Cool WaysTo Get Your Air Conditioner In Shape (NAPSA)—Surprising as it may sound, cold weather may nity to get their home’s air conditioner running smoothly before they need it. There are several pre-season steps consumers can take to make the warm weather—when it arrives—more bearable, while reducing the stress on their air conditioners. Here are some tips from the U.S. Department of Energy and the experts at York Heating and Cooling: * Don’t air-condition the whole neighborhood. Caulking and weather stripping will help keep cool air inside during the summer. Inspect the duct work for holes or separated joints, and hire a professional to repair them. e Add insulation around airconditioning ducts, when they are located in unconditioned spaces such as attics, crawl spaces and garages; do the same for wholehouse fans where they open to the exterior or attic. Homeowners should check the SEER (seasonal energyefficiency ratio) rating of their airconditioning unit. Upgrading to a higher SEER rating can save homeowners hundredsof dollars a year on their energy bills. If it is not economically feasible to repair the AC unit and it needs to be replaced, homeown- ((sacK
