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Topics

• Homepage
• Electricity-Saving Products

• Awnings
• Dehumidifiers
• Dimmers
• Electric Water Heater Blankets
• Electrostatic or Pleated Fabric Furnace Filters
• ENERGY STAR® Qualified Light Fixtures
• ENERGY STAR qualified CFL Flood and Spotlights
• ENERGY STAR qualified Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
• Motion Sensors
• T8 Fluorescent Tube Light Fixtures and Ballasts
• Pipe Wrap
• Plug-in Heavy-Duty Timers forAbove-Ground Pools & Spas
• Toilets
• Window Air Conditioners
• Window Film

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ENERGY STAR® Qualified Light Fixtures

Topping the list of “must have’s” this spring are those attractive light fixtures that have earned the ENERGY STAR rating – a distinction that goes to fixtures offering superior quality and the highest level of electricity efficiency available in the marketplace today. Now available in all shapes and sizes, you can choose from an ever-growing selection of ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures for every room in your home, including portable ones such as table, desk and floor lamps. Check out the selection of hard-wired options for your porch, dining room, kitchen ceiling and under-cabinet, hallway ceiling and wall, bathroom and even ceiling fans. If you're thinking about purchasing a ceiling fan with a light fixture, make sure it's ENERGY STAR qualified. Visit your favourite home centre, lighting showroom or specialty retailer to see what’s in store.

An ENERGY STAR qualified fixture:

• Uses just 25% of the electricity of standard light fixtures
• Saves electricity and money on bills and bulb replacements since the bulbs last at least 10,000 hours or about 7 years of regular use –an excellent choice for hard to reach fixtures
• Has a 2-year warranty; double the industry standard
• Offers features such as dimming on some indoor models and automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensor on some outdoor models

 

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ENERGY STAR qualified CFL Flood and Spotlights

We know it takes time to replace all of the inefficient bulbs in your home. But chances are you’ve already got at least a few of those curly and efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) installed. And that’s great.

Did you know the CFL has grown up? These energy efficient superstars now come in so many varieties – including ones that look just like those inefficient incandescents in your pot lights. So when the time comes to replace the bulbs in your pot light fixtures, look for the CFLs that are widely available for flood and spotlights.

When shopping for your CFL Flood and Spotlights, consider:

• Size. Take the measurements of the bulb you’re currently using and match the CFL as closely as possible to both the width and length of the bulb.
• Dimmability. If your pot light circuit has a dimmer switch, choose CFLs whose packaging states the product can be used with dimmer switches.
• Flood or spotlight. Most pot lights use floodlights which cast a wide lighting pattern while outdoor lights often focus in on a particular spot.
• Approved usage. For outside use, be sure to choose bulbs approved for use outdoors.
• Colour. To keep the yellow/orange light of an incandescent bulb buy soft white or warm white CFLs, for a whiter light purchase the cool white CFL.

Shopping for Bulbs?
Here’s a guide for choosing replacements

 

Current Fixture/Bulb Type		Locations	CFL Suggestions
Pot lights with PAR bulbs 50, 75, 100 watt		Kitchen Living room	23W PAR shaped CFL

 

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T8 Fluorescent Tube Light Fixtures and Ballasts

T8s – They’re Great! Using one-third less electricity than their T12 counterparts, there’s money – and electricity - to be saved. And you know that annoying hum? That’s gone down the tubes too.

Until recently, the T8s have been the "go to" fixture of choice for in industrial and commercial purposes. Now homeowners can be excited about bringing the benefits of T8s home. Using an electronic ballast, the T8 fluorescent tube fixture has many advantages over the T12 tube fixture. Not sure what kind of fixtures you have? If your bulbs are 1 inch in diameter and the fixtures don't hum, you're likely using the most efficient T8 tube. T12 tubes are 1 1/2 inches in diameter and have an audible hum.

The T8 fixtures are:

• highly energy efficient using 35% less electricity
• better able to keep up their light level. All fluorescent tubes experience a decrease in the amount of light they emit over time and the T8s only have an 8% lifetime lighting reduction as opposed to 40% for the T12s. The T8s are also much quieter (the electronic ballasts don't "hum" like the magnetic ones found in the older T12s)
• able to light up quickly without any delay or flickering (a magnetic ballast needs to warm up but an electronic one doesn't)
• available as a separate plug-in or hard-wired fixture

Still Love Your Old Fixtures but Want the Savings?

Keep your old fixtures but buy replacement ballasts. Replace the old tubes with the T8 tubes then you’re ready to turn on the savings.

 

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Plug-in Heavy-Duty Timers for Above-Ground Pools & Spas

 

It's true! Your pool is likely the second highest electricity hog in your house, just behind your air conditioner. But it doesn't have to be this way. To keep your pool sparkling clean and chemically balanced, run your pump for just 12 hours, instead of around the clock. If you’re interested in saving a boatload of energy and cash, install a heavy-duty timer that’ll run your pump from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. only. This way, your pool will stay clean without cleaning out your wallet. This also works for spas and hot tubs.

Why Shouldn’t I Use a Timer with my Gas Pool Heater?

Since gas pool heaters reach a much higher temperature than electric ones do, turning off the pump without any thought of the heater means the residual heat of a gas heater could damage some of the plastic pipes of fixtures.  If you do have a gas heater, you need a timer sophisticated enough to be able to turn off the heater 20 minutes earlier than the pump – often known as the Fireman’s Switch.

 

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Electrostatic or Pleated Fabric Furnace Filters

Every forced-air heating and cooling system needs a clean, good quality filter. They help to keep the air you breathe clean and they work to keep your heating and cooling systems operating as efficiently as they were designed to. Over time, they become clogged with dust and particles. Then the airflow through the ducts is reduced, the air conditioning coils get coated with dust so the fan has to work harder and the furnace has to run longer to distribute the heated or cooled air around the house. This additional stress on your heating and cooling systems causes them to draw a great deal more electricity. We recommend that you change your filter (or clean it if it’s reusable) every month during the peak heating season. Something as simple as dirty filters wastes energy overworks your equipment and provides poor indoor air quality.

Not all furnace filters are created equal. The flat filters have a texture like cotton candy and are typically lower-efficiency types. Look instead to the pleated filters which are more efficient or to electrostatic filters which are highly efficient and remove almost all particulates and contaminants.

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Dimmers

When it comes to dimmers, there’s a lot to choose from – rotary, slide or switch styles.  If you use incandescent light bulbs, using a dimmer switch helps you control the amount of electricity you need. The good news is that more and more CFLs are designed for use with a dimmer switch. Check the packaging carefully to ensure the model you’re considering works with CFLs.

If you find that you are always operating an incandescent bulb on a dimmed setting, to save even more energy, replace it with a lower wattage bulb instead of dimming the bulb for lower light. CFL light bulbs are always the best choice for electricity savings and many are now dimmable.

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Motion Sensors

While switching your lights to compact fluorescents (CFLs), you could save even more electricity and money by also installing  a motion sensor switch in place of the on/off wall switch or motion sensor lighting fixtures. Safe, secure and convenient, motion activated lighting turns on when movement is detected and then turns off when there’s no motion for a certain period of time. Most models can be adjusted for motion sensitivity, light levels and the amount of time they stay on.  Specially designed units are available for outdoor use.

Lighting up a dark driveway could prevent accidents and shining light on approaching prowlers could inspire a change of plans. Since the lights are only on when you need them, electricity costs are lower. The lamps themselves also last much longer, saving replacement costs.

When shopping for a motion sensor, be sure to check the packaging carefully to ensure the model you’re considering works with CFLs

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Timers

What great electricity savers timers are! Being able to power on lights and appliances only when you need them and to have them shut off automatically at all other times means a lot less electricity is consumed and it saves you from having to remember.

Timers could add value to your lifestyle by avoiding phantom power – the electricity used by TVs, DVD players, and  computer peripherals like printers, scanners and speakers – when they are turned off but the LED light is glowing.

Timers are a “must have” for efficient interior and exterior security lighting. To make your house look occupied when you’re out, install automatic programmable timers to turn selected lights on and off at pre-set times. Instead of having a porch light or indoor light on all night, set the timer so these lights will be on when you return home. Digital, easy to operate and affordable, timers can be programmed from 24 hours to seven days. Plug these portable timers into the wall or choose to use the permanent types that replace light switches altogether.

Look for timer mechanisms with a manual override and a good power disconnect. Since some digital timers aren’t suitable for all CFL lamps ask for some help or clarification when considering timers for CFL products.

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Awnings

Electricity bills for homes baked by the hot afternoon sun or hit hard by the harsh winter elements are likely much higher than they need to be. Hands down, awnings are a good choice for maintaining inside temperatures. With standard or retractable awnings, a significant amount of heat gain within the home can be reduced, particularly with a southwest afternoon exposure.

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Electric Water Heater Blankets

Hot water heater insulating blankets are inexpensive and effective. They’ll add to the existing insulation and will help reduce heat loss. Depending on your usage, this additional insulation on your hot water tank could save up to 270 kilowatt hours every year. Make sure the blanket you pick is CSA-certified for use on all CSA-approved electric water heaters. 

To help reduce heat loss, be sure to insulate your hot water pipes, especially where they run through unheated areas like basements and crawl spaces. Take care to insulate the first three metres on cold water pipes and the first two metres on hot water pipes running to and from the tanks. This can save you about 2% on your heating bill and can reduce pipe-sweating in the summer.

For safety reasons, if you have a gas water heater, be sure to start the pipe wrap 15 cm away from the exhaust hood. Always start the pipe wrap insulation 15 cm away from any exhaust vents at the top of the water heater, and never insulate any plastic pipes.

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Pipe Wrap

To help reduce heat loss, be sure to insulate your hot water pipes, especially where they run through unheated areas like basements and crawl spaces. Take care to insulate the first three metres on cold water pipes and the first two metres on hot water pipes running to and from the tanks. This can save you about 2% on your heating bill and can reduce pipe-sweating in the summer.

For safety reasons, if you have a gas water heater, be sure to start the pipe wrap 15 cm away from the exhaust hood. Always start the pipe wrap insulation 15 cm away from any exhaust vents at the top of any the water heater and never insulate any plastic pipes.

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Toilets

Toilets are one of the greatest water-consuming fixtures in any home! Low-flow toilets and any number of water-saving mechanisms could help  reduce  your household water consumption by up to 40%. And it’s so easy to do.   Replacing a large volume toilet with one that uses only 6 litres per flush could reduce your water usage by up to 70% or more!

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Dehumidifiers

You may be using a dehumidifier and an exhaust fan to reduce the condensation on your foundation walls and floors.  A newer ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifier will consume much less electricity over the course of a year than an older one.

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Window Air Conditioners

On hot summer days, your old window air conditioner shakes, rattles and hums to keep you cool, but a new ENERGY STAR qualified model could use up to 30% less electricity than the standard window air-conditioner.  And just as important, a new unit will help improve the comfort of your home.

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Window Film

Use window film to solve problems with heat, glare, fading and privacy – without blocking your view. Simple and affordable, window film can increase the energy efficiency and year-round comfort of your home. In summer, reflective films reflect the sun’s heat, which helps reduce the home’s overall heat gain. Since your home will feel cooler, your air conditioner will run less. Insulation films also retain up to 55 percent of the heat loss from the window in winter. You’ll feel more comfortable and your electricity bills will be lower.

Reflective window films are designed to cut heat transmission through a window pane – they bounce up to 30 percent of the sun’s heat back up. This self-adhesive film is applied directly to the window panes inside the home in minutes. By reflecting heat, your A/C won’t have to work as hard.

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ENERGY STAR qualified Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

We know it takes time to replace all of the inefficient bulbs in your home.

If you’re still using incandescent light bulbs in your home, to save even more energy, replace the bulb with a lower wattage bulb instead of always using the dimmer for lower light. CFL light bulbs are always the best choice for electricity savings and many are now dimmable.

There are many different CFL manufacturers, light bulb sizes and wattages to choose from. Make sure you purchase the right size and wattages you desire by checking with your retailer.

When shopping for your CFL bulbs, consider:

• Size. Take the measurements ofthe bulb you’re currently using and match the CFL as closely as possible to both the width and length of the bulb.
• Dimmability. Choose CFLs whose packaging states the product can be used with dimmer switches.
• Approved usage. For outside use, be sure to choose bulbs approved for use outdoors.
• Colour. To keep the yellow/orange light of an incandescent bulb buy soft white or warm white CFLs, for a whiter light purchase the cool white CFL.

Shopping for Bulbs?
Here's a guide for choosing replacements

Current Fixture/Bulb Type		Locations	CFL Suggestions
Outdoor Type A 40-60 W		Porch Garage	9-15 W CFL
Table and Floor Lamps Type A 40-100 W		Living room Family room Bedroom	9-26 W CFL
Pendants over tables, Type A 60-100 W		Kitchen Dining room Hallway	15-26 W CFL
Globe fixtures over bathroom Mirrors and on ceilings		Bathroom	8-15 W Globe shaped CFL