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Author: Alyssa Heuchert

Get out and get green

We’re lucky to live in Manitoba. From the sweeping prairie landscape to urban forests, our province offers so many places to explore. This spring, we here at Efficiency Manitoba challenge you to get out and enjoy the province’s wealth of natural spaces.

**EAT AND SHOP LOCAL**

Few things are more delicious than farm-fresh produce. This spring, visit one of the many farmers’ markets in the province. Not only will you be supporting the local economy, but you’ll get to enjoy the sunshine and do your grocery shopping all at once. Learn more about homegrown produce and find a market in your area.

**GET INTO MOTION**

Did you know that The Great Trail (formerly called the Trans Canada Trail) is the world’s longest recreational trail? Challenge yourself to walk, run, or cycle The Great Trail in Manitoba. Be sure to stop at the historical sites, parks, and attractions you discover along the way. Find a trail near you today.

**DISCOVER MORE**

For more information and events, check out the links below.

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I just moved into a new house and it has a heat recovery ventilator. How do I use it?

As of 2011, all new homes are required to have a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). An HRV brings in outside air, which is pre-heated by heat recovered from outgoing warm exhaust air. The heated outside air is distributed to the home to replace air that is exhausted from the kitchen and bathrooms.

Many HRVs only have basic controls, where the fans run continuously on low speed and never shut off. Wall switches in the bathrooms and kitchen and a humidity control are typically used to switch the HRV fans to high speed.

In homes with low occupancy, running the HRV continuously at low speed may be excessive and result in uncomfortably low humidity and higher heating costs. Although 60% of the exhaust air heat is recovered, there is still a cost to heat the other 40% that is lost. If this is your situation, consider installing an advanced HRV control, which allows the HRV fan to be off for 20 or 40 minutes of every hour. Advanced controls can help you save money while matching your ventilation needs to your lifestyle.

Denton
Mechanical Engineer

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What’s the difference between EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR®?

While EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR labels both give you valuable information about an appliance’s efficiency, they mean very different things. The EnerGuide label shows you how much electricity an appliance will use in a year and compares its performance with similar products. ENERGY STAR, on the other hand, is an internationally recognized program that labels the most energy efficient products on the market.

We recommend choosing ENERGY STAR certified appliances; they’re in the top 10 to 30% of their class in energy performance.

All appliances sold in Canada have an EnerGuide label, but not all appliances are ENERGY STAR certified. So to sum it up, two labels are better than one!

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How do I make sure I get the most out of my LED bulbs and fixtures?

Not all LED bulbs and fixtures are created equally. Quality and cost vary significantly, and you often get what you pay for. Here are some tips to make sure you get the most bang for your buck:

  • Read the packaging to make sure you’re using the LED for its designed purpose. Otherwise, it could fail early.
  • Look for the blue ENERGY STAR® logo on your LED packaging. ENERGY STAR certified products are tested for quality, performance, and long life.
  • If your dimmable LED bulb flickers when you use a dimmer switch, the switch may not be LED-compatible. Be sure to check the information on the dimmer package before you buy.
  • If you’re using your LED outside, look at the minimum operating temperature to make sure it’s suitable for our harsh winters.

Even if you follow these instructions, there’s a slight chance that your LED could be faulty and fail early. Luckily, ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs and fixtures come with a minimum 3-year warranty, so hang on to your receipts in case you need a replacement.

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