Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most significant inventions of the modern age. They made summer movie blockbusters possible and also helped boost production for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and creates massive quantities 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 choosing a new cooling system. Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner and you will save money on energy bills, as well as reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit. You can find the system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
If you are in the market for an air conditioner that is new, choose one with an A+ rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit can perform in normal conditions. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating will drastically reduce your energy use and expenses.
Other factors can impact the efficiency of energy in air conditioning systems, too. For example high levels of indoor humidity as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks can all make your system work harder and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks from ducts are simple steps to increase the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with particular energy efficiency considerations as well. They typically make use of a combination of split or packaged compressors that have huge pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also include steam systems, that require special maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition the majority of these massive systems are controlled by something known as a Building Automation System (BAS) that integrates all heating and cooling systems of the building into a single system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically offer quick paybacks as well as incentives for their implementation.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a major component of global efforts to combat climate change. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers introduce super-efficient cooling devices to market, and consumers want these appliances. In the meantime, we can take other measures to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings and these structures can be a major health risk when their indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are fortunately many ways to improve IAQ and be a solution to common ailments like asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most prevalent sources of pollution in modern homes and office buildings. These pollutants are released into the air by a variety of activities, including cooking, cleaning, or smoking cigarettes, and can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
The high levels of humidity can also cause havoc on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, and can cause respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is key to preventing these problems. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture and utilizing a dehumidifier or humidifier as needed based on the readings of a hygrometer.
Aside from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can increase comfort in homes. For instance, a house with a lot of air pollution can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also trigger irritated or itchy eyes, and also a snoring sensation. These issues can be avoided by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are open for ventilation as required.
The symptoms of poor air quality are varied and include headaches, difficulty concentrating, and even general feeling of malaise. While these symptoms can disappear after leaving the area, prolonged exposure could cause health problems that are already present and may lead to serious illness.
Ventilation is the main factor that impacts IAQ. This is affected by the weather, the room occupancy rate, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ by adding plants to the home, opening windows and doors whenever possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working effectively. If you’re looking to take it a one step further, we recommend that you consult a Comfort Specialist for an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do a great job of removing the majority of biological contaminants, like bacteria, molds, pet dander, and pollen, they are not designed to remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous and easily enter your nose, eyes and throat, which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate the lungs and worsen chronic lung and heart conditions. Smoke particles can trigger a variety of health problems such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.
The smoke blanketing New York City this week has been caused by forest fires in Canada, and it is causing hazardous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility and may cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to prevent smoke from entering your home through your windows and doors particularly in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your home or business.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smokey. This will reduce the amount of smoke from outside air by 30 percent. If possible, place wet towels around the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or office.
If your HVAC system has an recirculation mode, make sure to turn off the recirculation mode during smoke conditions. This will allow the system to exhaust the smoky air directly outside, rather than the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts in your building which connect to areas that could generate high levels of pollutants, like parking garages with attached loading docks, make certain to have these ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters much more often in the event of smoke to ensure they’re effectively removing the toxins from the indoor air. Select a filter with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are specially designed to eliminate the smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based on the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any time of the day. In reality, the majority of power companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners to cool their homes ahead of off-peak times, so they don’t require air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires a thermostat that can be adjusted automatically. Even with this homeowners must take the time to analyze their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner will be most cost-effective. A lot of people save 25% or more on their energy bills by using this method.
To supercool, the homeowner sets their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools the walls as well as floors, furniture and fixtures, as well as the inside air. Then, when peak energy-cost hours hit the homeowner, he or she turns the air conditioning up and leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours.
This strategy is successful because it doesn’t only mean making the air inside the home cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from entering the home through windows, doors and other leak points. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their home is properly constructed and insulated, and also cover any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should cover windows to block out the sunlight, particularly in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. They should also ensure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to prevent air from escaping when cooling cycles. They should also think about using smart thermostats to assist them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This allows homeowners to reduce their energy costs without worrying about forgetting when to switch on or off the system.