Christian Handyman Home Services: "A few tips on How to Get Your Home Energy Ready for Summer"

The bulk of your energy use in the summer comes from your air conditioner. While most of us can't live without it, there are some things you can do to improve its efficiency. For starters, change the air filter. The harder the unit has to work to push air through it, the more electricity it's going to require to cool your home.

Set your thermostat at a reasonable temperature and leave it there. For most people this is around 78 degrees. Keep in mind that for each degree lower you set it, your energy bill increases 4 percent.

If you have a few rooms in which you keep the vents closed, open them up. Keeping them closed will cause your system to be imbalanced, which causes it to work less efficiently.

Check the air conditioner's outside compressor unit if you have central AC. Make sure that there is no debris in or around it and remove any vines that may have gathered on it. Plus, if you live in a sandy area, check the fins to ensure that no sand has collected between them. If there is sand inside, squirt the fins clean with a garden hose.

If you have access to the air conditioner's ductwork, make sure that there are no leaks between the junctions. If you find some, seal them with a quality duct tape or aluminum a/c tape.

If you have a window unit, make sure that it is installed flush and that no air is leaking in around its edges.

Many of the things you do naturally in your home can also increase the heat buildup inside it. When summer comes around, you may have to change the way you perform some of these chores to help keep your home more comfortable.

Run the dishwasher only at night. Not only will this help reduce the demand on the national grid during the day, but the heat that the unit emits won't have the impact on your sweat glands like it does during the heat of the day.

On the hottest days, cook outside on the grill or plan easy-to-make microwaveable meals. By not using your oven you can save a ton of excess heat from gathering in your home--but if you simply have to use the oven, immediately place a pot of cold water inside of it when you're finished. This will absorb a lot of the heat. Not all of it, but a fair amount. Then you can use the water, now hot, to clean up the kitchen after dinner.

If your home has drafts, imagine your hard-earned money flowing out of them rather than air. You should have already checked for drafts pre-winter, but sometimes we forget. Make sure you do it before summer rolls in.

Check your door for proper weatherstripping. If you can slide a dollar bill between the gaps around your door, then you need weatherstripping pronto or dollar bills will really be flying through the gaps come August.

Check for air leaks around your wall outlets. Pass a wet hand across the area and check for a draft. If you find problems, purchase plate sealers and install them.

Check around all of your windows and exterior doors for drafts using a wet hand or a candle. In areas of poor insulation, seal them up with the proper caulking or weatherstripping product.