If you are concerned about the environment, an air conditioning contractor can help you to reduce your impact on it. Our goal is to help our customers to be as comfortable as possible in their home.  We do so by keeping air conditioning and heating units running correctly.  This involves maintaining and repairing existing units and replacing them as necessary.  Naturally any time that you are changing the temperature in your home manually you will be using energy to do so.  We can, however, use our skills and modern technology to help you use less energy and reduce your carbon footprint. Decide what is comfortable. We have found that a lot of people become accustomed to a certain temperature and believe that it has to stay there for them to be comfortable.  In truth, you may be okay keeping your house one or two degrees warmer in the summer or cooler in the winter.  This slight adjustment can mean that your unit does not kick on as quickly or have to work as hard.  Experiment for a few days to find your comfort range and adjust accordingly.  You may find that keeping it closer to the outside temperature will still allow you to feel good indoors but will also lower your energy bill and save you money year-round.  Some studies have found that keeping your temperature at 78 degrees uses 40 percent less energy that if your AC unit is keeping it at 73.  Think of the savings on your bill! Install a smart thermostat. A lot of energy is wasted by keeping your home cool when you are off at work and the kids are at school.  With no one home, you can keep your house cool but not as cool as you would like it to be.  For example, you can keep it at 78 when you are gone and 73 when you are home.  These small adjustments mean that you are not wasting energy.  As an air conditioning contractor, we can install a smart thermostat that you can control while away from your house or we can install a thermostat that sets zones.  This is another way to only heat or cool the areas of your home that you use – highly beneficial when you have a lot of unused space. Close your basement vents in the summer. In the summer months, you need to cool off the upstairs but not necessarily the basement.  By closing the vents, you will be forcing the cool air upwards where it is needed. Service your unit regularly. As an air conditioning contractor, we can service your unit on an annual basis to ensure that everything is in proper working order.  With your unit running smoothly, you will use less energy. Buy an energy efficient model. Technology has improved by leaps and bounds.  If your unit or ductwork is old, you could have energy leaks and be wasting energy and money throughout the year.  We can let you know if this is the case and make suggestions for how to fix the problem, including replacing your unit. To learn more, call and schedule an appointment for us to visit your home.