Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most important inventions of the modern age. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies and airplanes.
However, cooling puts a large demand on electric systems and generates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the impact of this demand, and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing an air conditioner energy efficiency is a crucial factor. Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills and reduce your environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is assessed in various ways that include SEER and EER. These ratings show how much a unit can cool with a certain amount of power consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit is. You can find a SEER rating of a system on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating indicates how the unit performs under normal conditions in 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.
Other things can influence energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, too. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, the absence of maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, can cause your system to perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing of ducts leaks are easy ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with particular energy efficiency considerations, too. They use a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to provide cooling throughout the building. These systems may also include steam systems that require special maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into a single centralized system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning guidelines that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives for implementation.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key element of global efforts to combat climate change. We must ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want them. In the meantime we can also take other steps to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a serious health concern for many people who spend a significant portion of their lives in buildings. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve IAQ that can help be a solution to common ailments like asthma or allergies, as well as fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources for pollution in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants are released into the air through various activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they could cause respiratory problems as well as allergic reactions.
The presence of excessive moisture can have a negative impact on air quality. Mildew and mold can thrive in humid air, and can lead to respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture level low is key to preventing these problems. This can be done by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, furniture and making use of a humidifier or dehumidifier based on the humidifier or hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase comfort in your home. A home with high levels of air pollutants such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes and also a snoring sensation. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help to avoid these issues. Also, make sure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
Poor air quality can lead to headaches, concentration problems and a general feeling of feeling of ill-health. Although these symptoms may resolve themselves after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could exacerbate existing health conditions and may lead to serious health issues.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing stale air, a process that is known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather conditions, the room occupancy rate, and the design. However, simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including introduction of plants into the house, opening windows and doors whenever possible and making sure that the HVAC system is functioning correctly. If you’re looking to take it a further, we recommend that you consult a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are great in removing biological contaminants like bacteria, molds, pet dander and pollen. However they cannot remove smoke particles. The microscopic particles in smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous and easily get into your eyes, nose, and throat which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and cause worsening of chronic lung and heart problems. The tiny particles of smoke can get stuck in your lung, triggering a range of health effects such as worsened asthma, bronchitis and damage to your lungs and heart.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week has been caused by forest fires in Canada, and it is causing dangerous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and creates breathing difficulties for those who has to be outdoors.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely block smoke from entering your home or business through doors and windows particularly older homes with lots of cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your home or business.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it is smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. If possible, place wet towels on the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation mode, be sure to turn it off during smoky conditions. This will allow your HVAC system to exhaust the smoky indoor air outside, rather than returning it. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contamination is likely to be high, like parking garages or loading docks, you should ensure that the ducts are separated from the rest.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more often in the event of smoke to ensure they’re effectively removing the toxins from the indoor air. Choose a filter that has an MERV that is at least (MERV) which is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to remove gaseous air pollution and smoke.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the idea that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at all times of the day. In fact, most energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes in off-peak times so that they don’t need to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak hours.
This method requires a programmable thermostat that can be adjusted automatically. Even with this homeowners should take the time to analyze their electricity usage patterns to determine when their air conditioner will be most cost-effective. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning, and then keeps it at the same setting for a couple of hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures, as well as the air inside. When energy costs are high homeowners, they turn up the temperature and leave it on until the next time it is turned off.
This method works because cooling isn’t only about keeping the air inside the home cool. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through doors, windows, and other leaky points. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any leaky or drafty areas. It is also recommended to cover windows to block out the sun, particularly in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Also, they should make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to stop air from escaping when cooling cycles occur. They should also think about using smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy costs without having to remember when to switch on or off the system.
