Air conditioning is very important during the warm months. Indeed, it is not uncommon for people to seek refuge in malls and movie theaters and other cold indoor places when the going gets hot.

But, air conditioning can be quite costly. So costly, that it is not affordable for some. Every year, we hear of people who die from heat related illness. Presumably in many cases, thesepeople could not afford to remain cool.

There are some general measures that everyone can take to reduce air conditioning costs. Since many of these suggestions reduce air conditioning use, they are also environmentally friendly. This is so because reduced dependency on air conditioning limits the need for electric production and electric production is a leading cause of air pollution in the United States.

One place to start is at the beginning: before you purchase air conditioning equipment for your home. Air conditioning units have tags located on them which indicate their cooling capacity. One ton of air conditioning equals 12,000 BTUs per hour of cooling capacity. What many people do when they replace an old air conditioning system is simply replace it with a system with the same capacity as the old system.

This can be a costly mistake. In the "old" days, 20 years ago and more, many contractors installed very oversized units to make up for the fact that older houses tended to be energy inefficient. Since many houses now have weatherstripping, insulation, newer windows, etc., a lower capacity unit may quite capably fill the shoes of a stronger one installed many years ago.

In order to be sure that your replacement system is properly sized, you should obtain a professionally prepared "full load" calculation for your home. This will measure both heat gain and heat loss in your house.

Recent published reports suggest that not all load studies are performed equally. Some contractors provide price quotes based on very rough calculations in which the house's square footage is multiplied by a certain, set, factor. Since this does not take into account important issues such as insulation, shade, sun exposure, the types of windows employed, roof conditions, etc., a computation based of square footage alone is highly suspect. It is quick, but it may not be right. This can lead to a mistake that might be costly and energy inefficient.

Key to all of this is finding a contractor that has a good reputation and is willing to take the time to do a good job. Many questions about the home construction, ventilation, and orientation must be asked and evaluated in terms of actual air conditioning requirements. Only after a through evaluation is competently performed can you size an appropriate air conditioning unit.

The EPA, Department of Energy, and leading American manufacturers have created a new designation for products that are environmentally protective, known as "Energy Star." Energy Star labeled products require less energy to operate, saving consumers money and protecting the environment. This monht, Carrier began to offer preferred financing rates for its air conditioning and heating products that carry the Energy Star label. While energy star products may be more expensive to purchase, the EPA maintains they are, in the long run, the least expensive to operate because of their enhanced efficiency.

When you purchase your air conditioning system, you can operate it in a manner that will also save money and the environment. First and foremost, purchase an automatic, programmable thermostat. Various kinds of units are available, generally costing from $30 to $100.00. By changing temperature settings during the day and night, substantial energy savings can be realized. Also, maintaining a higher temperature, just enough to make your home comfortable and to take out the humidity, can also significantly lower operation costs.

Other household changes can also help a lot. For example, painting your house a lighter color can reduce the amount of heat absorbed into the house. And by applying a reflective coating to your roof, you can reduce a great deal of heat absorption as well. This heat absorption increases the need for air conditioning usage.

Installation of more efficient windows and insulation will also help. As also will shading through awnings, louvers, shutters, and natural landscaping. Finally, energy savings can be realized by using heat producing appliances such as overs, dishwashers and dryers during morning hours and at night. Changing to newer compact fluorescent light bulbs also reduce heat production.

By properly sizing your air conditioning system and then running it wisely, you can save a lot of money and help the environment. Simple changes, such as installing a new thermostat and running appliance during morning hours, can lead to substantial energy savings.

Once the unit is installed, money and energy savings can be accomplished through smart operating procedures.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.