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With hot summer weather just around the corner, now is the time to give your home a �check-up.� Here are six tips from the Comfort Institute to make sure your air conditioning bills don�t blow your cool:

1. Have your duct system tested for air leaks. Many people assume that windows and doors are the major cause of a home�s energy-wasting air leaks. According to recent research by the Department of Energy (DOE), gaps, joints, and disconnections in the typical home�s duct system are much more significant. The DOE states that the typical duct system loses 25 to 40 percent of the energy put out by the central heat pump or air conditioner. Authorities recommend having an AC contractor test for leaks and then seal them with a brushed-on fiber-reinforced elastomeric sealant. Duct tape usually dries out and fails. Duct tape is suitable for many things, but sealing ducts is not one of them!

2. Ask your AC contractor to perform an Infiltrometer �blower door� test. The blower door is a computerized instrument invented by the Department of Energy. It pinpoints where your home�s worst air leaks are, such as duct leaks, and also measures how leaky the overall house is. Many homes have significant air leaks into the attic; hot dusty air often gets drawn in through recessed can lights and pulled down stairs. New sealing products are available to fix these significant leaks. Many AC contractors offer an Infiltrometer test as part of a �Whole House Health & Comfort Checkup� that also checks insulation levels and overall duct performance.

3. Close your fireplace damper. Did you remember to close it the last time you used the fireplace? Shut it now or waste precious cool air all summer long!

4. Replace your air conditioner or heat-pump air filter. Most systems need this done every month to ensure safe and efficient operation. Keep forgetting to do it? Ask your AC contractor for information on an extended surface-area whole-house air filter that needs to be replaced only once a year. It also does a far better job of keeping your equipment and the air in your home clean.

5. Have your air conditioner cleaned and tuned. A pre-season tune-up is a great investment. It reduces the chances of breakdowns in the middle of summer and more than pays for itself through more energy-efficient operation. Make sure the AC contractor cleans both the indoor and outdoor heat transfer coils, and checks refrigerant gas charge by measuring �superheat� or �subcooling.�

6. Consider replacing your old air conditioner or heat pump. Just like a car, central cooling equipment doesn�t last forever. Is your system more than 12 years old? Are you planning to stay in your home more than a few years? Many professionals recommend replacing it before it fails completely. A new system improves comfort, is more dependable, and creates less air pollution. New units are up to twice as energy-efficient, saving money on your monthly electric bills. Government and utility research has found that more than 90 percent of newly installed high-efficiency systems have energy-wasting mistakes. Do some homework before talking to contractors. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov and www.comfortinstitute.org. Print out the free Comfort Institute reports entitled �Tips and Secrets To Buying A New Heating and Cooling System� and �How To Identify a Good Heating and Cooling Contractor.�