Allconnect is a premium sponsor of Real Estate Connect, a technology real estate conference taking place this week in San Franciso. The company has launched new functionality at www.connectmybuyer.com. Below is the official release. If you are a Realtor, or know a Realtor, have them try connectmybuyer.com out between now and July 30 and they’ll be entered to win a trip to Napa Valley!

Allconnect Launches Unique Marketing Tool for Real Estate Pros

New, free online system lets brokers create custom brochures about home services for clients

SAN FRANCISCO, July 13, 2010 – Allconnect – the leading comparison shopping and connections marketplace for essential home services – today unveiled a new, unique customer service and marketing tool at Real Estate Connect 2010 created specifically for real estate professionals. ConnectMyBuyer.com is an innovative, free system that delivers benefits to both realtors and their customers.

By accessing Allconnect’s ConnectMyBuyer.com, realtors can input a client’s address and create an individualized email or flyer that lists contact information for water, waste, gas, and electric services.  It also includes a summary of the television, Internet, and phone service plans available for the specific location.  New home buyers can compare providers, plans, and rates, with no obligation to purchase.

“ConnectMyBuyer is designed with both the homeowner and the realtor in mind,” said Glenn Goad, Allconnect Chief Strategy Officer.  “The homeowner has access to information about special offers, can explore which plan is right for them, and get best-price guarantees. Realtors can provide customer service that exceeds expectations while standing out from the competition.”

ConnectMyBuyer.com is already in use at Allconnect’s real estate partners, including Harry Norman Realtors, Home123, Keller Williams Realty: The Rawls Group, RE/MAX Executives, and Prudential Palms Realty.

“Our comprehensive database is regularly updated to have the latest information from service providers. The front-end technology is easy to use. The combination gives realtors hassle-free access to a powerful personal brand enhancer,” said Allconnect’s Goad.

About Allconnect
Allconnect is the leading provider for connecting consumers with household services including satellite TV, cable TV, Internet, phone, home security systems, and natural gas and electric utilities.  The company offers a convenient, simple, and objective one-stop source for comparing options and pricing, whether consumers are transferring or establishing household services during a move or simply wanting to ensure they are on the best plan for their budget.  This service is offered at no charge, online or by phone.  Founded in 1998, Allconnect has connected over 20 million people through its partnerships with more than 30 utility companies and hundreds of service providers across the U.S.  Allconnect employs more than 500 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices in St. George, Utah; Danville, Virginia; and Mexico.  Realtors can learn more at ConnectMyBuyer.com.  Customers can visit Allconnect.com or call a Home Services Consultant at 800-930-1940.

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As summer kicks into high gear and the heat rises, adjust your AC setting a little higher.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), for each degree that the thermostat is changed, you can save up to 1 percent of your total energy bill as long as the change in temperature lasts 8 hours.  This means  you could save 5 to 15 percent on your cooling bills by increasing the temperature setting by 10 – 15 degrees for 8 hours a day. Of course, results will vary based on how well your home is insulated and the climate in which you live.

(In order to maximize savings, visit Allconnect.com to compare electric companies and rates in your area.) Setting your thermostat as high as is comfortable in the summer also reduces your carbon footprint.  According to the DOE, “Heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global climate change. They also generate about 12% of the nation’s sulfur dioxide and 4% of the nitrogen oxides, the chief ingredients in acid rain.”

Additional strategies to reduce your air conditioning usage this summer:

• Open Windows to “Save Money Cooling Your Home”
• Plant trees to shade your windows in summer.

For more information about programmable thermostats and lowering your energy bills in the winter, see “Have you learned to program your thermostat?”

Can’t afford to upgrade to energy-efficient windows? Here are some cheaper strategies for using windows to cool your home.

Reduce Solar Heat Gain
Windows allow the sun to heat a home.  This is advantageous in the winter.  However, in the summer, this solar heat gain accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the average home’s cooling requirements.

• To reduce the amount of solar heat entering your home in the summer, keep blinds, drapes, and curtains closed — especially on the south and west sides of the home.

• White window coverings reflect heat better than dark-colored window coverings.  Heavy, tightly woven fabric insulates better than lightweight fabrics.

• Apply solar control window films to windows.  Visit the Window Film Information Center for information.

Open Windows
When the air temperature is cooler outside than it is inside, open the windows to cool the indoor temperature and to create air flow.  Opening the windows also improves indoor air quality.

• In climates with cool nights and hot days, open the windows in the evenings and at night to allow your home to cool.  During the day, the temperature in a well-insulated house will only rise 1° F if the outside temperature is 85 to 90° F. (Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  Download a pdf of additional tips for cooling your home naturally here.)

• Open windows at the top and bottom levels of your house to generate more airflow.

• If your home is one-story, open windows on opposite sides of the house to create airflow across the home.

• If you live in an apartment or condo that has windows on one side only, use a fan to help create airflow.

• If you have an attic hatch, open it to allow heat to escape and to create airflow.  If you have an attic fan, turn it on.

To maximize your savings, compare local electric companies’ rates at Allconnect.com to make sure you’re paying the lowest available rate to run your air conditioner and cool your home.

Hate your antique furnace, but not sure if it makes sense to replace it? Want to compare the energy efficiency for heating and cooling systems?

CLECO, a Louisiana-based energy services company, has partnered with Enercom to provide the comparison site to help you understand the costs and energy savings for upgrading heating and cooling systems.

For example, let’s say you have a 15-year-old furnace with central air conditioning in your 1,800-square-foot house. Assume the AFUE is 65 and the SEER is 6. Assume you use 13,050 kWh of electricity and 729 therms of natural gas. Assume your rates are 0.098 cents per kWh and $1.01 per therm. You currently spend $2,085 per year in energy costs.

If you replace the system with a geothermal heat pump, your annual energy costs would be $851, assuming a COP of 3.5, an EER of 16 and electricity use of 8,693 kWh at 0.098 cents per kWh.

In other words, you would save $1,234 in energy costs each year.

The comparison site allows you to enter the cost of new equipment and installation in order to estimate the length of time for the return on your investment.

Tips on comparing furnaces, cooling systems, or heat pumps

• To compare furnaces, you’ll need the  AFUE = Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. The Energy Savers website has more info on AFUE, as well as information on boilers and furnaces in general.

• To compare cooling systems, you’ll need the SEER = Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The Energy Savers website has more information on SEER and central air conditioners.

• To compare heat pumps, you’ll need the HSPF = Heating Season Performance Factor. The Energy Savers website also has more information about HSPF and air source heat pumps.

• To compare geothermal heat pumps, you’ll need the  COP = Coefficient of Performance and EER = Energy Efficient Ratio. For more information, visit EnergyStar.gov and the Energy Savers web site.

Save money when upgrading heating and cooling systems.  Check out which heating and cooling upgrades qualify for tax credits and rebates.

Save money on high energy bills by making your home more energy efficient with Energy Star-rated products.  You’ll be protecting the environment, too!