Palmer Electric Technology Energy Services Inc

Information may not be reliable

By Nick Brigulio
Custom Home Theater can be tricky. What kind of TV do I want? Do I even want a TV or would a High Definition projector be better for my theater? What kind of DVD player or receiver. Do I need an amp? What is the difference between an amp and a receiver? This is just the beginning of what starts to swirl through my head as I think of all the different ways to accomplish my goal. The most ultimate home theater on the block! A place to watch Monday night football with the boys. Or watch a race and hear the roar of NASCAR on my surround sound. I want a place where my wife can curl up in a blanket with just me and a bag of popcorn to watch her favorite documentary. Or have all her friends over for one of her Desperate Housewives get-togethers. I dream of a theater that will shock and awe while it entertains my friends and family in the comfort of my home. Slap a PS3 or XBOX 360 in the mix and its the ultimate gaming experience. Not to mention the internet, Facebook, YouTube and Hulu all at my fingertips. There are just so many possibilities. A great home theater room can be an experience on many levels, if its done right. So, how do you do it right? As I mentioned at the beginning of this article there is a plethora of equipment that can be bought. Not to mention the dcor. Lighting and furniture can also be a big influence on the experience.
The first thing I would do is find a good partner to advise me on what I need for my Home Theater. This is where P.E.T.E.S. comes into play. We want this to be enjoyable. Home Theater is fun and we are willing to hold your hand through the whole process to make it so. Here at P.E.T.E.S we have created relationships with the best manufacturers of Home Theater Audio Video equipment and furniture in the business. We can sit down with you and discuss what your needs are and how to meet them.
The next thing we need to do is develop a budget. At least put a number on paper. You can always go back and change this. I remember a story my cousin told me about putting a budget together with his fianc for their wedding. What was going to be spent and where they were going to spend it. Not days later, after agreeing on the budget, he noticed they were spending outside the budget. He asked his fiance, now wife, why they were spending more than they had budgeted? Her response was simple, the budget is wrong. My point is this; it can be a work in progress. There is always going to be compromise and a little give and take when it comes to big decisions. Home Theater can be an expensive big decision. Working with a professional can help guide you through this process.
Then its off to work. Like I said this can be tricky. Whats the size and shape of your room? Where and how many electrical outlets are there? Do you want 5.1, 7.1, or the latest in audio 9.2 channels of surround sound? In-wall or bookshelf speakers and what size tower speakers for the front? Custom theater seating or a custom couch? DONT LET THESE THINGS OVERWHELM YOU. The relationships we have made here at P.E.T.E.S. will help make these decisions uncomplicated. Here are just a few names of the top of the line products we carry for custom installation:

Sound proofing: Primacoustic, they provide material to sound proof walls, floors, and ceilings.
Distributed Audio: Sonance and Russound are two manufacturers we use to distribute audio through different zones in your house if you want to go that direction.
Remote Control: Control4, Rti, and URC. There are 5 and 7 LCD touchscreen remotes that control your entire entertainment system. No more fumbling around with 2, 3, or 4 remotes now you just have 1. These can control a lot more than your Home Theater, but first things first.
Furniture/Dcor : Sanus, Bello, Image Improved.

Feel free to visit any of these companies websites for ideas but when it comes time for design and implementation rely on P.E.T.E.S. We are here to make your life easier and we are working on home theater projects daily. P.E.T.E.S. is a one stop shop that offers consulting on room design, product selection, and complete installation. Technology changes so quickly now, you have to be prepared for what is coming down the road. The best way to prepare is to talk to a professional and have a partner in the business, P.E.T.E.S.

Raffle for Award-Winning Student Built House Extended…
Want to win a house for $100? Ticket buyers now have more chances to purchase tickets, extending the original date of September 26 for the drawing! The Missoula Building Industry Association and its partners have decided to give the public more chances to buy tickets through January 2, 2011.
The Grand Prize home, valued at $340,000, was constructed by the Building Futures Program, a community partnership with MBIA, the University of Montana College of Technology Carpentry Program and The Flagship Program.
To date, about 2,400 tickets have been sold, with more than 900 sold within the past week. The minimum number of tickets that will be purchased before the house is raffled is 3,500. Not more than 5,000 tickets will be sold.
We thank the people who are supporting us, and we hope to get more support for the program going forward, said Michelle Felde, chair of the Building Futures Program.
Felde thanked all of the current ticket holders for continuing to spread the word about the raffle and sustaining the program. Current ticket holders will receive information about the extension in the mail as early as Wednesday, September 29.
Proceeds from the sale of the raffle will be used to continue the program, which has allowed students to garner hands-on experience as well as the opportunity to explore a career in the building industry. The students have participated in everything from excavation to carpentry finish work.
This beautiful 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home is located at 2604 Roderick Way. During the Parade of Homes & Remodeling Tour, the home received many prestigious accolades, including, the Notable Kitchen, Site Integration and Overall Design awards in its category. Dara Wilson of Daras Home Design provided staging services and was awarded with a Memorable Dcor award. The home also tied with Edgell Building & Developments The Westwood for the Craftsmanship award.
In addition to the Grand Prize home, three other prizes will be awarded: first prize, a $20,000 car; second prize, a $10,000 boat or recreational vehicle; and third prize, a $5,000 home entertainment system.
Tickets are available at the MBIA office, 1840 South Ave. W; First Security Bank, 2601 Garfield; Rosauers on Reserve Street; the College of Technology, 909 South Ave. W.;Junkermier, Clark, Campanella & Stevens, 2620 Connery Way in Missoula; Community Bank, 3010 American Way; Caras Management Company, 401 SW Higgins;all 4 Loose Caboose locations and Culligan Water Conditioning, 2020 Ernest Ave. For more information and contest rules visit our website www.buildmissoula.com or www.missoulastudentbuilthouse.org.
Many individuals, businesses and organizations have come forward with donations for the project. The community partners are thankful to them for their support.

During the mid 60s to early 70s (65-73) approximately 1.5 million houses in the United States were wired with aluminum rather than copper. This was done because of a price spike in copper during the mid 60s. This wiring has been linked to many fires because of faulty aluminum wires since that time. According to studies conducted by the National Fire Protection Association, houses wired with aluminum are 55 times more likely to have a connection that reach a fire hazard. We see quite a bit of aluminum wiring in Montana and in a recent visit to an aluminum wired house saw multiple burned outlets caused by bad aluminum connections. This prompted us to write this article to educate our customers on the risks involved with aluminum wiring. More »