Well, it’s the Sunday in Spring after the 2am morning change where we switch from Standard Time to Daylight Savings Time. Most people remember the “Spring Forward Fall Back” mnemonic to help remember what to do when. The writer of this Blog Post tried to go to bed an hour earlier last night to help ease into the time change of the loss of the hour’s sleep, or at least time, from our schedule as we move forward until next fall. Just after winding all of our new and antique grandfather clocks.
The good news is that it will now be lighter, with natural sunshine across the USA, later in the day. And theoretically at least, we as a country are supposed to use less energy as a result of the extra amount of sunshine, balanced with the mornings being naturally brighter as we move from Winter to Spring. Not sure this has ever been proven in any definitive study, but the basic theory is sound.
Over the years, the US Congress has switched the dates as to when Daylight Savings Time (DST) and Standard Tine (ST) start and stop. Aside from being time and tempo aficionados, you may wonder how or why we are so keenly aware of this change when it is made by the Government? Well, one reason is that we sell some clocks which have what is know as an Autoset mechanism. What this feature does, is automatically move the time forward one hour during the spring at the designated day, and the time backwards one hour on the designated day in the winter. Sounds straightforward! Sounds great for our customers too! But what happens when Congress decides to fiddle with the actual dates when these time changes take place. Well, this happened just a couple of years ago, and boy did that cause problems for our customers and us. All of the sudden, their clocks were changing time forwards and backwards on the wrong days!!
For those customers with the forethought to contact us, we were able to either send replacement movements or completely new clocks which had the NEW correct time and hour and DATE coded into them as to when to make the time change. Many clocks shoppers and customers, though, contacted us after the problem became apparent. We were able to make all of the customers eventually satisfied by replacing their clocks with the appropriate movements or replacement wall clocks. Most of these clocks are used in institutional organizations, such as hospitals clocks, schools clocks, or factory clocks, or corporate clocks throughout an organization.
Atomic wall clocks obviate the need for this potential problem and solutions, as they set their time EXACTLY according to the atomic time on the atomic clock in Fort Collins Colorado. So it may take an individual clock a few hours to pick up the revised signal, but it is smart enough to make the change by itself for itself. This is one big advantage of atomic clocks, aside from keeping absolutely incredibly accurate time. The only downside to the atomic clock is that some may not be able to pick up the atomic signal, particularly if they are in buildings with very thick concrete walls. This is occasionally as issue for our clocks shopping customers, and we always try to make clocks discount hunters aware of the potential downside when considering this kind of wall clocks. Happily, in most instances, it’s not an issue or problem.
Now what about the Monday following the change in Daylight Savings Time. As a clocks shop employee, where we sell many types of grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, antique clocks of all kinds, not to mention atomic clocks and Autoset Clocks, I personally dread those Monday mornings? Why, you might ask? Well, the reason is that most calls on Monday begin with How do I change the time on my grandfather clock, wall clocks, mantle clocks or whatever clock, new or antique. This is true regardless whether the brand is Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, Hermle Clocks, Kieninger Clocks selection, or Bulova clocks, Antique clocks too — and an antique grandfather clcok wik have special considerations regarding what NOT to do to change the time that will not apply with a newer Howard Miller grandfather clock or one of the Ridgeway or Hermle grandfather clocks.
Maybe I will take tomorrow off 🙂 . But nope, I love clocks of all kinds, and like-love most all of the clocks shoppers, whether they are always looking for discount grandfather clocks or grandfather clocks on sale.
What was that clocks vow I took — “for better or worse”, “in sickness and in health, including changes in Daylight Savings Time”.
We at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com will be open tomorrow to help all of our past and present grandfather, wall, mantle, autoset, atomic, mantel, and antique clocks shoppers.
p.s. be sure not to not forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. The semi-annual changes in time with DST are a great time to do that. Also, you may want to look at how many years old your smoke detectors are, and whether it is time to invest in new ones which will both (hopefully) definitely work and have the latest in technology. It could just save the lives of you and your loved ones!