Trap. A standard 1-inch furnace

filter removes some of the larger contaminants that would otherwise enter

your furnace and circulate throughout your home. And it removes a very

small percentage of dust, pollens, pet dander, plant spores, fungi, bacteria,

tobacco smoke and other small particles that can cause harm. A top-performing

whole-house electronic air cleaner, installed into new or existing forced-air

heating/cooling systems, can trap more than 90 percent of fungi and ragweed

pollen, and more than 70 percent of certain bacteria that passes through

it.

Moisturize. During the winter

in cold climates, the relative humidity inside an average home is 15 percent.

People generally are most comfortable when the relative humidity is approximately

40 percent. Indoor air that's too dry can take a toll on your family,

and your home suffers, too.

A whole-house humidifier combats

uncomfortable conditions that can contribute to dry skin, out-of-tune

pianos and damage to hardwood floors by automatically regulating the humidity

levels in your home. As an added benefit, homeowners can reduce heating

bills because people feel more comfortable at a lower temperature setting

if humidity is at a proper level.

Ventilate. According to the

Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute, your home should

have new, fresh air every three hours. In drafty older homes, built before

the emphasis on energy conservation, fresh air exchange occurs naturally

as stale air seeps out and fresh outside air is drawn in. But in a home

that is tightly weatherized, it can take as long as 10 hours to bring

in new air.

Choose a ventilation or air

exchanger that fits the climate where you live. Whole-house air exchangers

for cool climates helps reduce excess moisture problems - like condensation

on windows - that contribute to mold growth. It's the same principle

as using your bathroom exhaust fan to remove moisture created by running

the shower. Systems for warm climates help guard against too much humidity

entering the home from outside.

Too warm or too cold?

Humans are extremely sensitive

to temperature fluctuations. We're able to detect a temperature change

of just two degrees. One of the most frequent homeowner complaints today

is uneven temperature from one room to the next.

Temperature zoning - or

managing temperature control room-by-room - is one way to fix that

problem. Just as we don't use a single light switch to control lighting

throughout the house, it's inefficient to use a single thermostat

to control an entire home. In a zoned home, you install multiple thermostats

and customize the climate in each room or area. Whether you want to keep

the bedrooms cooler at night, adjust your living room temperature to account

for large windows, or help control the temperature difference between

floors, how you customize your home's temperature is up to you.

Programmable thermostats save

money

This winter, experts are forecasting

sharply higher home heating bills because of natural gas shortages. In

the Midwest, for example, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates the

average residential winter heating bill could increase 19 percent, sending

the average heating bill to $915 for November through March.

A recent Honeywell study found

91 percent of homeowners turn off lights to save energy. That's a

good idea, but managing temperature settings is a far more effective way

to save money. Heating and cooling account for nearly 60 percent of home

utility costs, while lighting represents just 10 to 15 percent of annual

costs.

Homeowners could save up to

33 percent in annual energy costs by correctly using programmable thermostats

that adjust the temperature to preset, lower-cost levels at specified

times. Programmable thermostat studies by Honeywell estimate energy reductions

based on adjustments of 10 degrees -- typically overnight or when the

house is unoccupied during the day. Actual energy use depends on the amount

of temperature adjustment, the duration of the adjustment, a home's

energy efficiency, and the weather conditions in a given region of the

country.

For more information on improving

home indoor livability by managing air quality, comfort level and energy

use, visit www.honeywell.com/yourhome.

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