Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air cooling and conditioning is among the most important inventions of our time. They made summer blockbusters possible and also helped boost production for wartime supplies and airplanes.
Cooling, however puts immense strain on the electricity system and generates massive quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the impact of this demand and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is one of the most important factors when selecting a new cooling system. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills and also reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is evaluated in a variety of ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much a unit can cool for a given amount of energy 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” online.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning system, search for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit can perform during a season under normal conditions. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating, it will significantly reduce your energy consumption and cost.
Other things can influence the efficiency of air conditioning systems, too. High indoor humidity, insufficient maintenance and duct leaks, for example, can all make your system be more demanding and consume more energy. Keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are easy ways to improve your system’s energy efficiency.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency concerns also. They use a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. These systems may also include steam systems that require specialized 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 central system. Verde has assisted in optimizing the performance of these systems by providing retrocommissioning strategies that offer rapid paybacks.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to mitigate climate change. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling devices to market, and consumers demand these appliances. In the meantime we can take additional steps to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a major health risk for those who spend a large part of their time in buildings. There are fortunately a number of ways to improve IAQ, which can be a solution to common ailments like asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three main pollutants in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants are released into the air by a variety of activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they could lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
A high level of moisture may also have a negative effect on air quality. Mildew and mold can thrive in humid air, and can cause respiratory problems. To avoid these issues it is essential to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a lower level. The best way to accomplish this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning furniture and bedding and utilizing the dehumidifier or humidifier when necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ It can also increase comfort in your home. For instance, a house with a lot of air pollution can become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation eyes or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. Installing an air purifier as well as maintaining the HVAC system can help avoid these issues. Also, make sure that you open doors and windows to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, difficulty concentrating and general unwellness. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space however prolonged exposure to poor air quality could exacerbate existing health issues or cause serious illness.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the speed at which fresh air replaces the old air, a process that is known as ventilation. This is affected by the weather, occupancy rate of the room, and the design. There are many methods to improve IAQ. This includes introducing plants in the home, opening windows and doors whenever possible, and making sure that the HVAC system is working properly. If you want to go one step further, we recommend that you speak with a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are effective in removing biological pollutants such as bacteria, molds, pet dander and pollen. However, they do not remove smoke particles. The microscopic particles in wildfire smoke pose a risk and can easily enter your eyes, nose, and throat causing symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate the lungs and worsen the severity of heart and lung problems. Smoke particles can cause a variety of health problems 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 hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility, and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.
There is no way to stop smoke from getting into your home through doors and windows, especially in older homes with many cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your building.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This can cut down on the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your home or office.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation function, make sure that you switch it off when the air is smokey. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside instead of the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts in your building which connect to areas that can have high concentrations of pollutants, like attached parking garages and loading docks, you should be certain to have these ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more often when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are eliminating pollutants from the air in your home. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or more. These filters are designed to remove gaseous air pollution and smoke.
Supercooling
Supercooling is a trend to save energy that has gained popularity in recent years. It’s based upon the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any time of the day. In fact, most energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours so they don’t need to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak periods.
This requires a thermostat with programmable settings that is able to adjust itself automatically. However, even with this, homeowners should take the time to study their electric usage patterns and figure out the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioning. Many people save about 25% or more on their energy bills through this method.
To keep the home cool homeowners should set their air conditioner at lower temperatures the next morning and maintain it for a few more hours. This cools down the walls, floors, furniture, and fixtures of the house as well as the air inside. When peak energy-cost times arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning on and then leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours.
This strategy is successful since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the house cooler. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through doors, windows and other points that leak. This is why homeowners should ensure that their home is sealed and make sure to insulate any drafty or leaky areas. They should also use blinds to block out sun, especially those that get bright direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Also it is important to ensure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles. Finally, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they start and stop cooling at the ideal times of the day. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy costs without worrying about forgetting when to turn off or on the system.