Q. Does anyone know what the cost of installation of air conditioning in 3 bedrooms is likely to be ? No 'clever 'answers please to obtain points. Don't bother to say..free...open the windows...I live on a busy trunk road and that is not possible.

A. I bought a stand alone A/C unit this summer - was only £200 and that cools a large bedroom - in fact because it's portable we even carried it downstairs & used it on a few days in the sitting room. Also, they do not require any professional installation. Delivery was next day & hubby was so impressed he bought a couple for the offices at work. Web site is listed below - there is even a calculator to work out what BTU you need & which units are best suited to your application - I highly recommend these people. www.dry-it-out.com

Q. I maintain that it is more cost-efficient to keep the central air conditioning on at a high temperature (like 79 or 80 degrees) if I'm going away for a long weekend, than to turn it off and have to cool down a hot house when I return. Friends tell me this isn't true. Does any expert out there know the answer?

A. You are quite right to a point. It does take much more energy to cool a hot house then one that has been kept at a moderate temp. while not at home. However, some of the newer units are designed to cool more quickly using less energy, (SEER Rating). If your unit is 4 years old or older, you are on the right track. Keep the outside unit clean. Have the indoor coil and blower checked in the spring and change your filters on a regular basis and your unit will run at its greatest efficiency.

Q. I want to install an air conditioner in my "computer" room where there is alot of heat generated to due several computers and large LCDs running all day. I have installed typical room air conditioners before but the problem I'm having is that the only window in the room shuts sideways instead of shutting down, it is also a fairly tall window, about 8 feet tall. Will a typical home air conditioning company be able to solve this for me? I image they'd have to install something in the window to cover the extra space from top to bottom since the window closes sideways, probably would look ugly too. Any advice? For the record I do have home air conditioning but the computer room is on average 10-20 degrees hotter than the rest of the house. So if I want to set the computer room to 70-75 degrees, I actually have to set the house air conditioner to 60-65 degrees which makes the living areas too cold and is a waste of energy.

A. We had the same problem..... My husband put the server into the closet, with it's own separate air conditioning duct. We had outlets put in there too, so we can put a portable fan in there, if it still gets too hot....... And in his office, we have a big ceiling fan, in addition to the air conditioner

Q. I think my AC unit is shot. I suspect the repair to be major, so cost is pretty important to me. Can anyone recommend a dependable repairman or repair service that won't gouge me? Thanks!!

A. Independent HVAC steve baser 214-724-1862

Q. Does anyone know a good website that teach me step by step how to service ( and do commonly needed replacement) my single room (Window /wall mounted) Air Conditioner. Googled website almost all only show companys that do air cond repair. I want this as new hobby ! T H A N K S !!

A. Try starting here: http://www.hometips.com/cs-protected/guides/centairfix.html Google diy air conditioner repair. gl

Q. I just moved into a new home that had never had the ducts cleaned. The house is a ranch with gas forced air heat on one zone with about 9 vents. I found this company on a coupon for $45 which included unlimited vents and a couple access holes. When the company began their work they found mold and the price skyrocketed from $45 to $1400. Does this sound like a screw job or is that price accurate for mold removal and duct cleaning?

A. Mold removal/remediation is entirely different from air duct cleaning. However, it is not uncommon to find mold in your air ducts. That is why we recommend the Electro Breeze Duct Mount UV kit at http://www.allergy-relief-air-purifier.com/air-conditioning-filters.html. This unit will eliminate mold and bacteria from your indoor air and keep your air conditioning coils clean from mold. You must consider that to remove the mold from your air ducts, the air duct cleaning company is entering into a potentially dangerous situation for their employees. This requires expensive equipment and a person with the skills to do the remediation properly. Now that they have knocked the mold loose, you will need the high efficiency filtration and ultra-violet light of the Electro Breeze DMUV kit to kill and capture the mold spores in your indoor air. I hope this helps.

Q. My car is getting older and I've noticed the air coming from the air conditioning ducts and air vents smells musty, dusty, and dirty. Is there a way I can clean the ducts and vents? Also, is this something I can get done at an auto detailer?

A. The answer to your 2nd question first. Maybe?! Some detailers will only clean/restore what they can reach, although there are some who might go the extra mile. The problem is, they don't want to be responsible for destroying your dash vents to get at the ducts. When I worked in a body shop, we simply used compressed air through the vents to blow out the dust and dirt accumulated while the car sat inside being worked on.......some people even put pieces of air freshner directly in the vents to sweeten the smell afterwards.

Q. My doctor told me I need to get my air duct cleaned, but I keep hearing all kinds of horror stories about air duct cleaners. Does anyone knows of a good air duct cleaner near San Francisco?

A. Here are some Union companies that do duct cleaning. They all do good work. Atlas Heating and AC Oakland, CA 510-893-1343 Advanced Solutions Heating and Air Conditioning San Mateo, CA 650-347-4828 Bell Products Napa, CA 707-255-1811