It’s that time of year again. I realize that it’s only the start of February but that’s pre-spring for us. I live far enough south that we are actually already seeing pollen starting to cover the cars. It’s not full on yet but it has started. As soon as I have to wash any pollen off the car, it’s time for me to call the HVAC company. Within six weeks, we can count on the day time temperatures to remain in the 80’s. That’s when the chorus of heat pumps crank up in my neighborhood. While we tend to leave the thermostat alone until we are consistently topping 90, the heat pump needs to be ready. So once I see the pollen, I call the HVAC company to set up the air conditioning tune up. This is the first step when it comes to being proactive about saving on air conditioning costs. While we have a winter to die for, the summer thumps us. If you don’t have some sort of plan and preparation for the summer heat and humidity, you’ll pay. I mean that quite literally. If you don’t prepare the house properly, stop direct sunlight heating and have some thermostat control, it gets expensive. I know people that pay the equivalent of a new car payment just for the cooling comfort they enjoy inside their house. To me, that is a huge waste of money. Getting the air conditioning tune up ensures that the heat pump is running at its most efficient. From there, I spent a couple weekends making sure that the weather stripping is in good shape. And all gaps around the exterior of my house are sealed. Then it’s just pull the shades, keep the thermostat around 80 for the summer and we’re good to go.