Keep It Cool

Beat the heat while saving energy and money by following these air conditioning recommendations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program.

July/August 2004
By Natural Home magazine editorial staff 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

 

RELATED CONTENT

Cost of Comfort

The average family spends $1,400 on energy bills each year, with nearly $700 of that for heating and cooling. Energy Star heating and cooling equipment can save homeowners up to 20 percent on their annual utility bills.

Save while you’re away. Programmable thermostats that have earned the Energy Star rating automatically adjust temperature settings while you’re asleep or away.

Out with the old. When replacing AC equipment, remember Energy Star–qualified air conditioners and heat pumps offer significant long-term energy savings compared with ten-year-old units, and use at least 20 percent less energy than new standard models.

Flip on the fan. Ceiling fans circulate cool air so you can adjust your thermostat for energy savings.

Fix it. Tune up your central air system annually to keep it operating efficiently.

Seal it. Effective duct sealing and insulation prevent leaks of conditioned air between the walls, ceilings, and floors and can save up to 10 percent on energy bills.

Cool one room. Room air conditioners provide heat relief only where and when you need it. An Energy Star qualified, single-room air conditioner will be at least 10 percent more efficient than older models.

Buy smart. When buying a new air conditioner, make sure it’s properly sized and installed—bigger is not always better. Units with too large a capacity cost more and may decrease your home’s comfort.

For information on keeping your home comfortable year-round, get the Energy Star Guide to Energy-Efficient Cooling and Heating. EnergyStar.gov/hvacguide; (888) 782-7937.

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Natural Home readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Natural Home?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
(Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe today and save 50%
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to Natural Home

Welcome to Natural Home, the authority on green lifestyle and design. With an up-to-date outlook on current trends in sustainable building and wholesome living, Natural Home gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes. Subscribe to Natural Home today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

Save money and a few trees by paying with your credit card now. Take advantage of our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You’ll save an additional $4.95 and get six issues of Natural Home for just $15! (Offer valid only in the U.S.)

Or, choose Bill Me Later and pay just $19.95