With a hot summer on the way and a potential heat wave in Connecticut next week, local HVAC companies are urging Connecticut residents to be prepared.

"Your system is going to work harder than it should," Paul Raymond, of Celco Heating and Air Conditioning says. "It's imperative that the system is checked because of the increasing run time that these machines are going to see."

Raymond says the company is seeing an increase in service calls as the temperatures rise.

"Cooling season is about three months long, and it's where everybody's uncomfortable," Raymond says. "People will let their house freeze before they sweat during the summer."

According to a report by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the Center for Energy, New England residents will pay an average of $760 total to cool their homes this summer. That's a more than 5% increase compared to last year.

"This is climate change hitting your wallet," Mark Wolfe, of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association says. "Close the blinds when it's really hot. Clean the filter on your air conditioner. Use overhead fans before you use the air conditioner."

Wolfe says that like the temperatures, costs will continue to rise in the coming years due to climate change. He says families need to accept that this is how the future will be.

Earlier this year, Connecticut approved a new program that provides a 50% discount on electricity to low-income families.

"Connecticut has really taken a major step to try and help families pay their cooling bills," Wolfe says.