| By :
Jeff Schuman
I had a discussion recently with Tim Swan of Swan Heating and Air Conditioning about the demise of my neighbor's tree. I was desperately looking for a Fort Collins air conditioner tip. You see, my ignorant neighbor (and I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just the way it is) massacred his 50 year old beautiful tree. We received some high winds last summer in Northern Colorado and I guess he became afraid that all the bigger branches would fall on his roof causing major damage. He did have reason for that fear as many homes in the area have suffered that fate in recent months. However, all he really needed to do was some targeted trimming and pruning and he would have been fine. What was left is a tree in his front yard that now looks like a giant cactus. And worst of all- for him and me- it's provides no shade. So on top of having a hideous looking tree in his front yard, he's now lost some very valuable shade during the summer (and so have I!). How valuable? The U.S. Department of Energy says that shading from trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures by as much as 9 degrees. That's huge! That saves big-time money on air conditioning costs. Back to Tim Swan. He says that there are many other ways to save on home utility bills. Proper insulation, weather stripping, and caulking are a few of the obvious ones. These alone can help cut down on the nearly $2000 most Americans spend home energy. Having an energy efficient furnace and air conditioner in addition to using a programmable thermostat will be great aids. Many heating and a/c companies like Swan Heating and Air Conditioning are beginning to package together furnaces and air conditioning systems to offer consumers very good deals. Combined with the current tax credits and rebates, it's a great time to purchase these. Swan says that homeowners should also consider planting shrubs and plants in addition to shade trees in strategic locations on the lot. By placing shrubs and bigger plants near the base of the home, you can lower the wind chill in the winter and keep it cooler during the summer. To take advantage of these naturally good solutions, consider some of these tips: -Visit a local nursery to determine the best shade trees and shrubs for your area. -Make sure your air conditioning unit is well shaded. The efficiency can be increased by 10 percent doing this. -Plant trees on the east and west sides of your home, but keep them at least 10 feet from the house. -Ensure shrubs and plants are planted far enough apart so they'll be spaced correctly when they're fully grown. As you can see, these Fort Collins air conditioning tips can be utilized throughout the U.S. By taking advantage of energy efficient air conditioning systems available today and planting well-placed trees and shrubs, you really can make a positive impact on your utility bill (and the environment).
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