Did you know that almost half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling? Therefore, you can see how important it is to make smart decisions about your home’s or office heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system because it can have a big effect on your utility bills and comfort in your home or office. Be sure to have your HVAC equipment tuned up yearly.A programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs. The improper installation of new equipment can reduce the system efficiency by up to 30 percent, therefore, costing you more on your utility bills and possibly shortening the equipment’s life. Don’t forget the importance of having the proper amount and grade of insulation in your attic.

Your electric bills will be lower, due to the fewer days of running your air conditioning system. It is finally comfortable to sit outside and your house is a lot more comfortable. Just because you aren't running your air conditioning doesn't mean you should forget about it. In fact, the experts advise that right now is one of the best times of the year to get a tune-up. During most of the year you can only tune-up you're cooling or your heating, rarely can you do both. (It is hard to effectively test your heating when it is 115 outside, and equally hard to test the cooling when your house is already 70.)

This is the time of year when it is considered the "perfect time of year". It's finally cooling down and in our great state of Arizona and it's almost time to fire up your furnace, literally. The experts highly advice and can't stress enough how important it is to have your system checked thoroughly before you turn your heater on. Did you know that a furnace is basically a controlled fire in your home; the US Fire Administration estimates there are over 54,000 heating cause fires in the US a year, not to mention dangerous CO leaks. A furnace can cause fires, or produce carbon monoxide, which can be fatal. Carbon monoxide, or as it is often referred as CO, is a colorless and odorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death which can poison a person or animal by breathing it. CO poisoning is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can often mimic flu like systems.

Here are some common things to look for if you want to keep your furnace in top notch condition this heating season.

Gas Furnace:

• Are you too warm or very cold but the thermostat is set at a temperature that is preset to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. This could be a problem with the thermostat which can be replaced very easily.
• It is important to change the air filter on a regular schedule. These air filters can be purchased at your local hardware store. Normally they are inexpensive and can make a huge difference on the efficiency of your furnace and how it heats your home.
• If you have a gas furnace and the pilot light is out the furnace will not work. When the light is working it should be a deep blue color, if it is a different color it indicates that it is not working correctly and you have a problem.

These are suggestions and tips for your electric furnace.

• How is that air filter? Change it at least once a month. Sometimes it may need to be changed more often, but once a month is a good rule of thumb.
• Remove each vent cover one at a time and wash them. This will help with your air flow.
• Take the time to vacuum to clean out any cobwebs or debris that may be in the vent ducts while you have the covers off and ducts are exposed.