The cost of keeping one's cool is on the rise. Energy costs, at historic levels in 2015, continue to climb as worldwide need for energy increases and the country recovers from interruptions due to the downward price of oil.

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (heating and cooling) manufacturers are reacting to the challenges of enhanced energy costs by providing homeowners air-conditioning units that render new energy performance standards and lower your energy use.

Perhaps it’s time to consider a new, high efficiency air conditioner? Newer units use compressors which feature a two-stage design. When the air conditioning system senses the requirement for maximum cooling, the compressor instantly shifts into two-stage operation. And as the need for cooling decreases, the compressor instantly lowers to a single-stage operation, needing considerably less energy. In truth, this device is as much as 60 percent more effective than a conventional air-conditioning system.

Here are some additional tips to keep heating and cooling costs in check:

Examine your furnace filter on a monthly basis to ensure it is clean and devoid of debris, which could block air flow and create a strain on your system, triggering it to work harder and utilize more energy.

It's recommended that you have a service technician inspect your hvac system annually to catch any issues that could turn into big problems.

Seal any air leakages, such as those near doors and windows and places where plumbing, ducting or electrical circuitry goes through outside walls.

These appear to be small simple things to do, but you would be surprised at how much they can reduce your energy expenditures over the entire year. Savings do add up.

The cost of keeping one's cool is on the rise. Energy costs, at historic levels in 2015, continue to climb as worldwide need for energy increases and the country recovers from interruptions due to the downward price of oil.

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (heating and cooling) manufacturers are reacting to the challenges of enhanced energy costs by providing homeowners air-conditioning units that render new energy performance standards and lower your energy use.

Perhaps it’s time to consider a new, high efficiency air conditioner? Newer units use compressors which feature a two-stage design. When the air conditioning system senses the requirement for maximum cooling, the compressor instantly shifts into two-stage operation. And as the need for cooling decreases, the compressor instantly lowers to a single-stage operation, needing considerably less energy. In truth, this device is as much as 60 percent more effective than a conventional air-conditioning system.

Here are some additional tips to keep heating and cooling costs in check:

Examine your furnace filter on a monthly basis to ensure it is clean and devoid of debris, which could block air flow and create a strain on your system, triggering it to work harder and utilize more energy.

It's recommended that you have a service technician inspect your hvac system annually to catch any issues that could turn into big problems.

Seal any air leakages, such as those near doors and windows and places where plumbing, ducting or electrical circuitry goes through outside walls.

These appear to be small simple things to do, but you would be surprised at how much they can reduce your energy expenditures over the entire year. Savings do add up.