And now for the rest of our 15 favorite energy-saving tips for summer:

9. Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer, and watch your electric bills shrink. For example, running the A/C at 78°F instead of 72°F can save 6%-18%. Think of it this way: the smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the less work your air conditioner has to perform.

10. Keep your window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar heat gain.

11. Plant trees or shrubs to shade your home. Properly placed trees around the house — especially on the south- and west-facing sides — can save between $100 and $250 annually.

12. Skip the oven at meal time. Instead, use the microwave, toaster or a counter-top grill, all of which use less energy than a full-sized oven, when you need to prepare small portions of food. Plus, your A/C won’t have to work so hard to cool off an overheated kitchen.

13. Unplug electronics and appliances when not in use, and use power strips so you can turn everything off at once. Leaving a computer on all day can cost about 21 cents per day, or about $75 per year.

14. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). Lighting makes up about 10% of home energy costs, and CFLs can save up to 75% of that energy. They also last longer, saving money on replacements.

And of course, #15, the energy-savings kicker: CONSIDER ZONING! By directing cooled air only where you need it, zoning not only saves up to 25% on your utility bills — it helps you feel comfortable in EVERY room of your home. (Even that stuffy, hot second floor.)

Email info@zonefirst.com for a ZONEFIRST contractor near you.

One of the most common homeowner complaints we hear in the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) industry is related to “temperature stratification.” In summer, you have a hot, stuffy second floor while the basement rec room feels like a meat locker. Or, in winter, you have that one bedroom that just can’t get warm enough.

Zoning is the answer to your indoor comfort woes — and better yet, it saves you energy and money.

So what IS zoning?

In a nutshell, zoning lets you direct heated or cooled air only to the rooms that need it. Thermostats sense the temperature in each zone, and they tell your HVAC system how much heated/cooled air is needed. A signal is then sent to special motorized dampers in your ductwork (or right in your outlet vents) — which open and close as necessary to direct the air where it’s needed, and “satisfy” the thermostats’ request for a change in temperature.

While zoning isn’t a new concept, homeowners are beginning to hear more about it — especially for existing homes. This is partly due to recent advances in wireless technology — with wireless thermostats, there’s no more threading thermostat wire through your walls (which can be extremely time-consuming and expensive).

Plus, even with a finished basement and no access to your ductwork, you can still zone your home — outlet zone dampers are installed right in your air vents.

Could this be the summer you finally feel comfortable in EVERY room of your home?

For more information on zoning, view our video. Or, for a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.604.1044 (U.S. only).