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Once upon a time, keeping your home comfortable was as simple as turning up the thermostat. Fifty years ago, if you were chilly, you’d just warm up your house without thinking twice about the cost. Then, came the energy crisis of the 1970s, and sky-high energy costs became the norm.

Air leaks in your Grand Traverse County home result in higher utility bills, less comfort and more wear on your HVAC systems. When outdoor air infiltrates your home during the summer and winter, your furnace or A/C must work harder to compensate, increasing energy costs and causing cold or hot spots in your home. 

Environmental awareness and rising fuel prices have led homeowners to look for ways to reduce consumption and lower their energy costs. With a little effort and some small changes, it is possible to get big results; here are some great tips to get you started.

If you live in the Michigan area and are planning a summer vacation with your family for a lengthy amount of time, there’s no reason why you should continue to spend large sums of money to supply electricity to your home while you’re away. There are several home maintenance tasks you can carry out just before you leave that can save you a significant chunk on your home energy costs.

According to The Blacksmith Report, indoor air pollution is the fourth ranked health risk in the world. While many government-mandated restrictions on products that produce bad things for us to breathe in our homes, the problem of indoor air pollution, and the need for purification remains. While this may sound bad, it can be controlled with some basic cleaning practices and a bit of higher technology.

If the summer heat has exhausted your old air conditioner, you’re probably wondering what you can do to maximize your investment in a new air conditioning system. After all, air conditioners aren’t cheap, but if you choose wisely they will last for many years. If you decide on a high-efficiency air conditioning system, you can find yourself saving money on your energy costs.

It’s hard to know if your home has leaky ducts without some investigation, but chances are good that your ducts may have some areas of leakage. After all, the average home loses up to 20 percent of its cooled and heated air to leaks in its ductwork, according to the Energy Star program.

Summertime in Michigan means your air conditioning is running. The bad news is that every degree you turn the thermostat down makes your energy bill go up. The good news is that there are ways to stay comfortable while saving money. Here are some A/C operating tips:

The quality of your air filter, as indicated by MERV ratings, directly impacts the performance of your HVAC equipment, your indoor air quality, and the comfort and well-being of your loved ones. MERV ratings provide the necessary tools to help you make an educated decision for choosing the air filter that’s right for your home.

All heating and cooling equipment should have an air filter installed to capture airborne pollutants as air circulates through the system to be heated or cooled. Five primary benefits await you if you diligently change your filter every 30 to 90 days.