Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most significant inventions of our time. They made wartime and summer blockbusters and other equipment possible.
However, cooling puts a large burden on electrical systems and causes huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA Report raises awareness of the issue and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system, energy efficiency is a crucial aspect. Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills and also reduce your environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated with several different energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool using a specific amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. You can find the SEER rating of a system on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning system, search for one with a good SEER rating. This rating reveals how the unit performs under normal conditions in a given season. A higher SEER rating can reduce your energy consumption and costs when replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other factors too. For example, high indoor humidity levels as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks could all make your system work harder and use more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple ways to increase the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. They use a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems that require special maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these systems can also be controlled with the use of a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually provide quick paybacks and incentives to implement.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to reduce climate change. We need to ensure that cooling appliances are efficient and that consumers are demanding them. In the meantime, there are a variety of steps we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be a serious health concern for those who spend a significant portion of their lives inside buildings. There are many ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments like asthma, allergies fatigue, allergies, etc.
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 can be released into the air through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking, and smoking. They can trigger respiratory issues and allergies.
High levels of moisture can also have a negative effect on air quality. The humid air encourages the growth of mold and mildew that can trigger respiratory issues. To avoid these issues, it is important to monitor humidity and keep the moisture level at a low level. This can be done by regularly vacuuming and dusting, cleaning bedding, soft furnishings and using a humidifier or dehumidifier using a hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also improve the comfort of your home. For instance, a house that is contaminated by air pollutants could be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also trigger irritated or itchy eyes as well as a stuffy sensation. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
Poor air quality can lead to headaches, difficulty concentrating and a general feeling of malaise. Although these symptoms may be relieved after leaving a space, prolonged exposure can worsen existing health issues and can even result in serious illness.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the rate that fresh air replaces old air, a process known as ventilation. This is influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, as well as the design of the structure. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors as much as is possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning properly. If you’re looking to take it a a step further, we suggest you speak with a Comfort Specialist for an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do a fantastic job of filtering out most biological contaminants, like bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they are not designed to remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous, and they can easily get into your eyes, nose and throat, causing symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung conditions. Smoke particles can cause a variety of health problems like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.
The smoke that blanketed New York City last week was caused by forest fires that are burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality issues across much of the north and south of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility, and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely block smoke from entering your home or business through windows and doors particularly older homes with many drafts and cracks. You can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smokey. This can reduce the amount of smoke from outside air by 30 percent. Place wet towels in the cracks around door frames and in the corners to reduce the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system features the ability to recirculate air, be sure that you turn it off when the air is smokey. This will allow the system to exhaust the smoky air directly outside rather than returning it to inside. If you have ducts in your building which connect to areas that can generate high levels of contaminants, such as attached parking garages and loading docks, make sure to have those ducts separate from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often in the event of smoke to ensure that they are effectively removing contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are specially designed to remove the smoke and other gaseous air contaminants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based off the idea that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In fact, many power companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes at off-peak times so that they don’t have to run their air conditioners during the high-cost summer peak times.
This method requires a thermostat with programmable settings that can adjust automatically. However even with this, homeowners need to take the time to study their electric usage patterns and determine the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioning. This could save you up to 25 percent off your energy bill.
To make the house super cool homeowners, they set their AC to a lower temperature in the morning, and then keeps it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools the walls, floors furniture, fixtures and furniture of the house as well as the air inside. Then, when the peak energy-cost times arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning on and leaves it running until it is turned off for several hours again.
This strategy is successful because it doesn’t only mean making the air inside the home cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from entering the house through doors, windows and other leak points. It is essential that homeowners check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. It is also recommended to use window coverings to block sun light particularly in areas that get bright direct sunlight in the hottest times of the day. It is also important to make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to stop air from escaping when cooling cycles. They should also consider using smart thermostats to assist them remember when to start and stop cooling. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy bills at a minimum without having to remember to switch off or on.