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Blog_1236

Having the right appliances in your home can make a world of difference when it comes to paying your utility bill every month.

<img alt="GE Knows How to Be Energy Efficient" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-9963" height="683" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/2018/04/GE-Knows-How-to-Be-Energy-Efficient-1024x683.jpg" width="1024" /> 	Having the right appliances in your home can make a world of difference when it comes to paying your utility bill every month. Some kitchen appliances that haven&rsquo;t been updated or some that have issues such as leaks can cost you more in the long run. It&rsquo;s better to go out and buy a refrigerator or washing machine in that&rsquo;s in good shape than hold onto one that does its job poorly. 	We understand it&rsquo;s hard to let go and spend the money on something else, but you must realize, you&rsquo;ll actually be saving money! So, when the time comes where you decide to replace your appliances, we recommend going with GE. They are known for producing energy efficient appliances that are made to conserve energy and the environment. <h2> 	Energy Star Certified</h2> 	The Energy Star program is aimed at helping business and individuals save money while also protecting the environment through the use of superior energy efficiency. The only way to earn the &ldquo;Energy Star&rdquo; label is by testing the products in EPA-recognized laboratories. 	GE now has been Energy Star certified for numerous appliances including refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, chest freezers, and more! One of the best parts about GE Energy Star certified products is that they don&rsquo;t sacrifice performance to save on energy. <h2> 	The Price of Saving Energy</h2> 	You may not think it&rsquo;s worth it to have an &ldquo;energy efficient&rdquo; refrigerator, but when you start looking at how Energy Star certified appliances affect your monthly bills, you&rsquo;ll think differently. 	GE Energy Star Refrigerators are at least 20% more energy efficient than standard models! Think of it this way: In 1980, it cost about $205 to run a refrigerator a year. Now GE Energy star models cost about $50 a year to run. 	When the time comes to buy a new appliance, take some time to look at GE Energy Star Certified appliances. You&rsquo;ll get back more than what you paid for! 	Isabelle, Your Appliance Expert

Having the right appliances in your home can make a world of difference when it comes to paying your utility bill every month. Some kitchen appliances that haven’t been updated or some that have issues such as leaks ca

GE Knows How to Be Energy Efficient

Great tips on how you can keep your septic system working properly, without sacrificing your favourite appliances (like the cottage dishwasher!).

<img alt="" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/public/Summer-Cottage-Large-.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 667px;" /> 	Warmer weather is here and for many Canadians that means packing up the family vehicle and heading into the wild to our cabins, cottages, and campgrounds. This means a change in routines, it means entire days spent wearing flips flops and bathing suits, it means food on the grill, and marshmallows over the fire at night.&nbsp; But it also means changes to our appliance use.&nbsp; Why? Because many rural, cottage, and lakefront properties are on a septic system and if they aren&rsquo;t cared for properly, you could be in for a stinky mess. 	We&rsquo;ve got some great tips on how you can keep your septic system working properly, without sacrificing your favourite appliances (like the cottage dishwasher!). With septic systems being the largest polluter to our beautiful lakes, you&rsquo;ll want to keep these tips in mind on your next trip north. 	Dishwasher: <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		To maximize efficiency, only run your dishwasher when it&rsquo;s full.</li> 	<li> 		Avoid the use of rinse aids (they kill the good bacteria), use lemon juice instead.</li> 	<li> 		It takes only ONE load of dishes using a regular detergent to kill ALL the good bacteria in your system for up to 70 hours &ndash; instead use septic friendly products&nbsp;(look for a statement on the front of the package stating no bleach &amp; no phosphates).</li> </ul> 	Washing Machine: <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		Use washing soda or oxygen bleach instead of chlorine bleach.</li> 	<li> 		Use phosphate free detergents.</li> 	<li> 		Use peroxide stain removers.</li> 	<li> 		Wait for laundry load to finish before draining a bath or taking a shower.</li> </ul> 	Using washing soda or oxygen bleach in your laundry will not only whiten and brighten your clothes, but also help to keep the septic system healthy. 	Sinks, Tubs, Toilets, and Showers: <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		Avoid use of all antibacterial products (like antibacterial hand soap).</li> 	<li> 		Use low-flow shower heads &amp; keep your showers short to reduce water usage.</li> 	<li> 		Use non-phosphate cleaning products.</li> 	<li> 		Use one cup baking soda followed by three cups boiling water (plus one cup vinegar if needed) for unclogging drains, instead of commercial products.</li> 	<li> 		Limit how often you flush (many cottages often have a little sign above the toilet, &ldquo;if it&rsquo;s yellow let it mellow, if it&rsquo;s brown let it drown &ndash; now you know why!:))</li> 	<li> 		Make sure you&rsquo;re using septic safe toilet paper. Not all toilet paper is septic safe and can often be the cause of unnecessary clogs. 		<ul> 			<li> 				To test if your paper is septic safe: Get a clear bottle or jar. Put in two cups of water and 4-5 sheets of your toilet paper. Give it a shake. If the paper disintegrates and is suspended in the water it is safe for your system. If it clumps, it&rsquo;s not.</li> 		</ul> 	</li> </ul> 	In General: <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		Bacon is good. Bacon grease down the drain is bad. Never put cooking grease down the drains; in your septic system it is likely to solidify and clog pipes. You might also look at installing a grease interceptor between the kitchen sink and the septic tank.</li> </ul> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		Basically, if it didn&rsquo;t come out of your body (naturally), don&rsquo;t put it into your septic system. This means no cigarette butts, paper towels, sanitary tampons, condoms, disposable diapers, anything plastic or other similar non-biodegradables should go into a septic tank system. Dispose of them in the regular garbage.</li> </ul> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		Because septic systems use water to work properly, sending too much in at one time can cause trouble. Ideally, don&rsquo;t use your washer and your dishwasher at the same time and limit how many loads of laundry you do in a day to two (ideally one).</li> </ul> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> 	<li> 		Oil, gasoline, paint thinners, solvents, photographic chemicals, weed or insect killers, as well as some drugs, can poison your septic system and possibly threaten water supplies for your whole neighbourhood or lake -- never put them down your drains.</li> </ul> 	Now you can keep using your favourite appliances AND keep your septic system working properly, it&rsquo;s win win! 	Further links &amp; Resources: <ul> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		For an excellent guide to septic use, click <a href="http://www.ovhi.ca/library/Septic_HomeOwnersGuideTo.pdf" style="color: #0033ff;" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</li> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		<a href="http://www.uoguelph.ca/orwc/Resources/documents/care_and_feeding.pdf" style="color: #0033ff;" target="_blank">University of Guelph</a> has a wonderful resource for care as well.</li> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		The Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Association has a <a href="http://www.cohpoa.org/septic-health/" style="color: #0033ff;" target="_blank">handy video and great tips</a> as well.</li> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		<a href="https://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/septic_systems.pdf" style="color: #0033ff;" target="_blank">Federation of Ontario Cottage Owners Association</a></li> </ul>

Warmer weather is here and for many Canadians that means packing up the family vehicle and heading into the wild to our cabins, cottages, and campgrounds.

Summer Cottage Prep: Septic Safe Appliance Use

When sizing an exhaust fan for your kitchen, you must consider the location of the range, the size of the range (and hood, if you have one), and the size of your kitchen.

<img alt="Kitchen Ventilation" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/public/Kitchen-Ventilation_Closeup---Copy-Large-1.jpg" style="width: 1631px; height: 1080px;" /> 	When sizing an exhaust fan for your kitchen, you must consider the location of the range, the size of the range (and hood, if you have one), and the size of your kitchen. It is important that your ventilation system meet the Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) capacity as determined by the aforementioned factors. Otherwise, you will not properly exhaust odours, moisture, smoke, and other air contaminants, resulting in poor home air quality. 	A ventilation fan should meet at least the minimum standard CFM to provide proper exhaust. According to the Home Ventilation Institute (HVI): <ul> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		a range against a wall requires 100 CFM per linear foot of range</li> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		a range in an island requires 150 CFM per linear foot of range</li> </ul> 	If in doubt, refer to the rule of thumb: calculate 100 CFM for every 10 000 BTU of range, and you should have adequate ventilation. Just be sure to buy the right size for your space.

When sizing an exhaust fan for your kitchen, you must consider the location of the <a href="http://www.brandsource.ca/bscen/appliances/cooking/ranges.html">range</a>, the size of the range (and hood, i

Kitchen Ventilation: Size Matters!

While fresh air is great, cracking open a window just isn’t enough to properly vent your kitchen space. For instance, you can’t control the uniformity of your air circulation: Mother Nature is always

<img alt="" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/public/Ventilation_Myths.jpeg" style="width: 1280px; height: 853px;" /> 	You don&rsquo;t need ventilation if you just open a window. 	While fresh air is great, cracking open a window just isn&rsquo;t enough to properly vent your kitchen space. For instance, you can&rsquo;t control the uniformity of your air circulation: Mother Nature is always changing wind speed and direction, not to mention temperature! And no one wants the window to stay open for too long during the winter deep freeze. In addition, open windows let in all sorts of dust, pollen and noise, resulting in low air quality. 	You can always trust what the manufacturer says about product performance. 	You&rsquo;ve heard the saying: you can&rsquo;t always believe what you read. Well, that goes for product promotion, too. Some manufacturers have been known to exaggerate the performance of their products, so it is always best to go with a Home Ventilation Institute (HVI)-certified product. That&rsquo;s your guarantee that the product will perform as indicated. 	More powerful fans cost more. 	Modern ventilation systems are highly efficient, both in performance and in energy usage. Look for the Energy Star Label and you can&rsquo;t go wrong! 	All kitchen fans are noisy. 	Modern fans are as quiet as they are powerful. Look for products with HVI-certified sound ratings of 1.0 sones or less for very quiet ventilation. 	A quality fan will work well no matter how it is installed. 	Even the best fan won&rsquo;t work if it isn&rsquo;t installed properly. Install as per the manufacturer&rsquo;s instructions and use adequate duct runs that are as short and straight as possible, with tightly sealed connections.

While fresh air is great, cracking open a window just isn’t enough to properly vent your kitchen space. For instance, you can’t control the uniformity of your air circulation: Mother Nature is always changing wind spee

Kitchen Ventilation Myths Debunked!

Thanks to a new generation of effective, quiet, energy-efficient exhaust fans and controls, you can enjoy optimal performance.

<img alt="" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/public/Ventilation-Check-List.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 667px;" /> 	Thanks to a new generation of effective, quiet, energy-efficient exhaust fans and controls, you can enjoy optimal performance and energy savings. Look for: <ul> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) rating. This is your guarantee that the product does what it says it does!</li> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		ENERGY STAR label for highest energy efficiency</li> 	<li style="text-align: justify;"> 		replaceable parts and permanent lubrication</li> </ul> 	When making your choice, consider how, what and how often you cook. If you frequently cook on high settings (frying or grilling), opt for a more powerful hood to extract fumes and moisture from the kitchen. Also, if you entertain with guests helping out in the kitchen, you may want to consider the noise level of the hood; directly linked with the airflow, the more powerful the hood, the noisier it may be. 	Keep in mind that even the highest quality fan won&rsquo;t work efficiently if it isn&rsquo;t installed properly, so be sure to seal the deal with proper installation and adequate ductwork, as per manufacturer&rsquo;s instructions.

Thanks to a new generation of effective, quiet, energy-efficient exhaust fans and controls, you can enjoy optimal performance and energy savings.

Kitchen Ventilation: A Check List

Ventilation is basically a means of providing fresh air. It involves infiltration, distribution, and circulation.

<img alt="" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/public/Kitchen-Ventilation.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 753px;" /> 	Ventilation is basically a means of providing fresh air. It involves infiltration (fresh air from outside), distribution (air movement from room to room with fans and ducting systems), and circulation (air movement within a room). Every home needs ventilation to protect us from unhealthy indoor pollutants and to protect the house from excess moisture and heat. Furthermore, because modern homes are built airtight, mechanical ventilation is truly essential for optimal air quality. 	Kitchens require intermittent ventilation &ndash; in the form of a range hood or downdraft vent &ndash; to control moisture, odours and smoke (some kitchens more than others!). We can&rsquo;t always open a window &ndash; in the depths of January or the dog days of August &ndash; so that&rsquo;s where mechanical ventilation comes into play. 	A range hood is considered the most effective form of kitchen ventilation. It consists of a fan and enclosure designed to capture and exhaust the heat, odours, gases, grease, steam and smoke produced by cooking. A fan pulls air from directly over the cooking surface to expel moisture, odours, and contaminants outside. 	Today you will find Energy Star-qualified hoods on the market. They feature LED and compact fluorescent lighting and highly energy-efficient motors to suck up smoky air and steam without sucking money out of your wallet!

Ventilation is basically a means of providing fresh air. It involves infiltration (fresh air from outside), distribution (air movement from room to room with fans and ducting systems), and circulation (air movement wit

Is Kitchen Ventilation Necessary?

There are two main options when it comes to kitchen ventilation: an updraft range hood or a downdraft vent.

<img alt="" src="https://d6y5eqdcxq8w3.cloudfront.net/magento-media/blog/canada/public/Ventilation_Draft.jpeg" style="width: 1280px; height: 959px;" /> 	There are two main options when it comes to kitchen ventilation: an updraft range hood or a downdraft vent. Which is better depends on your needs, space, and budget. 	Updraft ventilation consists of a vent (or hood) located over a range. Air is sucked up into the fan, passes through filters, and is either exhausted outdoors through a metal duct or re-circulated back into the kitchen. This type of ventilation is the most effective for removing air as the vent is directly above the cooking surface, and can be incorporated as a design element into your kitchen d&eacute;cor. 	If you choose to re-circulate, you will need an additional replaceable charcoal filter to clean the air that returns to the kitchen. 	The downside to updraft ventilation (pardon the pun) is keeping the apparatus clean: filters must be checked, cleaned and in some cases changed regularly and the vent may be difficult to clean.&nbsp; Some fans are noisy &ndash; do a sound-check before you buy. And the more sophisticated the design, the more costly the apparatus. 	However, if you do a lot of grilling or frying, you should consider updraft ventilation, vented to the outside. Your kitchen will stay ultimately cleaner and fresher-smelling. 	Downdraft ventilation is integrated into a base cabinet (counter or island) with vents located on the sides, back and in some cases the centre of the cooktop.&nbsp; Some models feature a separate blower with a vent that rises up behind the cooktop when you are cooking and then recedes back into the base when not in use. Some even come with a remote control! 	If the foods you cook and the techniques you use generate more steam than anything else, or if you have an island cooktop in a location that can&rsquo;t support a hood, a downdraft vent could be your best choice.&nbsp; Keep in mind that while this type of ventilation is easy to clean and effective for whisking away odours and smoke where a hood wouldn&rsquo;t work, it does not exhaust steam from taller pots and pans very well.&nbsp; Also, it may &ldquo;steal&rdquo; some heat from your cooktop.

There are two main options when it comes to kitchen ventilation: an updraft range hood or a downdraft vent. Which is better depends on your needs, space, and budget.

Kitchen Ventilation: Updraft vs. Downdraft

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