Heating & Cooling tips from intelligent people for home renovation and repair - hiring, working, managing - for women, children and pets

Electrostatic filters create a charge as air passes through the filter's fabric. To clean, remove the filter and backwash with the hose or shower. Clean monthly as these filters last three to five years and cost $50.

Pleated filters are disposable and trap up to 95% of airborne particles as small as 5 microns. Some pleated filters also carry an electrostatic charge. Pleated filters cost $10 and last three months.

Programmable thermostats better control indoor temperature fluctuations to suit your lifestyle.

Furnaces upgraded from a 60% efficient to an 80% efficient reduce heating costs by 1/3. Upgrade to a 90% efficient to reduce costs by 1/2.

When burning wood, choose hardwoods like oak. Hardwoods leave behind limited amounts of sticky, flammable creosote. Don't burn soft, sappy woods such as cottonwood, apple or pine.

To create a draft in the house, open a lower window on the cool side of the house and a high window on the sunny side. The small opening on the cool side creates wind velocity for a breeze.

Automatic setback thermostats can save energy dollars. When leaving for the day, set the thermostat to start the a/c or furnace 30 minutes before you are due back.

Central air conditioner temperature difference of 20 - 25° between the cold air coming out and the return air being pulled back-in is good.

Air-conditioning makes you feel cool because it removes humidity and blows cold air. As the moisture in the air hits the cold coils, it condenses and frosts, and is carried outside.

Unclog the a/c condensation drain periodically, usually caused by a fungus growth. A blast of water from the hose is very messy, but sometimes works. To kill it, pouring several cups of liquid laundry bleach down the drainpipe for a couple of days, and follow once a month during the season.

The air conditioner can be turned to 80° if you are going to be away for a few hours.

Air conditioners reduce humidity more when the blower speed is lowered because as the air moves more slowly over the evaporator coil, more moisture will be extracted. The coils can ice up.

Replace a standard air conditioner filter with an electrostatic filter. They are expensive, but are more effective at cleaning the air.

Air conditioners must use a heavy-duty timer. Small lamp timers cannot handle the amperage.

In-window air conditioners must have a clean filter to keeping it operating efficiently.

A fan placed near the air conditioner will spread the cool air farther.

Set a ceiling fan on reverse to return hot rising to the rafters. Always use a slower speed to avoid creating a draft.

Over-head fan blade wobble can be controlled by attaching coins to the topside of the blades with masking tape. Test one blade after another until balanced.

Do not use a dimmer switch to control a ceiling fan's speed as it could damage the fan motor. Shop for a variable-speed-control designed specifically for ceiling fans.

Eliminate the humming of a ceiling fan by replacing the wall-switch with a no-hum-control bought where ceiling fans are sold.

To catch any excess oil after oiling the ceiling fan motor, tie a slit plastic garbage bag loosely around the upper motor housing. Then run the fan on high for two or three minutes.

The blades of a ceiling fan should turn counterclockwise during the summer and clockwise during the winter. The winter direction on low moves the warm air downward.

If it burns, vent it. Combustion needs adequate air inflow as well as outflow. Proper ventilation requires air to move in and out.

If you want to open a window during the spring and fall but not let dust and pollen in the living area, use a furnace filter in the open window.

There are humidity-activated fans that detect ambient moisture. These units shut down when the fan has exhausted moisture down to a set level.

Limit setting back the night thermostat to no more than 10°. If the temperature outside is close to zero, do not lower the thermostat at night.

Remember to lower the thermostat 5° when having a large group of people in the house.