Common mistakes people make when trying to save energy include:

• Letting the furnace or air conditioner salesperson sell them a unit that's much bigger than they need;
  
• Not getting the ducts checked for leakage when installing a new heating and cooling system;
  
• Thinking that "since heat rises, we only need to insulate the attic," and not realizing that floors over a basement or crawlspace also matter, as well as walls and windows;
  
• Not using ceiling and portable fans to improve comfort in the cooling season.

Ceiling and portable fans use very little electricity. They can circulate air in the house, making the house feel comfortably cool, even if the thermostat on your air conditioner is raised to 85°F.

For more information about getting the right size air conditioner or the right size heat pump, visit those pages on our site.