Improve your air conditioner’s efficiency

Air conditioners use a lot of electricity, consuming the most in a summertime heat wave. Without regular service to your air conditioner, its efficiency can fall by as much as half, especially when it works overtime in the summer heat. However, proper maintenance and repair on your air conditioner will save you money and can extend its life for roughly 15 years.

Know What's Below: Call before you dig

Whether it's a dreamed up deck addition or a landscaping masterpiece, summer weather is a great time for outdoor improvement plans to actually play out.

But if your planned projects include digging, like planting a tree or bringing in a backhoe for trench work, you'll have to wait a few more days so the job can be done safely. Underground utilities, such as buried gas, water, and electric lines, can be a shovel thrust away from turning a summer project into a disaster.

To find out where utility lines run on your property, diall 811 from anywhere in the country a few days prior to digging. Your call will be routed to a local "one call" center.  Tell the operator where you're planning to dig and what type of work you will be doing, and affected local utilities will be notified.