Dallas resident and architect Alicia Quintans knows about living green.  In fact she says “I grew up on a farm so a sustainable lifestyle is very familiar. My grandparents were farmers and home-grown produce was available all year round. My family lived in a farmhouse with no central a/c and butane heaters. The house was designed to allow for air flow and we often slept on the screened porch in the summer.”

“I researched air conditioning and heating options for years before finding the right fit. Quotes for traditional ducted systems ranged from 7K to 10K, and most A/C contractors discouraged me from using the ductless mini-split systems,” Quintans says. “We also really did not want to take the attic storage space away for ducts and equipment. I finally spoke with Jack Schmidt of Benchmark Services, who was recommended by Mitsubishi. He installed the Mr. Slim system at half the cost of a ducted system.”

As for how much money the couple is saving she says “With weekly reports from Reliant, we saw immediate results. Our energy usage the week after installation was half the amount of the prior week. Our average energy bill is about $70 per month, so we are not big energy consumers. With insulation and Mr. Slim, the indoor temperature stays very constant and comfortable even during the hottest summer on record.

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