A guide to energy-efficient heating and cooling

The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of this going to heating and cooling costs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can help you make smart decisions about your home’s heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that can help save on energy costs, improve your overall comfort at home, and help fight global warming. Did you know the energy used in the average house is responsible for twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as the average car? When power plants burn fossil fuels to make electricity, they release greenhouse gases. By using less energy at home, you help reduce the emissions that contribute to global warming. ENERGY STAR is the government-backed program that helps us all save money and protect our environment with energy-efficient products and practices. Whether you are looking for recommendations about energy-efficient equipment, getting a quality installation, HVAC maintenance, or ways to make your heating and cooling system operate more efficiently, EPA’s ENERGY STAR program can help…

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/HeatingCoolingGuide%20FINAL_9-4-09.pdf