June 10, 2010
Summers start early in Mississippi, and staying cool can get expensive. As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. Fortunately, making smart decisions about your home’s ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system can help lower energy bills and increase your comfort during even the hottest months. Below are some helpful steps you can take to increase the efficiency of your home’s cooling system. n Change your air filter regularly. n Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every three months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool – wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system – leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure. n Tune up your HVAC equipment yearly. Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort.
n Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.
n Seal your heating and cooling ducts. Ducts that move air to-and-from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent – and sometimes much more.
n Consider installing ENERGY STAR qualified heating and cooling equipment. If your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping your house comfortable, have it evaluated by a professional HVAC contractor. If it is not performing efficiently or needs upgrading, replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with ENERGY STAR qualified equipment can cut your annual energy bill by nearly $200. But before you invest in a new HVAC system, make sure that you have addressed the big air leaks in your house and the duct system. Sometimes, these are the real sources of problems rather than your HVAC equipment.
n Ask about Proper Installation of your new equipment. Replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with new, energy-efficient models is a great start. But to make sure that you get the best performance, the new equipment must be properly installed. In fact, improper installation can reduce system efficiency by up to 30 percent – costing you more on your utility bills and possibly shortening the equipment's life. You can help ensure proper installation by asking your contractor if their work meets guidelines set by ENERGY STAR and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).
Have a fun and safe summer and, as always, please continue to keep me informed about your opinions and concerns by phone at (202) 225-4306 or by visiting my website at www.childers.house.gov.
Congressman Travis W. Childers First District, Mississippi
North Mississippi Mailroom
Constituent Letter
Representative Childers:
It is about time that the United States explores and uses its energy resources. In light of our current financial crisis we can’t continue to give our money away to Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East. It is also a National Security matter that we can sustain our nation’s energy requirements. This should be put on the “FAST TRACK.”
Respectfully,
Don Nesbit
Response:
Dear Don,
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for offshore drilling. I appreciate hearing from the people of North Mississippi about the issues that are important to them. Since taking office, I have been a consistent and strong supporter of increasing America’s energy supply through new oil drilling. Opening up new areas to energy development and exploration will ultimately reduce our dependence on foreign oil, strengthen national security, and help create jobs at home. I will continue working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to further increase our domestic energy supply, keeping American dollars in American pockets and helping rebuild our national economy. In light of the recent Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, we need to take steps to ensure safety as we continue to increase our energy independence. I extend my condolences to the families of the brave men whose lives have been lost in this recent incident. I will continue to work with my colleagues to increase all types of American energy production and supply. I am committed to providing both immediate relief for high gas prices and long-term solutions to our current energy crisis, including a proposal to expand our energy supply through development of new sources of energy. Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me with your thoughts on this important matter of mutual concern. If I can be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Travis W. Childers
Keep the letters coming! If you have something to share with me about an important issue going on at home or in Washington, please let me know. | 
