Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most important inventions of modern history. They made wartime and summer blockbusters and other equipment possible.
However cooling places a significant demand on electric systems and creates massive amounts of pollution. This special IEA report aims to raise awareness of the impact of this demand, and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Efficiency in energy is one of the most important factors when selecting a new cooling unit. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and you will save money on energy bills, as well as reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is rated in several ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much a unit can cool with a certain amount of power consumed. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a system can be found on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are in the market for a new air conditioner pick one with a high rating. This rating reveals how the unit performs under normal conditions during a particular season. A higher SEER rating could lower the cost of energy and consumption in the event that you replace an older model.
Other things can influence the efficiency of air conditioning systems too. High indoor humidity, the absence of maintenance and duct leaks for example, can all cause your system to perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing ducts leaks are easy ways to increase the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. These systems often make use of the combination of split or packaged compressors with huge pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also include steam systems, which require specialized maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
Additionally, many of these large systems are controlled by what’s known as a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all cooling and heating systems within the building into one central system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems by providing simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically offer quick paybacks as well as incentives to implement.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to mitigate climate change. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling devices to market, and consumers want them. In the meantime, there are other ways we can help 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 can be a major health risk in the event that their indoor air quality isn’t good enough. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve IAQ and stop common issues like asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources for pollution in modern offices and homes. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of activities such as cooking, cleaning and smoking. They can cause respiratory issues and allergies.
A high level of humidity can also create havoc on air quality. Mold and mildew can grow in humid air, which can cause respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is essential to avoid these issues. This can be accomplished by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, soft furnishings and using a dehumidifier or humidifier using a humidity gauge.
In addition to the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can improve the comfort of a home. A home with high levels of air pollutants for instance, may 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, ensuring the health of the HVAC system, and making sure that windows and doors are open for ventilation as needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a general feeling of ill-health. The symptoms can resolve after leaving the area however prolonged exposure to poor quality air can aggravate existing health issues or cause serious illnesses.
Ventilation is the most important aspect that influences IAQ. This is influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, and also the design of the structure. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by adding plants to the home, opening windows and doors as much as possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating effectively. If you’d prefer to take an even more comprehensive approach, it is recommended that they speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are excellent at filtering out biological pollutants such as bacteria, molds, pet dander and pollen. However they are not able to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires is a source of microscopic particles which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes congested nasal, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and cause worsening of the severity of heart and lung problems. The fine particles that are invisible in smoke can get stuck in your lungs, triggering a variety of health effects such as aggravated asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
The haze that engulfed New York City last week was caused by forest fires that are burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions across much of the south and north of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility, and can cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to stop smoke from getting into your home through windows and doors particularly in older homes with a lot of drafts and cracks. However, you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it is smoky outside. This can cut down on the amount of smoky outside air by 30%. Place wet towels in the cracks of door frames and around them to reduce the flow of smoky ai.
If your HVAC system features the ability to recirculate air, be sure that you switch it off when the air is smoking. This allows the system to expel the smoke directly outside rather than the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts within your building that connect to areas that may have high concentrations of contaminants, such as parking garages with attached loading docks, you should be certain to have these ducts separate from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are eliminating contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter that has an MERV that is at least (MERV) that is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to eliminate the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based on the idea that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at all times of the day. The majority of electricity companies offer “time of use” plans that have different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t require air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires a thermostat with programmable settings that can adjust automatically. However, even with this, homeowners should be aware of and examine their electricity usage patterns and figure out the best time to run their air cooling system. Many homeowners save around 25% or more off their energy bills using this method.
To supercool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning and maintains it at that temperature for a couple of hours. This cools the home’s walls, floors, furnishings and fixtures as well as the interior air. Then, when peak energy-cost hours hit the homeowner cranks the air conditioner up and then leaves it running until it is turned off for several hours again.
This strategy is effective because it doesn’t only mean making the air inside the house cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from entering the home through windows, doors and other leak points. It’s important that homeowners double-check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. They should also use blinds to block the sun’s rays particularly those that receive bright 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 escaping when cooling cycles occur. Additionally, they should think about installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they 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.