When I moved to Plano, Texas, I really had no idea of what the weather was like. Because of seeing Texas portrayed in the movies as very hot and dry, I was completely surprised by the high humidity in the summer and the chilly winters. It’s not unusual to get a couple of inches of snow per year. With temperatures soaring into the upper nineties and plummeting into the low thirties, keeping a comfortable home is somewhat of a challenge. There are days when it’s necessary to run the air conditioner during the afternoon and still need the heating system overnight. There is rarely a time when I can simply open a window and enjoy the fresh air. Heating and cooling account for approximately fifty percent of the household energy consumption. Because of this, upgrading the air conditioner and furnace was one of my first big home improvements. It was a significant investment because the ductwork installed into my home was outdated and not designed properly. Plus, the previous owners had done quite a bit of remodeling and the ductwork no longer suited the layout of the residence. I found an HVAC contractor that includes sheet metal fabrication to allow for custom designed ductwork. I chose a top-of-the-line air conditioner featuring a 26 SEER and an Energy Star rated furnace that achieves a 98% AFUE. Although the new ductwork, heating and cooling required taking out a loan, I feel it was a worthwhile upgrade. My energy bills are significantly lower every month, all year round. The systems are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty and provide far superior comfort and indoor air quality. The air conditioner does a good job of handling excess humidity and filtering out air contaminants.