       ones. Refresh her positive  memories about previous years, when she may       have returned home  after the first day with high spirits because she had a       good time.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Find another child in the       neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on       the bus. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;If you feel it is appropriate,       drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first       day.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #6600cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;BACKPACK  SAFETY&lt;/b&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Choose a       backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Pack  light.       Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack  heavier items       closest to the center of the back. The backpack  should never weigh more       than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body  weight. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Always use       both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain       muscles. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;If  your school       allows, consider a rolling backpack. This type of  backpack may be a good       choice for students who must tote a heavy  load. Remember that rolling       backpacks still must be carried up  stairs, and they may be difficult to       roll in snow.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="color: #6600cc;"&gt;TRAVELING  TO AND FROM SCHOOL &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Review  the basic rules with your youngster:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h1 align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;School Bus&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Wait for the bus to stop before       approaching it from the curb. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Do not move around on the bus. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Check to see that no other       traffic is coming before crossing the street. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Make sure to always remain in       clear view of the bus driver. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Children        should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide  safe access       to the bus or to the school building.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h1 align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Car &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;All passengers should wear a       seat belt and/or an age- and size-appropriate car safety seat or booster       seat. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Your  child should ride in a car       safety seat with a harness as long as  possible and then ride in a       belt-positioning booster seat. Your  child is ready for a booster seat when       she has reached the top  weight or height allowed for her seat, her       shoulders are above the  top harness slots, or her ears have reached the       top of the seat. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Your  child should ride in a       belt-positioning booster seat until the  vehicle's seat belt fits properly       (usually when the child reaches  about 4' 9" in height and is between       8 to 12 years of age). This  means that the child is tall enough to sit       against the vehicle  seat back with her legs bent at the knees and feet       hanging down  and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and        shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across  the       thighs, and not the stomach. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;All  children younger than 13       years of age should ride in the rear seat  of vehicles. If you must drive       more children than can fit in the  rear seat (when carpooling, for       example), move the front-seat  passenger’s seat as far back as possible and       have the child ride  in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit       properly without  it.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Remember  that many crashes       occur while novice teen drivers are going to  and from school. You should       require seat belt use, limit the  number of teen passengers, do not allow       eating, drinking, cell  phone conversations or texting to prevent driver       distraction; and  limit nighttime driving and driving in inclement weather.        Familiarize yourself with your state’s graduated driver license law and        consider the use of a parent-teen driver agreement to facilitate  the early       driving learning process. For a sample parent-teen  driver agreement, see &lt;a href="http://www.healthychildren.org/teendriver"&gt;www.healthychildren.org/teendriver&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h1 align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Bike &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Always wear a bicycle helmet,       no matter how short or long the ride. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Ride on the right, in the same       direction as auto traffic. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Use appropriate hand signals. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Respect traffic lights and stop       signs. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Wear bright color clothing to       increase visibility. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Know the "rules of the       road." &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h1 align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Walking to School &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Make  sure your child's walk to       a school is a safe route with  well-trained adult crossing guards at every       intersection. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Be  realistic about your child's       pedestrian skills. Because small  children are impulsive and less cautious       around traffic, carefully  consider whether or not your child is ready to       walk to school  without adult supervision. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;If  your children are young or       are walking to a new school, walk with  them the first week or until you       are sure they know the route and  can do it safely. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Bright colored clothing will       make your child more visible to drivers. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;In        neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider starting a  “walking       school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of  neighborhood       children walking to school.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #6600cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;EATING  DURING THE SCHOOL DAY&lt;/b&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Most  schools regularly send       schedules of cafeteria menus home. With  this advance information, you can       plan on packing lunch on the  days when the main course is one your child       prefers not to eat. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Try  to get your child's school       to stock healthy choices such as fresh  fruit, low-fat dairy products,       water and 100 percent fruit juice  in the vending machines. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #6600cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;BEFORE  AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE &lt;/b&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;During  early       and middle childhood, youngsters need supervision. A  responsible adult       should be available to get them ready and off to  school in the morning and       watch over them after school until you  return home from work. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Children        approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come  home to an       empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual  maturity for their       age. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;If  alternate       adult supervision is not available, parents should make  special efforts to       supervise their children from a distance.  Children should have a set time       when they are expected to arrive  at home and should check in with a       neighbor or with a parent by  telephone. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;If  you choose       a commercial after-school program, inquire about the  training of the       staff. There should be a high staff-to-child  ratio, and the rooms and the       playground should be safe. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #6600cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;DEVELOPING  GOOD HOMEWORK AND STUDY HABITS&lt;/b&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Create  an       environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters  need a       permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of  the home that       offers privacy. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Schedule ample       time for homework. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Establish a       household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Supervise computer and internet use.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Be available       to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework       for her. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;Take  steps to       help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain  fatigue while studying.       It may be helpful to close the books for a  few minutes, stretch, and take       a break periodically when it will  not be too disruptive. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;If  your child       is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't  able to help her       yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk  it over with your child's       teacher first. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;i style="color: red;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"&gt;Have a good day tomorrow kids! And a fantastic school year!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"&gt;The preceding health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics  (AAP).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-1471607444465262159?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/1471607444465262159/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/09/is-summer-over-back-to-school-tips.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/1471607444465262159'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/1471607444465262159'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/09/is-summer-over-back-to-school-tips.html' title='Is Summer Over? Back to School Tips'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-7656191254537168020</id><published>2011-08-30T11:01:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-30T14:49:13.576-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='seattle'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='economic times'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='savings'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><title type='text'>How Can I Save Money In September?</title><content type='html'>&lt;div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 24pt;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;No one wants to admit it, but these days everyone is looking after their money a little tighter.&amp;nbsp; The economy has been struggling some.&amp;nbsp; Investments aren’t generating the types of returns some had hoped for, and many families really are just trying to make ends meet.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;All these little troubles add up, and everyone has begun tightening their belts a bit.&amp;nbsp; It got me thinking: what are some ways you and I can both save a few extra bucks?&amp;nbsp; Here’s a list I’ve compiled:&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Turn      your thermostat up a couple of degrees in the summer and down in the      winter&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Turn      off unneeded lights in your home&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Downgrade      your cell phone services &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Consolidate      your cable, phone, and Internet services&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;If you      must buy an appliance, buy the energy-efficient versions&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Shop      around for the best gas prices around your home online&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Don’t      drive so fast—slower driving saves gas&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Combine      errands, so you can get them all done in one trip in your car&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Buy      only items on your shopping list&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Cut      out coupons in the paper; ask if one store will accept another store’s      coupons&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Go out      to eat only once a month, and take home leftovers for the next day’s      lunch&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Find      garage or estate sales for furniture or household items&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Go to      a free museum or gallery, rather than paying to see a movie&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Only      keep one credit card, and only use it in an emergency&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"&gt;Do      your best to avoid keeping credit card balances&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;There are hundreds, if not thousands, more ways you can save a few dollars here or there every day.&amp;nbsp; Ultimately, those savings add up.&amp;nbsp; In slower economic times such as these, those little extra savings can mean a great deal.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Another great way to save money is to install compact fluorescent light bulbs!&amp;nbsp; Each regular bulb you replace with one will save you $75 over time!&amp;nbsp; Mention seeing this blog when you book your next service call and we will bring you 3 FREE compact fluorescent bulb packs (9 bulbs)!&amp;nbsp; Call today to schedule 206-246-7123! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;Good luck saving!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td height="5" width="336"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-7656191254537168020?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/7656191254537168020/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-can-i-save-money-in-september.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/7656191254537168020'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/7656191254537168020'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-can-i-save-money-in-september.html' title='How Can I Save Money In September?'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-769876908807443944</id><published>2011-08-24T16:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-24T21:02:46.462-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='faulty plugs'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fire hazard'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='no power'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='electrician'/><title type='text'>Mister Sparky Seattle Explains Simple Solutions</title><content type='html'>A large number of houses have similar electrical problems and many  blame it on the old or outdated wiring, the real solution however is  much simpler than that and one local company has 3 simple solution to  the most common problems&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mister Sparky has been a Seattle electrician  for more than just a few years and has seen the same problems over and  over again and there is almost always a simple solution to it. Generally  the wiring has not gone bad and in most cases it is not difficult to  fix the most common electrical problems old houses experience. Mister Sparky has a few solutions that could prove to be an easy fix and beneficial for the long term:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;If your plug outlets seem loose and can’t hold plugs firmly  anymore than they should be replaced because it could be potentially  hazardous.&lt;br /&gt;2.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Replace 3 prong plugs with 2 prong plugs to avoid any electrical shock and unsafe conditions (where a ground wire is not present), another option for additional shock protection is to install a GFCI.&lt;br /&gt;3.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Faulty light switches might have bad connections and can be easily fixed by an electrician.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Having an experienced electrician  come in and do a full inspection of outlets and switches is very wise. A  professional assessment to discover and replace poorly connected  receptacles will make a huge difference to your electrical performance  and safety.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Home of the Big Red Trucks™, Mister Sparky is a full-service Seattle  electrician. They employ some of the industry’s leading certified  electricians and service professionals endorsed and certified by the  U-WIN® seal of approval to ensure you always get the best and most  prompt service – 100% satisfaction guaranteed. We’re on time, you’ll  see, or the repair is free®!&amp;nbsp; Call today for your no cost, no obligation, electrical home safety inspection ~ 206-246-7123!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-769876908807443944?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/769876908807443944/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/08/mister-sparky-seattle-explains-simple.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/769876908807443944'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/769876908807443944'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/08/mister-sparky-seattle-explains-simple.html' title='Mister Sparky Seattle Explains Simple Solutions'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-6377805022268629042</id><published>2011-07-18T15:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-07-18T15:14:23.849-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mister sparky'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='unlicensed contractor'/><title type='text'>Why should you hire a licensed contractor?</title><content type='html'>When hiring an unlicensed contractor and or acting as your own contractor:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;You may be responsible for the medical and time loss costs of employees injured while working on your project.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;You may be liable for all unpaid taxes.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Your homeowner's insurance may not cover work done by an unlicensed contractor.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The law requires complete disclosure of all work that has been done  on your home, when you sell it. You may be required to do work over  again that has been done without permits or inspections. Non-disclosure  can lead to civil action being taken against you.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;You may be placing yourself and your family in a life-threatening  situation, especially when hiring unlicensed people to install plumbing,  electrical wiring, heating systems or wood stoves.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Suppliers can place a lien on your home for non-payment of materials by your contractor.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Unpaid workers can place a lien on your property.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;When problems arise, your only recourse is a lengthy and costly  civil action, provided there are any assets of value to attach, and if  you can find the contractor responsible for the work.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&amp;nbsp;If you call Mister Sparky you can rest easy!&amp;nbsp; We are licensed, bonded, and insured!&amp;nbsp; Our technicians are drug tested, back ground checked and professionally trained.&amp;nbsp; And best of all "we're on time you'll see or the repair is free!"&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-6377805022268629042?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/6377805022268629042/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-should-you-hire-licensed-contractor.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/6377805022268629042'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/6377805022268629042'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-should-you-hire-licensed-contractor.html' title='Why should you hire a licensed contractor?'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-5307592721081676875</id><published>2011-06-07T09:15:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-06-07T09:15:23.850-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Designing Spaces</title><content type='html'>If you didn't get a chance to watch it live... don't miss watching...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.designingspaces.tv/show_segment.php?id=824"&gt;http://www.designingspaces.tv/show_segment.php?id=824&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-5307592721081676875?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/5307592721081676875/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/06/designing-spaces.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/5307592721081676875'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/5307592721081676875'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/06/designing-spaces.html' title='Designing Spaces'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-8899852675246975733</id><published>2011-04-05T11:54:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-04-05T11:54:47.569-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Fire Tip of the Week...</title><content type='html'>Don't let this be you...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.westseattleherald.com/2011/04/02/news/slideshow-fire-delridge-way-no-injuries-caused-cl"&gt;http://www.westseattleherald.com/2011/04/02/news/slideshow-fire-delridge-way-no-injuries-caused-cl&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;CLEAN the lint out of the dryer!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-8899852675246975733?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/8899852675246975733/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/04/fire-tip-of-week.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/8899852675246975733'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/8899852675246975733'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/04/fire-tip-of-week.html' title='Fire Tip of the Week...'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-5910185417454720335</id><published>2011-03-24T11:00:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-24T11:00:10.319-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Getting and Evaluating Estimates</title><content type='html'>&lt;b&gt;Contractor Bids and Evaluating an Estimate&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Getting bids based on a consistent scope of work and evaluating  estimates are extremely important aspects of successfully hiring a  contractor.  Let’s break it down into sections and address each  component individually.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Scope of Work:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This defines what the contractor is  doing for you.  Make sure it covers all the things you want completed.  It should spell out any preparation work, protection of surrounding  areas, clean up, etc.&amp;nbsp; Reviewing the scope of work between  contractors is an essential element of evaluating their bid estimate.   Here are some things to watch for in the scope of different contractors:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Painter:&lt;/b&gt;  Describe how they are preparing the surface.  This step makes or breaks  a paint job.  Define if they are hand scraping all loose paint (best),  power washing the exterior (be careful as this can damage surrounding  areas and you must wait for the wall to fully dry before proceeding with  work), priming (best), spot priming (OK).  Define the coats of paint,  brand, quality, etc.  Make sure they protect surrounding areas and clean  up any debris. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Landscaper:&lt;/b&gt; When planting trees or shrubs, it is essential that your shrubs and the root balls of your trees are &lt;b&gt;planted below the ground.&lt;/b&gt;   Do not accept the approach of making a shallow hole, then placing the  plant in it and surrounding the root ball with a mound of dirt and  mulch.  Make sure the landscaper removes the wire around the root ball  or unties the twine and places the root ball fully in the ground until  only about 6” extends above ground.  Make sure they guarantee the  installation and life of the plant for a specified period of time.   Understand your responsibilities for watering.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Roofer:&lt;/b&gt;  Roofs rarely leak from shingle failure, they leak from FLASHING  FAILURE. The stuff you typically can’t see is where water gets in.  Make  sure they specify where flashing is used.  Review how they flash an  outside corner of a chimney or wall.  On a brick home, it's best to cut  the brick joints for the flashing and then seal the joint. This is much  better than nailing the flashing to the brick wall and relying on caulk.  If you live in a cold climate, make sure they install a rubber ice /  water shield along the entire edge of your roof extending from the  roof’s edge to at least 24" past the exterior wall.  Make sure they  protect your plants and shrubs and clean up any debris daily.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Plumber:&lt;/b&gt;  If possible, try to negotiate a fixed price for their work.  Cleaning  out a clogged drain is often priced on a “per foot” basis of the  “clean-out snake” used, but some plumbers give a fixed price for this  work.  I highly recommend you pre-select a drain cleaner for emergency  drain clean-outs.  Expect to pay a premium price though for emergency  calls&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Electrician:&lt;/b&gt; Like a plumber, a fixed price for the work, is going to save you time and frustration in the end.&amp;nbsp; With wiring hid behind walls diagnosis time can often take hours.&amp;nbsp; The key to avoiding electrical emergencies is by maintaining your system like you do your car.&amp;nbsp; The NFPA and OSHA recommend annual inspections.&amp;nbsp; Again expect to pay a premium price for emergency calls.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Fine Print&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;What “Is” and “Is Not” Included in the Bid &lt;/b&gt;Sometimes  a contractor must make allowances or assumptions in their bid, such as  material quantity, access to your home, etc.  Also, they will sometimes  specify what they exclude in the bid.  Carefully review assumptions and  exclusions with the contractor.  Question them as to the reasonableness  of any assumptions and exclusions.  Do it in a nice way, but do it.  If  not, these items will likely become a Change Order later.  When you are  evaluating and comparing bids between contractors, assumptions and  exclusions highlight where you have an apple and an orange.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contractor Representations&lt;/b&gt;Here  I’m just concerned with the contractor’s willingness to put in writing  any of the verbal representations he or she has made to you to get the  job.  If they have made oral commitments but won't put them in writing,  that’s a REJECT.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Price &lt;/b&gt;Look for a contract price that  is well broken down, clear and easily understood.  If it is unclear then  they have not taken the time to understand your requirements, the scope  of work, or the job.  I would not necessarily make the selection only  on price. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Incentives&lt;/b&gt;It is extremely important that the contractor NOT offer you a discount or cash incentives for immediately signing the contract. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contract Payment Terms&lt;/b&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Try  to be invoiced by mail after the work is completed, but expect most to  want payment right after work is done.  If they want cash, that’s not a  great sign.  If materials were needed before work can start (e.g.,  roofer or painter), they want an initial payment for materials.  Try to  minimize this amount as much as you can.  I don't recommend you ever pay  more than 33% up front and ONLY agree to that with a very reputable  company.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;SUMMARY:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope this overview provided useful  information on successfully hiring, managing and working with  contractors.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from one of these pros  when needed.  That’s their job 7 days a week. &lt;b&gt;Sometimes it’s just fun to watch someone work on your house and take the weekend for yourself!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div id="by"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;sourced from &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;span class="fn"&gt;Getting Contractor Bids and Evaluating an Estimate&lt;/span&gt;, by &lt;a href="http://homerepair.about.com/bio/Bob-Formisano-17644.htm" rel="author"&gt;Bob Formisano&lt;/a&gt;, About.com Guide&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-5910185417454720335?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/5910185417454720335/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/getting-and-evaluating-estimates.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/5910185417454720335'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/5910185417454720335'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/getting-and-evaluating-estimates.html' title='Getting and Evaluating Estimates'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-815574991766892313</id><published>2011-03-17T12:05:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-17T12:05:50.223-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Happy St. Patrick's Day!</title><content type='html'>May the luck of the Irish be with you today!&amp;nbsp; 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   &lt;o:right v:ext="view" color="black [0]" color2="white [7]"/&gt;    &lt;o:bottom v:ext="view" color="black [0]" color2="white [7]"/&gt;    &lt;o:column v:ext="view" color="black [0]" color2="white [7]"/&gt;   &lt;/v:stroke&gt;   &lt;v:shadow color="#eeece1 [4]"/&gt;   &lt;v:textbox inset="2.88pt,2.88pt,2.88pt,2.88pt"/&gt;   &lt;o:colormenu v:ext="edit" fillcolor="#1f497d [1]" strokecolor="black [0]"   shadowcolor="#eeece1 [4]"/&gt;  &lt;/o:shapedefaults&gt;&lt;o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"&gt;   &lt;o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/&gt;  &lt;/o:shapelayout&gt;&lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;span style="height: 576px; left: 161px; position: absolute; top: 218px; width: 444px; z-index: 1;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-815574991766892313?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/815574991766892313/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/happy-st-patricks-day.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/815574991766892313'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/815574991766892313'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/happy-st-patricks-day.html' title='Happy St. Patrick&apos;s Day!'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6NH3EV-Lmoc/S6DdBJP0ylI/AAAAAAAABi0/h9bP2UDXGZg/s72-c/St.Patrick%27s+Day.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-4325483162196946445</id><published>2011-03-07T15:01:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-03-07T15:01:47.168-08:00</updated><title type='text'>In like a Lion... Out like a Lamb (we hope!)</title><content type='html'>It is March... and Daylight Savings Time Ends this Saturday at midnight!&amp;nbsp; Don't forget to SPRING those clocks ahead an hour.&amp;nbsp; And remember this is a great time to check your smoke detectors.&amp;nbsp; To do so please use a can of smoke, or actual smoke to test it's ability to detect.&amp;nbsp; By pushing the button you are testing the battery life and it's ability to make noise.&amp;nbsp; I don't know about you... but I want the peace of mind of knowing it can detect smoke if the time comes.&amp;nbsp; If we can be of service, please give us a call.&amp;nbsp; We offer this service at no cost or obligation.&amp;nbsp; Safety comes first! 1-88-88-SPARKY&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-4325483162196946445?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/4325483162196946445/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/in-like-lion-out-like-lamb-we-hope.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/4325483162196946445'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/4325483162196946445'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/in-like-lion-out-like-lamb-we-hope.html' title='In like a Lion... Out like a Lamb (we hope!)'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-566421814514821618.post-8361336276683487384</id><published>2011-03-03T16:55:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-03-03T17:11:47.016-08:00</updated><title type='text'>New Blog</title><content type='html'>If you are reading this... then you found us at our new blog!&amp;nbsp; We are committed to blogging and educating the public about electricity.&amp;nbsp; Please pass it on and follow us on the right!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/566421814514821618-8361336276683487384?l=mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/feeds/8361336276683487384/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-blog.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/8361336276683487384'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/566421814514821618/posts/default/8361336276683487384'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://mistersparkyseattle.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-blog.html' title='New Blog'/><author><name>WL -- Mister Sparky Seattle</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00869798616137383751</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='26' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ai67wbF120k/TXVclqRjaNI/AAAAAAAAAHA/gn8pWR1zoJU/s220/wendy.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
