You can reduce your Summer energy costs by making sure your air conditioner is in good operating condition before hot weather arrives. Have it professionally serviced every year.

It's a good idea to test your air conditioner before the first summer heat wave descends... after all, you wouldn't want to discover that you have major problems and you're going to spend some warm days and nights before they're fixed. Testing your air conditioner alerts you to problems. It gives you time to get professional service for your air conditioner before you really need to use it.

If you're leaving your home for only a few hours, don't turn off the air conditioner, but do turn the thermostats to a higher temperature and close your shades to block solar heat. You'll keep humidity levels low and save energy.

A programmable thermostat for your central air conditioner will allow you to set it to cool your home by the time you return.

Use shades, drapes, blinds and other window treatments to stop the sun's heat from entering your home. Common opaque roller shades block 80 percent of the sun's heat; white venetian blinds block 45-50 percent.

Ceiling fans or portable oscillating fans create a wind-chill effect. With a 2 mph fall breeze, you feel as cool at 82 degrees as you would feel at 78 degrees. Use fans alone or with air conditioning to help your home feel cooler.

Window fans aid natural ventilation and help create airflow through your home. In the evening, place a box fan in a living-room window to blow hot indoor air outside. Then close other windows except for a bedroom window. This creates a slight suction that brings in cooler outdoor air through the bedroom window.

When using your air conditioner be sure the fan switch on your thermostat is in the "on" position. This operates the blower in your furnace continuously to keep the cool air from settling to the floor while the warm air rises, making your air conditioner continue to operate.