You know you want to make your air conditioning system more energy-efficient, but the cost of removing and installing an entirely new system can often be prohibitively expensive. If this is the case, you should be looking at auxiliary installations that can work in conjunction with your current system, improving performance without the expense of a total remove and replace project. Whole house fans are one of the best supplemental systems available.

A whole house fan can be wired into an existing electrical circuit and most fans are designed to go in easily, requiring no cutting of trusses. Direct-drive whole house fans are available at home centers for do-it-yourself installation, but these are noisier and less efficient than belt-driven models, making them inappropriate for medium and larger homes. You'll also need to determine what size fan is appropriate for your home. Fans between 24 and 36 inches in diameter are usually the standard and whether you need a bigger or smaller fan depends on the size of your home.

Bathroom fans are desirable in any bathroom, and they are a near necessity in bathrooms that have no windows or a window that can't be opened. In addition to removing unpleasant odors, good bathroom ventilation is also useful in removing excessive moisture from the air after a hot shower. There are several options available when it comes to bathroom fans, and some are more appropriate than others in certain situations.

Of course, the simplest form of bathroom ventilation is simply opening a window. If you already have a functional window in your bathroom, you might try supplementing your ventilation system with a window fan. While your average box fan will certainly make a marked difference in removing air to the outside, they can be rather cumbersome. Some fans are designed specifically for ventilation and use a series of smaller fans that form a gapless seal in your window, so even if there is no screen, the likelihood of bugs entering your home is greatly reduced.

A more permanent solution to bathroom ventilation is to install a whole room fan that vents to the outside. These systems are generally controlled with a light switch, so they won't take up any extra outlet space (a particularly nice feature in older bathrooms that may only have a single outlet).

A good bathroom fan will exchange the air in a bathroom completely every five minutes. If your fan is working properly, your mirrors should be free of fog pretty quickly after you exit the shower. In addition to keeping the air fresh and your mirrors primed for primping, this moisture reduction will also help inhibit the growth of mildew and other fungi that easily breed in a bathroom, as well as prolong the life of paint and wallpaper that might be susceptible to moisture damage.

Ceiling fans are one of the most sensible solutions when it comes to achieving a comfortable, energy efficient home. In fact, ceiling fans have been helping to heat and cool residences for more than a hundred years. By stirring up breezes in the summer, and circulating warm air in the winter, ceiling fans effectively reduce the demand on conventional heating and cooling systems. And to top it all off, they do it with undeniable charm.

Ceiling fans increase the energy efficiency of your home in two ways. In the summer a fan makes a room more comfortable at higher temperatures thanks to the slight breeze it creates. That simple fact makes it possible to set the A/C five to seven degrees higher than if fans weren't installed. In the winter, on the other hand, your fan serves another purpose altogether. Warm air from your furnace rises and collects at the ceiling, where it doesn't do you much good. By flipping the switch on your ceiling fan so it turns the other direction, you eliminate the stiff breeze it creates, but still benefit from the air circulation it provides. All that warm air up at the ceiling is conveniently recirculated throughout your home.

Electrical wiring is not a job for most homeowners to tackle themselves, but it is a good idea to know a little about what will be required to bring your house up to speed when talking with your contractor. One way to plan a new wiring project is to look in your main circuit breaker. Though some homeowners might be intimidated by their circuit breaker, most should easily be able to find the size of the service, and read the amp rating printed on it. In most cases, 100-amp service provides enough power to handle most loads. A service rated for 60-amps or less may need to be upgraded. Look for open circuit breaker slots in the main circuit breaker panel. You will need one open slot for each 120-volt circuit that you may plan to install, and two slots for each 240-volt circuit. If your main circuit-breaker panel has no open breaker slots, you will need to have a sub panel installed.

With the large amount of electrical equipment found in the modern home, it's no wonder that electrical upgrades are becoming more common. Handling the electrical needs of today's homeowner is no small task, and to keep everything running smoothly, new electrical wiring is often a necessity, especially in homes built many decades ago. If you are considering an electrical upgrade for your home, there are a few things you should be aware of; an electrical wiring project is no small task, and the more you know about what's available, the better you'll be able to communicate to your contractor what you expect from the job and how much it will cost.

A large electrical wiring project adds a considerable load to your main electrical service. In about 25 percent of all homes, some type of service upgrade is needed before new wiring can be installed. For example, many homeowners will need to replace an older 60-amp electrical service with a new service rated for 100 amps or more. A licensed electrician is needed for a job like this.

While adding an extra outlet to run an electric toothbrush in the bathroom is generally not a big deal, a sizable electrical wiring project adds a considerable load to your main electrical service. In nearly 25 percent of all homes, some type of service upgrade is needed before additional wiring can be installed. Make sure you have plenty of power for present and future needs. When discussing your wiring project with your contractor, think not just of what you are running now, but of the many things you might have in the future that will need to be powered. Consider all ways the space in a new addition might be used and plan for enough electrical service to meet peak needs. Look in your main circuit breaker to see how much power you currently have. Is your service rated for 60-amps or less? If so, it may need to be upgraded.

Remember, all electrical wiring work requires review by your local electrical inspector to make sure the changes conform to local electrical and building codes. Failure to have proper permits and inspections can cause problems that can cost far more time and money than some homeowners (or unscrupulous contractors) may think they can save by doing work "under the table." You could have trouble reselling your home in the future, or worse, your homeowners insurance could refuse to cover your loss in a house fire because the house was altered illegally!

For those itching to make a change to their homes without breaking the bank, or for people who like to change their surroundings with their moods, consider the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. With so many options available, from recessed lighting to track lighting to ambient lighting, homeowners can literally alter their rooms with the flip of a switch. However, with a wide variety of choice often comes confusion. Which lighting is best for you? Just glancing at the vast amount of lighting types, fixtures, and designs (and then figuring in the electrical capabilities of your home) can be intimidating. But once you get over this feeling, you'll realize that the best way to light your home is to mix and match. And that's where it gets fun.