Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are among the most important inventions of the past century. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
However, cooling puts a large burden on electrical systems and generates huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the issue and suggests solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing an air conditioner, energy efficiency is an important aspect. The upgrade to a more efficient cooling system will lower your energy bills and reduce environmental impacts. Air conditioning units are rated with several different energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much a unit is able to cool with a certain amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating is, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a unit can be found on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are in the market for an air conditioner that is new, choose one with a high rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit performs during a season under normal conditions. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy use and expenses.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes as well. For example high levels of humidity in the indoor, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks can all make your system work harder and use more energy. Keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple steps to increase the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency considerations, too. These systems make use of a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to provide cooling throughout the building. They could also have steam systems which require specialized maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition, many of these large systems are controlled by a system called a Building Automation System (BAS) that integrates all cooling and heating systems of the building into a single system. Verde has been able to improve the performance of these systems by providing retrocommissioning recommendations that provide rapid paybacks.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key element of global efforts to combat climate change. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling equipment to market, and consumers want them. In the meantime, we can take other steps to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a major health risk for many people who spend a significant portion of their lives inside buildings. There are fortunately many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems such as asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources of pollution in modern homes and offices. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere by a number of activities such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can trigger respiratory issues and allergies.
The presence of excessive moisture can also have a negative effect on air quality. Moisture can encourage the growth of mildew and mold, which can trigger respiratory issues. To prevent this from happening, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture level at a lower level. This can be accomplished by regularly vacuuming and dusting, cleaning bedding, cushions and using a dehumidifier or humidifier based on the humidity gauge.
Apart from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can improve the comfort of homes. A home with high levels of air pollutants for instance, may smell musty. It can also cause irritation eyes or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are open for ventilation as needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, problems with concentration and a general feeling of feeling of ill-health. Although these symptoms may be relieved after leaving a space, prolonged exposure can exacerbate existing health conditions and could lead to serious health issues.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing old air, a process referred to as ventilation. This can be influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, as well as the design of the building. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by introducing plants into the house opening up windows and doors whenever possible and making sure that the HVAC system is working correctly. For those who would like to take a more thorough approach, it is suggested that they speak with a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do an excellent job of removing the majority of biological pollutants, such as molds, bacteria and pet dander pollen, they’re not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles that can trigger symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congested nasal, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and cause worsening of chronic lung and heart conditions. Smoke particles can cause a range of health issues such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week was caused by forest fires in Canada and is causing dangerous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick smoky haze decreases visibility and creates breathing problems for those who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to stop smoke from getting into your home through your windows and doors especially in older houses that have a lot of cracks and drafts. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30%. If possible, place wet towels around the door frames and cracks to slow the flow of smoke into your home or business.
If your HVAC system is in an recirculation mode, make sure to turn it off during smoky conditions. This will allow your HVAC system to take the smokey indoor air, rather than the air being recirculated. If your structure has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, such as loading docks or parking garages You should make sure that the ducts are separated from the rest of.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more frequently in the event of smoke to ensure that they are removing pollutants from the air in your home. Choose a filter that has an MERV that is at least (MERV) that is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to get rid of smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the idea that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. Most energy companies offer “time of use” plans with different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners to cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t need to run air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This method requires a thermostat with programmable settings that can adjust automatically. Even so homeowners must take the time to analyze their usage patterns for electricity to determine the time when their air conditioner is most cost-effective. A lot of people save 25% or more on their energy bills by using this method.
To supercool the home, the homeowner should set their AC at lower temperatures the next morning and keep it there for a few hours. This cools the walls as well as floors, furniture and fixtures as well as the inside air. When the energy costs are at their peak the homeowner, he or she will increase the temperature of the air conditioner and leave it on until the next time it is turned off.
This strategy is effective since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the home cooler. It is essential to stop heat from entering your home through windows, doors, and other leaky points. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any leaky or drafty areas. They should also make use of window shades to block out sunlight, particularly in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. Also it is important to ensure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to stop air from escape during cooling cycles. They should also consider installing smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy bills without worrying about forgetting to turn on or off the system.