The requested URL /wordpress/?p=1658 was not found on this server. Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request."Most heat that accumulates inside a house comes directly from the sun shining on to the roof or through windows, and heating the house directly," says John Krigger, owner of Saturn Resource Management, which offers energy conservation training in Helena, Montana.Planting leafy trees around the building's exterior will stop the sun from shining inside your home. "Even for the cost of going to the nursery and buying a 15- to 20-foot-tall tree, trees are still the best value," Krigger says.If the trees or shrubs shade your air conditioner, you could increase your AC's efficiency by up to 10%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.RATE SEARCH: Shop today for a home equity line of credit.Solar screens, or mesh-like window screens, intercept up to 70% of solar energy before it gets into the house, Krigger says.

Window screens are particularly effective on east- and west-facing windows, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.Window films are another option. They are transparent, metalized sheets that reflect heat before it can be transmitted through glass.However, windows must be shut for window films to work, while solar screens do double duty, keeping sun and insects out -- even with windows open.RATE SEARCH: Make your home more livable. Shop today for a home equity loan.Go ahead, get comfortable. Lower your air conditioner's thermostat setting to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home. But let that number rise to a higher temperature at night or when you're not at home. You can save 5% to 15% on your air-conditioning bills by raising the temperature setting on your thermostat when you're away and don't need cooling, according to the Department of Energy.RATE SEARCH: Make your home more liveable. No need to invest in fancy fans. Krigger says the key is to circulate air inside the house.

If possible, operate fans on your home's upper level and open the windows on a lower level. If you live in a one-story house or apartment, you should close windows near the fan and open windows in rooms far from the fan, preferably on your home's windward side, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.Moving air also helps evaporate the sweat from your skin, says Paul Scheckel, an energy-efficiency consultant in Calais, Vermont, and author of "The Home Energy Diet."RATE SEARCH: Time for home improvements? Compare offers for home equity loans."Evaporational cooling is an incredibly efficient process for removing heat, and our bodies do it all by themselves. A little help can increase the cooling effect," Scheckel says.Perry Mastrovito / DesignPics/Getty ImagesCamp out in your basement, says Stan Cox, author of "Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World (and Finding New Ways to Get Through the Summer)." In your eco-cooled basement, a TV, couch or futon, and a cold drink may be all you need.

However, Scheckel says don't open basement windows when outdoor air is heavy with humidity. "Warm, moist air will cause condensation on cool surfaces such as basement walls, ultimately increasing the humidity in your home," he says.RATE SEARCH: Need to replace the AC or the roof? Shop today for a home equity line of credit.Skip the stove-top boiling and oven baking during hot spells, Cox says. Reduce indoor heat by making microwave nachos or eating a cool salad. home ac unit ratingsIf you must boil pasta for tomorrow's potluck, cook in the evening.car ac repair toolsAfter cooking, turn on the kitchen exhaust, and turn on the bathroom exhaust fan after a hot shower. cover for central air conditioner unit"Remove heat and moisture at the source," Scheckel says.

"Reducing humidity can help increase comfort."RATE SEARCH: Make your home better by getting a home equity loan today."AC efficiency is mostly a function of the technology," Scheckel says. "Keep the filter clean to allow for good air movement and keep the unit level so the condensation drains properly."If you swap your older air conditioner for a newer unit, you could reduce your energy costs by half, according to the Department of Energy. Look for a high-energy-efficiency ratio, or EER, or an Energy Star-qualified unit. Higher EER ratings mean a more efficient air conditioner. Energy Star refers to a system adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy to identify energy-efficient products.RATE SEARCH: Invest in improving your home today with a home equity line of credit.Put the AC fan speed on high, except on especially humid days, says the U.S. Department of Energy. On humid days, place the speed on low. The slower air movement through the air-conditioning equipment removes more moisture from the air, improving comfort in your home.

Compare offers for home equity credit lines.Step in the shower, spray yourself with a water bottle or use a cool cloth on the back of your neck. And if you don't chill out right away, don't give up, says Cox, the environmental writer and scientist. "Our comfort range depends on the temperatures we have experienced in recent days and weeks," he says. "The body and mind adjust to rising temperatures."RATE SEARCH: Make your home better by getting a home equity loan now.Summer 2016 is off to a sultry start, and that means one thing for millions of people: air conditioning. And while we may take A/C for granted, it's generally an expensive luxury. Americans spend more than $11 billion a year on electricity to cool their homes with air conditioning. That accounts for at least 6% of all energy used in some homes. If you're shopping for a new air conditioner, you'll notice quite a few different sizes and models. Here's a quick primer on staying cool and keeping your wallet from overheating while picking out an A/C unit.

Chances are you already know that BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and the more BTUs an air conditioner cranks out, the stronger its cooling power. But here's the problem: Most American consumers aren't sure how to translate BTUs into the square footage of a room. (No disrespect to the Brits, but maybe we need an American Thermal Unit, where 1 AMU corresponds to 1 square foot?) Lobbying for the AMU aside, you don't have to guess how much BTU power you'll need to cool your space. Instead, see the chart below, taken from a handy Energy Star document. It simply correlates the area you want to cool into BTUs per hour. So for example, an air conditioner with a rating of 8,000 BTUs can cool a room that's 300 to 350 sq. ft., or one that measures about 18 ft. x 18 ft. Of course, you still have to measure your room, but we trust you can work a tape measure and apply this formula: area equals length times width. For irregularly sized rooms, you can always estimate by breaking down the room into smaller geometric shapes, and calculating the size of those.

It's one thing to run an air conditioner in your room. But combine its power with a simple ceiling fan, and you can have the best of both worlds. Costing less than a penny an hour to run, ceiling fans have an immediate impact on your domestic comfort once you buy and install them. They generally start at about $40 a piece. The nice thing about a ceiling fan is it can make you feel anywhere from 3 to 8 degrees cooler. Easy, Breezy Buying: Our Comprehensive Guide to Ceiling and Room Fans When you buy any air conditioner these days, it should come with one of those bright yellow Energy Guide stickers on the box that tells you exactly how much the unit will cost to run. Take this into account, as it's part of your total cost for both buying and operating the unit. Most folks think bigger is always better, but not so. According to the Energy Star folks, "Air conditioners remove both heat and humidity from the air. A properly sized unit will remove humidity effectively as it cools."

Damp and clammy isn't much better than sweltering. If your unit is more than 10 years old, seriously consider replacing it. According to U.S. Department of Energy estimates, you'll use about 10% less energy with a new Energy Star appliance than one without that designation. Depending on how long you hold onto that new unit, you could save $60 or more over its lifetime in energy costs alone — a de facto rebate just for upgrading to an Energy Star model. The key number to look for is the Energy Efficiency Rating (or EER): The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit. So if you replace an old EER 5 unit with a new EER 10 unit, you'll cut your cooling costs in half. You should also look for the "Energy Star" and "Energy Guide" labels when purchasing a window unit. An energy-efficient unit will cycle the compressor on and off so it doesn't operate continuously. And Energy Star central air units are 14% more efficient on average than standard models. If you're thinking about upgrading to central air, it's easy to beat yourself up for being an energy hog, or to get intimidated by the sticker price.

Yes, it's true that central units will use a lot more power than, say, a single window unit on each floor of a 2-story dwelling. But if you have more than two rooms to cool, then your best bet is to go with a central unit, which also provides long-term resale value for a home. Well-designed central systems also win out in terms of being able to filter the air for allergens and pollutants, and for controlling humidity. Again, keep in mind that window units aren't necessarily more energy efficient than central air units. A window unit that is too small to cool a room may run continuously, wasting energy. When shopping for a central air conditioning system, make sure the SEER number (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) is 13 or better (14 in warmer climates). A less efficient system will cost you more to run. It's easy to think that buying a new air conditioner or two will solve all of your summer cooling problems. But your AC could use a little help. With central units, for example, a programmable timer or thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs by regulating the temperature when you're out of the house, and by turning on only when you return home.

With window units, air filters get dirty, and fast. Clean your AC filter at least every month, as a dirty filter makes your AC work harder and use more electricity. Regardless of the type or age of the unit, you should change your filters after every 90 days of use. 10 Things You Should Throw Away Right Now What's more, you'll use less energy cooling down a room by keeping direct sunlight out during the day. Sunlight can raise the room temperature by 10 to 20 degrees. The less heat gets into your home, the less you have to pay to remove it. It just so happens that drapes block sunlight and heat better than blinds. DealNews keeps an ever-updated list of air conditioning deals for you to peruse and compare. For instance, BJ's Wholesale Club offers this LG 10,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner ($249.99 with free shipping, a low by $49). Of course, this time of year, A/C sales are as plentiful as backyard barbecues. The worst thing to do is feel a heat wave hit you in the face, rush to the first store you can find, and buy the first unit you see.