Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most important inventions of the history of modern times. They made summer blockbusters and wartime planes and supplies possible.
However, cooling puts a large burden on electrical systems and generates huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the effects and suggests solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system, energy efficiency is an important aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air cooling system will lower your energy costs and also reduce environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much a unit is able to cool for a given amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of a unit can be found on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are looking for an air conditioner that is new pick one with a high rating. This rating reveals how well the unit performs under normal conditions in a given season. If you’re replacing an older model with a higher SEER rating, it will significantly reduce your energy use and cost.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other factors too. For instance, high indoor humidity levels as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks could all make your system more efficient and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing of leaks in ducts are simple ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. They usually make use of the combination of split or packaged compressors that have huge pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also include steam systems, that require special maintenance to ensure that the pipes do not become blocked.
Additionally the majority of these massive systems are controlled by what’s called a Building Automation System (BAS) that integrates all heating and cooling systems of the building into a single system. Verde has helped optimize the efficiency of the systems by offering retrocommissioning suggestions that have rapid paybacks.
The global effort to curb the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of cooling and air-conditioning. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is efficient and that consumers are demanding these appliances. In the meantime, there are a variety of steps we can take to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people spend much of their lives in buildings, and these structures can pose significant health threats if their indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are fortunately many ways to improve IAQ that can help prevent common problems such as asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.
Particulate matter as well as volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most common sources of pollution in modern offices and homes. buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking, and smoking. They can cause respiratory issues and allergies.
High levels of humidity can also create havoc on air quality. Moist air encourages the growth of mildew and mold, which can trigger respiratory problems. To avoid these issues, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and ensure that the moisture level remains at a lower level. This can be achieved by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, furniture and using a humidifier or dehumidifier using a hygrometer.
Apart from the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can improve the comfort of homes. A home that has high levels of air pollution for instance, may smell musty. It can also trigger irritated eyes or itchy eyes, and a swollen sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are open for ventilation as needed.
The signs of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches difficulties in concentrating, or a general feeling of malaise. While these symptoms can resolve themselves after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could exacerbate existing health conditions and may lead to serious health issues.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the rate that fresh air replaces old air, a process referred to as ventilation. This can be influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, and also the design of the building. There are many methods to improve IAQ. These include installing plants in the house, opening the doors and windows whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system works effectively. For those who would like to take an even more comprehensive approach, it is recommended to consult a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do a fantastic job of filtering out most biological contaminants, like bacteria, molds, pet dander, and pollen, they are not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles which can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congestion, runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate chronic heart and lung conditions. The tiny particles of smoke can lodge deep into your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects, including aggravated asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your lung and heart.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week was caused by forest fires in Canada, and it has created hazardous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to keep smoke from getting into your home through doors and windows especially in older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. However, you can make steps to limit 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. Put wet towels in cracks around door frames and in the corners to reduce the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system has an recirculation mode, make sure to turn it off during smoky conditions. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air to the outside instead of recirculating it. If you have ducts in your building that connect to areas that could have high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, you should be certain to have these ducts separate from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more frequently during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are effectively removing pollutants from the air in your home. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or higher, as these filters are designed to remove smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has become an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based upon the notion that electricity isn’t priced the same amount at any given time of the day. In fact, most electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes during off-peak times so that they don’t have to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak times.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners must be sure to look up their electric consumption patterns and decide the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioner. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills through this method.
To supercool the home, the homeowner should set their AC to lower temperatures the next morning and maintain it for a few hours. This cools the home’s walls furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures as well as the interior air. When peak energy costs hit homeowners, they turn up the temperature, and leave it running until the next time it’s turned off.
This strategy is effective because it doesn’t only mean making the air in the home cooler. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through doors, windows, and other leaky points. It is crucial that homeowners double-check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. It is also recommended to use blinds to block the sun’s rays particularly those that receive bright direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. It is also important to ensure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to stop air from getting out during cooling cycles are in progress. They should also think about installing smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This allows homeowners to keep their energy bills low and not worry about forgetting to turn off the system or on.