Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are one of the most important inventions of modern history. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters and wartime planes and supplies possible.
However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and causes huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the negative impact of this demand and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system, energy efficiency is an important aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will save on your energy bills and reduce environmental impacts. Air conditioners are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of energy consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning system, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating shows how well the unit performs under normal conditions during a particular season. A higher SEER rating could lower your energy costs and consumption if you are replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other elements too. For instance high levels of indoor humidity as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks can make your system work harder and use more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are easy ways to improve your system’s energy efficiency.
Large commercial cooling systems have their own energy efficiency concerns also. These systems often make use of the combination of split or packaged compressors that have huge pipe networks to deliver cooling throughout the building. They may also incorporate steam systems that require specialized maintenance to keep the pipes from getting blocked.
In addition to that, many of these huge systems are controlled by what’s called a Building Automation System (BAS) which connects all heating and cooling systems in the building into a single system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems by providing simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually provide quick paybacks and incentives for implementation.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to mitigate climate change. We must ensure that cooling devices are efficient and that consumers are demanding these appliances. In the meantime, we can take other steps to reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A lot of people spend the majority of their lives in buildings, and these structures could cause serious health risks in the event that their indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are fortunately many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems such as asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide are three of the most prevalent pollutants in modern homes and office buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere by a number of activities such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory problems.
High levels of humidity can also cause havoc on the quality of air. The humid air encourages the development of mildew and mold, which can trigger respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is essential to avoid these issues. This can be achieved by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, soft furnishings and making use of a humidifier or dehumidifier based on the hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase the comfort in your home. A home that has high levels of air pollutants, for example, can smell musty. It can also cause irritation to the eyes, itchy skin and a feeling of suffocation. This can be addressed by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and making sure that windows and doors are kept open to let in air as required.
Poor air quality can cause headaches, difficulty concentrating and a general feeling of unwellness. These symptoms may improve when you leave the room however prolonged exposure to poor air quality could exacerbate existing health issues or cause serious illness.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the rate at which fresh air replaces stale air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, the occupancy rate of rooms, and the design. There are a few easy methods to improve IAQ. These include adding plants to the home, opening windows and doors whenever possible, and making sure that the HVAC system is working effectively. For those who would like to take an even more comprehensive approach, it is recommended to consult a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are excellent in removing biological contaminants like bacteria, molds pollen, pet dander and mold. However they cannot remove smoke particles. The tiny particles of wildfire smoke are very dangerous and can easily enter your eyes, nose, and throat causing symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and worsen heart and lung conditions that are chronic. The invisible fine particles in smoke can clog your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects such as worsened asthma, bronchitis and damage to your heart and lungs.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It can also cause dangerous air quality conditions across large parts of the north and south of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility and may cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.
There is no way to prevent smoke from entering your home through windows and doors, especially in older homes with many cracks and drafts. You can take steps to lessen the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it is smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoky outside air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels around the door frames and cracks to stop the movement of smoky air into your home or office.
If your HVAC system is in the recirculation feature, make sure to switch off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow the system to expel the smoke directly outside instead of the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts within your building connected to areas that may have high concentrations of pollutants, like attached parking garages and loading docks, be sure that those ducts are separated 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 effective in eliminating the toxins from the indoor air. Select a filter with a minimum efficiency report value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are specifically designed to eliminate smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
Supercooling is a trend to save energy that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s based on the idea that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. In fact, many electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t have to run air conditioners during the expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. Even with this homeowners must take the time to analyze their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner is the most efficient. Many homeowners save around 25% or more off their energy bills through this method.
To make the house super cool the home, the homeowner set their air conditioner to lower temperatures in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools the home’s walls furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures as well as the interior air. When peak energy costs hit the homeowner, he or she will turn the air conditioning up, and leave it running until the next time it is turned off.
This method works because cooling isn’t just about making the air inside the home cool. It’s crucial to prevent heat from entering your home through windows, doors and other leaky areas. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their home is sealed and make sure to insulate any drafty or leaky areas. They should also make use of window shades to block out sunlight, particularly in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Also, they should ensure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to stop air from getting out during cooling cycles occur. Additionally, they should think about installing smart thermostats that will help them remember to start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This helps homeowners cut their energy bills without having to remember when to turn on or off the system.
