A few ways to save your hard earned money

*Properly maintaining your air conditioning systems, central A/C or heat pump can improve energy efficiency. Periodic inspection and maintenance from a local service provider helps ensure your system is working at its optimum level to provide a comfortable temperature inside your home.

* To save up to 12% on your energy bill, use a programmable thermostat.

*Save up to $45 a year by adjusting your thermostat - up two degrees in the summer; down two degrees in the winter.

* Save $50 a year by having your HVAC system professionally inspected.

* Clean or replace furnace filters every 30 days. (The day you receive your bill from us can serve as a good reminder that it's time to clean or replace the filter on your furnace.)

* Clean registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed. Be sure to move furniture, carpeting or drapes so they are not blocking the registers, heaters or radiators.

* Your HVAC contractor should be able to provide fact sheets for various models so you can compare energy usage. While the national Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is 78% for furnaces, some ENERGY STAR models exceed 90% AFUE.

* Fans help circulate the air in your home. Moving air makes you feel cooler, so you can set your thermostat at a higher temperature during the summer and still feel comfortable.

* Turn off fans in rooms not in use. Fans are effective at cooling you - not the room.

* Close the curtains and drapes at night to retain the heat.

* Use exhaust or ventilation fans in your kitchen or bathroom only as long as you need them to do the job. Don't allow them to continue to run for longer than 20 minutes or so.

* Insulate your hot water heater to prevent heat loss. You may also want to insulate the hot water pipes in your home.

* Look for the ENERGY STAR label when replacing your HVAC equipment.