Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most important inventions of the history of modern times. They made summer movie blockbusters possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
Cooling, however puts an enormous strain on the power system and generates massive quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report raises awareness of the issue and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing a new cooling system energy efficiency is a key aspect. Upgrading to an efficient air conditioner will help you save on energy costs and also reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is assessed in various ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings show how the air conditioner is able to cool using a specific amount of electricity. The higher the rating is, the more efficient the unit. You can find a system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating reveals how well the unit performs under normal conditions during a given season. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating, it will drastically reduce your energy use and cost.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other factors too. A high humidity indoors, a insufficient maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, can make your system be more demanding and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing ducts leaks are easy ways to increase the energy efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. They use a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. These systems could also incorporate steam systems that require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into a single centralized system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems by providing simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives to implement.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to reduce climate change. In the end, we have to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling equipment to market, and consumers demand them. In the meantime we can take additional steps to reduce our energy use and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people spend much of their lives in buildings, and these structures can be a major health risk if their indoor air quality is not as good. There are fortunately a number of ways to improve IAQ that can help be a solution to common ailments like asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide are the three main sources for pollution in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants are released into the air by various activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking cigarettes, and can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
A high level of humidity can also create destruction on the air quality. Moisture can encourage the growth of mold and mildew that can trigger respiratory issues. To avoid these issues it is essential to monitor humidity and keep the moisture level at a lower level. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning furniture and bedding, and using an air dehumidifier and humidifier if necessary based on hygrometer readings.
Aside from the obvious health benefits as well as the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can increase comfort in homes. A home with high levels of air pollution, for example, can smell musty. It can also cause irritation to eyes, itchy skin and a snoring feeling. These issues can be avoided by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and making sure that doors and windows are kept open to let in air as required.
Poor air quality can cause headaches, concentration problems, and a general unwellness. While these symptoms will resolve themselves after leaving a space, prolonged exposure can cause health problems that are already present and could lead to serious health issues.
Ventilation is the most important aspect that influences IAQ. This can be influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, and also the design of the structure. There are simple methods to improve IAQ. These include adding plants to the house, opening the doors and windows whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating correctly. If you want to go further, we suggest you talk to a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are effective at filtering out biological contaminants like molds, bacteria, pet dander and pollen. However they are not able to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eye, congestion, runny nasal, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and exacerbate chronic lung and heart conditions. The invisible fine particles in smoke can lodge deep into your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects, including an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
The haze that engulfed New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions throughout most of the north and south of the United States. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and causes breathing difficulties for those who is outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely stop smoke from entering your business or home through windows and doors especially older houses with lots of cracks and drafts. However, you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it is smoky outside. This can reduce the amount of smoke from outside air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels around the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or business.
If your HVAC system features an recirculation feature, make sure you turn it off when the air is smoky. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside instead of recirculating it inside. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contamination is likely to be high, like parking garages or loading docks You should make sure that these ducts are isolated from the rest.
The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more often when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are eliminating toxins from indoor air. Select a filter with a minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to eliminate gaseous air pollution and smoke.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the notion that electricity isn’t priced the same amount at any given time of the day. In fact, many electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t need to run air conditioners during the expensive summer peak hours.
This requires a programmable thermostat that can be adjusted automatically. However, even with this, homeowners should be sure to look up their electric consumption patterns and decide the best time to run their air cooling system. A lot of people save 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To cool the house homeowners should set their AC at a lower temperature the next morning and maintain it for a few hours. This cools the floors, walls, furniture, and fixtures of the home as well as the air inside. When energy costs are high, the homeowner will turn up the temperature and then leave it running until the next time it is turned off.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the house cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. It’s important that homeowners double-check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should cover windows to block the sun, especially in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. It is also important to make sure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to stop air from escape during cooling cycles. They should also consider using smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This helps homeowners cut their energy consumption without worrying about forgetting when to turn off or on the system.
