Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are among the most important inventions in the history of modern times. They made wartime and summer blockbusters and other supplies possible.
However, cooling puts a large demand on electric systems and generates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the effects of this demand and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing a new cooling system energy efficiency is an important aspect. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills and also reduce your environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is assessed in various ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much a unit is able to cool in a given amount of energy consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit performs during a season under normal conditions. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy consumption and costs.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other factors as well. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, insufficient maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, could all make your system perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in the ducts are a simple way to increase the energy efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency concerns as well. They typically use a combination of packaged or split compressors that have huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also incorporate steam systems that require specialized maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
Additionally, many of these large systems are controlled by something known as a Building Automation System (BAS) which connects all heating and cooling systems within the building into one central system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually have quick paybacks and incentives to implement.
The global effort to reduce climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air-conditioning. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling equipment to market, and consumers want them. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is an important health issue for many people who spend a substantial portion of their lives in buildings. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to improve IAQ, which can be a solution to common ailments like asthma or allergies, as well as fatigue.
Particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide are three of the most common sources of pollution in modern homes and office buildings. These pollutants are released into the air through a variety of activities, including cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they could lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
The presence of excessive moisture can have a negative impact on the quality of air. Moist air encourages the growth of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity at a minimum is crucial to avoid these issues. This can be accomplished by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, furniture and using a humidifier or dehumidifier that is based on the hygrometer.
Aside from the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can improve the comfort of a home. For instance, a home with high air pollutants can turn musty and odor unpleasant. It can also cause irritation or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. This can be addressed by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and ensuring that doors and windows are opened to allow air circulation when required.
The signs of poor air quality are varied and can include headaches difficulty in concentrating, and a general malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space, but prolonged exposure to poor quality air can worsen existing health conditions or cause serious illnesses.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the rate at which fresh air replaces old air, a process that is known as ventilation. This is influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, as well as the design of the building. However, simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ by introducing plants into the home, opening windows and doors as much as is possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating properly. If you’re looking to take it a one step further, we suggest that you talk to a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are excellent at filtering out biological contaminants like molds, bacteria, pet dander and pollen. However they cannot remove smoke particles. The tiny particles of wildfire smoke are very dangerous, and they can easily enter your nose, eyes, and throat and cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate the lungs and worsen chronic lung and heart conditions. The tiny particles of smoke can lodge deep into your lung, triggering a myriad of health issues, including an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality issues across large parts of the north and south of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility, and can cause respiratory stress to anyone who is required to be outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely block smoky air from entering your business or home through windows and doors, especially older homes with lots of cracks and drafts. 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 can cut down on the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30%. Place wet towels in the cracks and around door frames to reduce the flow of smoky air.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation function, make sure you shut it off when air is smoky. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside instead of the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts within your building which connect to areas that may generate high levels of contaminants, such as attached parking garages and 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 during smokey conditions to ensure that they are effective in removing the toxins from the indoor air. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency report value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are specially designed to remove gases and smoke pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the notion that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at any time of the day. Most electricity companies offer “time of use” plans with different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes during off-peak times so that they don’t have to use their air conditioners during those high-cost summer peak hours.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners should be aware of and examine their electricity usage patterns and determine when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioning. A lot of people save 25% or more on their energy bills through this method.
To make the house super cool homeowners, they set their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a few hours. This cools the walls, floors, furnishings and fixtures, as well as the interior air. When the energy costs are at their peak the homeowner, he or she will turn up the temperature, and leave it running until the next time it’s shut off.
This method is efficient because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air inside the home cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. This is why homeowners should ensure that their home is properly insulated and make sure to insulate any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should consider using window coverings to block the sun’s rays, especially those that get bright direct sunlight in the hottest hours of the day. Also, they should make sure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles are in progress. Finally, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy costs at a minimum without having to remember to turn the system off or on.