Readying Your Air-Conditioning System For A Hot Summer (NAPSA)—Keeping your cool this year may beeasier if you give your air-conditioning system a tune-up before the weather gets any warmer. All it takes is a few simple steps to make sure your air-conditioning system is ready to properly cool your home. Here are sometips from the U.S. Department of Energy and the experts at Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning, a brand of the Unitary Products Group of York—a Johnson Controls Company: Keeping the cool air inside is just as important as keeping the warm air outside. Caulking, weather stripping, and adding additional attic insulation will help keep cool air inside during the summer. Makesure the air is flowing properly through the vents. Inspect the ductwork for holes or separated joints, and hire a professional to repair them. e Add insulation around airconditioning ducts, when they are located in unconditioned spaces, such as attics, crawl spaces and garages; do the same for whole house fans where they open to the exterior or attic. Homeowners should check the SEER (seasonal energyefficiency ratio) rating of their airconditioning unit. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the unit is and the lower your utility bills will be. Upgrading to a higher SEER rating can The best time to give your air conditioner a checkup is beforeit heats up. save homeowners hundredsofdollars a year on their energybills. If the air-conditioning unit needs to be replaced, homeowners should be aware of the U.S. Department of Energy legislation that requires all new, central airconditioning units manufactured after January 23, 2006, to have a SEERofat least 13. Consumers may want to con- sider an energy-efficient model, such as the Coleman Echelon” 15+ SEERair conditioner. New models are ENERGY STAR qualified, use environmentally friendly refrigerant and havehigh-efficiency scroll compressors that enhancereliability and contribute to the extremely quiet operation of the units. To learn more, visit the Cole- man Web site at www.coleman ac.com/echelon or call (877) 8747378.
