According to the U.S. Department of Energy, we spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light and live in our homes. Fortunately, you can save 20 to 30 percent on your household energy bill by making energy efficiency improvements.

Poor design and installation of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment alone increases energy costs 10 to 30 percent. Proper sizing, design and installation are usually the top three priorities for cutting energy bills.

Taking the time to understand where you can cut back on energy usage will save you money. In order to determine the best improvements to make on your home to make it more energy efficient, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy recommends starting with a home energy audit. It will help you determine which parts of your home use the most energy.

You can conduct a simple home energy audit yourself or you can call an independent energy auditor for a more comprehensive examination. For insight into how to conduct your own energy audit, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provides a Virtual Home Energy Advisor online at: http:// hes.lbl.gov/.

Now may be a good time to make energy improvements in your home because depending on the equipment you select, you may be eligible for federal tax credits. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides tax credits as high as $300 to consumers who purchase qualified high-efficiency heating, cooling and water-heating equipment.

Some companies are even offering special promotions to save you even more. For example, consumers who purchase eligible heating and air-conditioning products from Johnson Controls' York® brand may have a choice of cash rebates, special financing or an extended warranty plan. The program offers customers a cash back rebate up to $1,500, special 12-month, no payment/same as cash financing or a 10-year parts and labor YORKCare™ Extended Warranty Plan on qualifying products.

Homeowners get a choice of seven different color panels for the heat pump or can choose a college logo panel bearing the logo of any of more than 77 colleges and universities, with a new Affinity™ unit.

To learn more, visit www.yorkupg.com or call (800) 910-YORK.

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