Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most important inventions of modern history. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters and wartime planes and supplies possible.
Cooling, however puts immense strain on the electricity system and creates huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA Report raises awareness of the effects and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Efficiency in energy is one of the most important factors when choosing a new cooling system. Upgrading to an efficient air conditioner will save on your energy costs and also reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of energy consumed. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit. You can find a SEER rating of a system on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
When shopping for a new air conditioning unit, look for one with a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit will perform during a season under normal conditions. A higher SEER rating could reduce your energy consumption and costs in the event that you replace an older model.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other factors too. A high humidity indoors, a insufficient maintenance and duct leaks for example, can all cause your system to work harder and consume additional energy. Maintaining your system with regular maintenance and sealing leaks from ducts are easy steps to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency concerns also. These systems make use of a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also have steam systems, that require special maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into a single centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the efficiency of the systems by offering retrocommissioning strategies that offer quick paybacks.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key component of global efforts to combat climate change. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime we can take additional measures to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings, and these structures could be a major health risk in the event that the indoor air quality is poor. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to improve IAQ and be a solution to common ailments like asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter as well as volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most common pollutants in modern homes and office buildings. These pollutants are released into the air through many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking cigarettes, and can cause respiratory problems as well as allergic reactions.
The presence of excessive moisture can have a negative impact on air quality. Mold and mildew can grow in humid air, and can lead to respiratory issues. To avoid these issues it is essential to monitor humidity and keep the moisture at a low level. This can be achieved by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, furniture and using a dehumidifier or humidifier using a humidifier or hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also improve the comfort of your home. For instance, a house with a lot of air pollution can become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes as well as a stuffy sensation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help to prevent these issues. Also, make sure that you open doors and windows for ventilation when needed.
The symptoms of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches difficulty in concentrating, and a general feeling of malaise. Although these symptoms may be relieved after leaving a space, prolonged exposure to air pollution can worsen existing health issues and may lead to serious health issues.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the speed that fresh air replaces old air, a process known as ventilation. This is influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, and the design of the structure. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including introducing plants into the house and opening doors and windows as much as is possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working effectively. If you want to go a step further, we recommend that you talk to a Comfort Specialist for an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are effective at filtering out biological pollutants like molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander, and mold. However they are not able to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires is a source of microscopic particles which can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eye, congestion, runny nasal and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and exacerbate chronic lung and heart conditions. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The smoke blanketing New York City this week was caused by forest fires in Canada and is causing hazardous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outside.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely prevent smoke from entering your business or home through windows and doors, especially older homes with lots of cracks and drafts. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it is smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30%. If you can, put wet towels around the door frames and cracks in order to slow the flow of smoke into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure that you turn it off when the air is smokey. This will allow the system to expel the smoke directly outside, rather than the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts in your building connected to areas that may generate high levels of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, be sure to have those ducts independently isolated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more frequently in the event of smoke to ensure that they are effectively removing toxins from indoor air. Select a filter with an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are designed to eliminate the smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has become an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based on the idea that electricity isn’t priced the same 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 lets homeowners pre-cool their homes during off-peak times so that they don’t have to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak periods.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. Even so homeowners should take the time to analyze their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner is most cost-effective. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills through this method.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner should set their air conditioner at a lower temperature the next morning and keep it there for a few hours. This cools down the walls, floors, furniture, and fixtures of the home as well as the air inside. Then, when peak energy-cost hours arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning up and then leaves it running until it is turned off for several hours.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the home cooler. It is essential to stop heat from getting into your home through your windows, doors and other points that leak. It is crucial that homeowners double-check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should cover windows to block the sun, particularly in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. Also it is important to ensure that all windows and doors are sealed to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. They should also think about using smart thermostats to assist 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 off or on the system.
