Great Canadian Oil Change on Quance and North Albert Street in Regina provide oil changes in 10 minutes. No appointment needed! At Great Canadian Oil Change they will always do their best to keep you traveling safely, in a cleaner environment.

They are your Trusted Regina Oil Change experts in the Regina Automotive General category.

Have you checked your lights lately?  Great Canadian Oil Change shares a guideline for checking your vehicles lights.

WHY CHECK YOUR LIGHTS REGULARLY

For your safety and the safety of others, it is important that all lights on your vehicle are working properly.  Bright and functioning headlights and taillights are necessary to be visible to other drivers and pedestrians at night.  Well-maintained headlights also help you to see obstacles in the road in front of you.

PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND REDUCE ROAD RAGE

Working lights also help to prevent accidents and reduce road rage.  You know how annoying it can be when the car ahead of you slows down unexpectedly and turns without having a working brake light or signal light.  Or when the driver in front of you slows down without apparently any advance notice because their brake lights were not functioning properly and therefore you did not have time to adjust your speed.  How about waiting behind someone who apparently wants to make a left turn but did not have a working signal light that might have given you the opportunity to choose another lane earlier?  And we all can do without getting a ticket for having a burned out headlight or taillight.  All if these situations could lead to accidents or unnecessary stress.  Don’t be part of the problem!  Take the initiative and responsibility for checking that your own lights are working.

DO I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR ON TO CHECK THE LIGHTS?

It is easy to check SOME of your lights when the car is not running, however most vehicles these days require that the ignition be on (and some vehicles must actually be in gear) to do a thorough check of ALL of the lights.

HOW EASY IS IT TO CHECK THE LIGHTS MYSELF?

It is possible to check the lights by yourself, although not the quickest.  You will need to have a method to have something to hold the brake down (creative use of a long handled windshield scraper or even an anti-theft device might do), and you may have to get in and out of the car a few times.  If you can park the car beside something reflective (such as a window) or plain (a wall), you may be able to see some of the lights without getting our of your vehicle.  It is definitely possible to check the lights yourself, however the job will take less time if you have the assistance of another person.

HOW CAN I CHECK MY LIGHTS EASILY IN THE DAY TIME?

In the day time it is more difficult to see some of the lights on your car.  One option would be to use a dark piece of clothing, like a jacket, when going up close to each light to see how bight it shines on that surface to see if it is working.  Other options include parking beside a reflective surface like a window.  Or even shining your lights onto a building with a plain wall could work.  Waiting until it is close to evening or checking your lights indoors in dim lighting is suggested.

Follow this general plan to check the headlights, taillights, brake lights, running lights and signal lights on most cars.

Every vehicle is different.  Check the owner’s manual for vehicle-specific instructions.  For example, not all vehicles have running lights and some vehicles need to actually be in gear for some of the lights to be checked.

If you have two people and it is dark enough to see the lights easily, this can be a quick and easy job.

Turn on the engine.  Have a buddy on the outside of the car as you go through the list of lights to check.

FRONT – Have your buddy go to the front of the car.

Are the running lights working?  Are they even in brightness on both sides?

Turn on the headlights. Are they both lit up sufficiently?  Is one brighter or dimmer than the other?

Try the high beams. Are they both lit up sufficiently?  Is one brighter or dimmer than the other?

Try the right signal light.  Is it working? Is it easily visible?

Now the left signal light. Is it working? Is it easily visible?

 

REAR – Have your buddy go to the back of the car.

Are the running lights working?  Are they even in brightness on both sides?

Test the right signal light. Is it working? Is it easily visible?

Then the left signal. Is it working? Is it easily visible?

Press on the brakes to check the brake lights.  Are they working?  Are all lights easily visible?  Are they even on both sides? (Two or three bulbs on each side may come on)

 

That’s it!

If you find that some bulbs are dim or not working, make arrangements to have the bulbs replaced.  In some cases it may be the wiring or fuses that are the problem.

HOW CAN GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE HELP?

At Great Canadian Oil Change we do a complimentary check of all of your lights when you come in for any service.  We also can replace the bulbs if you choose.

Great Canadian Oil Change  – helping you to drive safe and to maintain your vehicle in tip top 

Great Canadian Oil Change on Quance Street, and North Albert Street Regina deserve the Thumbs up from www.trustedregina.com in our Regina Automotive General Category and they are Regina's Trusted oil change experts! 

To read more Great Canadian Oil Change tips and articles click here! To check out the Great Canadian Oil Change Trusted Regina listing here.

Dusyk & Barlow is a 100% locally owned Regina Insurance Brokerage providing honest, reliable, and personalized service to all their clients. Their long standing reputation in the community remains strong through maintaining high standards of excellence and ensuring that their clients insurance needs are met.

They are you Trusted Regina insurance experts !

Dusyk & Barlow is reminding homeowners to protect their homes against damage caused by ice dams.

“Ice dams can cause considerable property damage. If an ice dam forms and water enters the attic, it can damage the roof, ceilings, walls and contents of your home,” said Andrew Cartmell, President and CEO of SGI CANADA. “That's why it's so important to take steps to prevent an ice dam from forming in the first place.”

Preventative measures to protect your home from damage caused by ice dams include:

• Keep the amount of snow on your roof to a minimum. Use a roof rake or hire a professional to clear the snow away - for safety reasons, don't go up on the roof yourself.
• Keep gutters and downspouts free of snow, ice buildup and icicles so there's a ready path for melting snow and ice to drain.
• Ensure your attic is properly insulated and ventilated to prevent heat from inside your home from leaking into the attic and causing snow on the roof to melt. A roofing contractor can provide assistance if needed.
• In the fall, clean leaves and debris from your home's gutters and downspouts to allow melting snow to flow as intended.

Active Electric Regina Electricians get it right the first time, delivering all electrical services including installation, upgrade, and repair solutions. Active Electric are your TRUSTED REGINA ELECTRICAL EXPERTS

When you picture a counterfeit product, the first thing that probably comes to mind is money. Criminals try to pass off counterfeit bills for the real thing so they can purchase products and disappear without a trace. But did you know electrical products can be counterfeit as well? In fact, consumer electronics comprise the single largest category of counterfeit commodities seized by US customs, making up 22 percent of all items seized each year.

What makes an electrical product counterfeit, and how can you spot it? Use these tips any time you shop for electronics to protect your home and family from counterfeits.

What are Counterfeit Electrical Products?

When shopping for electronics, you may stumble across a product with a price far below what competitors are selling their products for. If this happens, you have probably spotted a counterfeit electrical product. Don’t be tempted to purchase the item just because it costs less. After all, while many types of products can be impersonated, counterfeit electrical products are particularly dangerous because:

• They have not undergone testing by an independent laboratory.
• They likely don’t comply with industry safety standards.
• They can cause electrocution or start a fire.
• Since product origins are often unknown, the manufacturer can’t be held liable if products cause property damage or physical harm.

How to Avoid Counterfeit Products

The potential dangers you face from purchasing counterfeit electrical products are clearly not worth the lower price you might be asked to pay. To ensure you don’t face any unnecessary dangers when purchasing electronics, follow these tips:

• Only shop at reputable retail locations. Established vendors only purchase their goods from legitimate distributors and manufacturers.
• If you see any grammatical errors or typos on the product label, that’s a sign the product is not professionally made.
• Look for the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo on the label, indicating the product has undergone proper testing.
• If the product is legitimate, you should see the name and contact information for the manufacturer on the label.
• Avoid purchasing unknown brands or products that display no brand affiliation of any kind.

How to Report a Counterfeit Product

The prevalence of counterfeit products has risen over 10,000% in the past 20 years. During this time, counterfeits have become increasingly harder to spot as unscrupulous manufacturers get better at deceiving customers via the internet and tempting low prices.

If you accidentally purchase a counterfeit product, report it to the brand owner. This alerts the brand owner to investigate the suspected product and remove it from the marketplace if it’s indeed counterfeit. If you don’t know the product’s brand, contact the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which will disseminate the information to the appropriate parties and work toward removing the product from the market.

By taking an active role in reporting counterfeit products, you help put an end to this illegal industry, the revenue from which can often be traced to organized crime and terrorism. Demand for counterfeit electrical products would decrease dramatically if everyone reported the imitation devices they accidentally purchased.

The Trusted Regina Directory team and all of the the Trusted Regina businesses we partner with are based in Regina and we all care about the Regina community! 

The Trusted team wanted to join in the amazing spirit of giving that we saw happening this year in the Queen City. Individuals we were inspired by were those like Niall O'Hanlon from the Fat Badger that motivated hundreds to give to the soon to be arriving Syrian refugees, showing the true heart of the majority!    THIS MAKE OUR HEARTS SING and gave us the motivation to do something !! 

SO....On December 14th  we posted on the Trusted Regina Facebook page, asking for the Regina public to nominate their personal favorite Regina based non profit organization. We also wanted to know WHY they were nominated. We committed to choose 1 of the nominated organizations to receive a $500 cheque on December 23rd from the Trusted Regina team.   

Regina, you have done yourself proud!! We are absolutely over joyed that so many of you shared your favorite charity, group and places that are out there in our community making a difference every day of the year! 

Some of these are well established Regina organizations that have been around for many years, some are true grass roots initiatives of everyday people coming together to affect positive change in our community and we salute them ALL!  

Many of them we have donated items and money to in the last 4 years we have been in business, those include:

• Souls  Harbour
• Hopes Home
• Habitat For Humanity Regina
• Regina Humane Society
• Regina Open Door Society
• Kids sport

An organization who's mission it is 'To build a community where respect, equality and freedom create an environment where violence against women and children does not exist. '  .

BUT WAIT ...there's more...

We may not be able to stroke a $500 cheque for all the organizations and groups that were nominated on the Facebook post we did...but we can do something for each of them!   

Keep checking in to our Facebook page between now and Christmas Eve, so you will be able to keep up with the activities of the Trusted Regina Elves - See the 3 of them in this delightful video INSPIRED  BY and it is  A  PERSONAL SALUTE TO REGINA CAT RESCUE - who was the most nominated of all the Regina organizations this year! 

We look forward to making your kittys purrrrrr with our gift!  

At Great Canadian Oil Change, they will always do their best to keep you travelling safely, in a cleaner environment. At Great Canadian Oil Change, they guarantee that they will always value your business. Great Canadian Oil Change is your Trusted Regina Oil Change expert. In their latest helpful oil tip, they share how frequently you should change your oil.

How Often Should You Change Your Oil?

If you ask three shops how often you should change your oil you may get six different answers.  But we feel confident with our recommendation.

Follow the service intervals recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle

We recommend to our customers that they follow their manufacturer’s recommended oil change intervals.  This means that the manufacturer will recommend that you have your oil changed every so many kilometres.  Depending on your specific vehicle, this may mean having your oil changed every 5000 km, 7500 km, 12000 km or some variation thereof.

What are some exceptions to following the service interval recommendations of the manufacturer?

There is one exception to using the service interval recommended by the manufacturer and that is: driving conditions.  Here are some examples of driving conditions that justify changing the oil earlier than recommended:

Short trips in the winter, where the engine fails to meet operating temperature for ten minutes or more, are tough on oil.  All of that condensation has no place to go but into the crankcase.

Unusually dusty conditions.  (Did you ever follow a combine at harvest?)

These two scenarios justify changing the oil before the recommended service interval.

Should I always follow the oil change needed an indicator on my dash?

Yes, you should follow the oil change indicator in your vehicle.  Unless you’ve received a recall from your manufacturer, we recommend following the oil life indicator on your dash, if your vehicle has one.

How critical is it to change my oil at exactly the time that is recommended by the manufacturer?

Several years ago we sent engine oil samples to a lab.  These were samples of engine oil that were changed before, near and after the recommended interval.  Each report indicated that the oil had life left.  Therefore, although it may not be absolutely critical at the exact odometer reading, we recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines as closely as possible for the best maintenance of your vehicle.

What are the benefits to changing my oil according to the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer?

There are many benefits to changing your oil according to the service interval recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle.  Clean engine oil lubricates the engine, keeps it cool, and minimizes the metal-to-metal contact of the parts inside the engine.  Over time the oil starts losing its ability to flow well (becoming less “viscous”), thus losing its ability to protect your engine as it is meant to.  By regularly changing your oil, you prevent problems that can occur over time.  Some of these problems include overheating and undue wear on the engine due to the friction of parts when lubrication is not optimal.  Regular oil changes will also extend the life of your vehicle and help keep it in optimum running condition.

At Great Canadian Oil change in Regina, we follow the recommendations of the manufacturer of your vehicle.  We will verify that your vehicle is due for an oil change before performing it.  We look forward to seeing you for an oil change or for one of the many other services we offer!  

  Great Canadian Oil Change is your Trusted Regina Oil Change expert