With another hot summer underway, we’ve discussed installing central air conditioning, just as we have for ten years now. That means that for the past nine years we’ve put off the decision. We both are gone all day at work, so in the evenings, we rely on ceiling fans to keep cool. But a recent visit to our dog’s veterinarian resulted in a stern piece of advice about considering the health and comfort of our dog. She gave us a pamphlet with information on home air conditioning as it pertains to pets. It was certainly enlightening. The research on household cooling indicates a recent trend in air conditioning rooms or homes for pets. Some pet owners leave doors and windows open for their dogs and cats to move between indoor and outdoor areas. This means that air conditioners have to work harder and use more energy to maintain indoor temperatures due to these openings letting hot air inside. We finally were convinced that we needed to find an honest HVAC contractor to install central air conditioning in our home for ourselves and for our dog. It’s hard to believe that it took an animal doctor to do the convincing! After three quotes from three different heating and cooling specialists, we settled on one that had the most experience and the best reputation. We only had to wait one week before his crew arrived and began the two-day process. We have a forced air heating system, so the ductwork was already installed. There wasn’t much retrofitting that needed to be done as a result. The condenser unit was installed outside, the thermostat was placed on a central wall away from direct sunlight, and in no time we had central air conditioning!