Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are among the most important inventions in modern history. They helped make summer blockbusters and wartime planes and other equipment possible.
Cooling, however, puts an enormous strain on the power system and generates massive quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the issue and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system, energy efficiency is an important factor. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and you’ll save money on energy bills, as well as reduce your environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated with several different energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings tell you 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. You can locate a SEER rating on the yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
When looking for an air conditioner for the first time look for one that has an excellent rating. This rating shows how the unit performs under normal conditions during a particular season. If you’re replacing a model that’s older, a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy consumption and expenses.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other factors as well. A high humidity indoors, a insufficient maintenance and duct leaks, for instance, could all make your system be more demanding and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are easy ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems have their own energy efficiency considerations as well. They use a combination of packaged or split-compressors and huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. These systems may also include steam systems that require specific maintenance to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled with an Building Automation System, which integrates the heating and cooling systems into a single centralized system. Verde has assisted in optimizing the efficiency of the systems by offering retrocommissioning recommendations that provide quick paybacks.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key element of global efforts to combat climate change. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling appliances to market, and consumers are demanding them. In the meantime, we can take other steps to reduce our energy use and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a serious health concern for those who spend a significant portion of their lives in buildings. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems such as asthma, allergies fatigue, allergies, etc.
Particulate matter, 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 due to various activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking cigarettes, and can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
The presence of excessive moisture can also have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, and can cause respiratory problems. To prevent this from happening it is essential to monitor humidity and keep the moisture level at a low level. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, washing bedding and soft furnishings and using the dehumidifier or humidifier when necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in homes. A home that has high levels of air pollution, for example, can smell musty. It can also trigger irritation to eyes, itchy skin and a snoring feeling. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and making sure that doors and windows are kept open to let in air as required.
The signs of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches difficulties in concentrating, or general malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the area however prolonged exposure to poor air quality can worsen existing health conditions or even cause serious illnesses.
Ventilation is the most important factor that affects IAQ. This is influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, and the design of the structure. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including introduction of plants into the house, opening windows and doors whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is working correctly. If you’re looking to go further, we recommend that you speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do a fantastic job of filtering out the majority of biological pollutants, including bacteria, molds, pet dander, and pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. The tiny particles of wildfire smoke are very dangerous, and they can easily get into your nose, eyes, and throat and cause symptoms such as burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. The invisible fine particles in smoke can get stuck in your lungs, triggering a variety of health effects such as worsened asthma, bronchitis and damage to your lung and heart.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada and is causing hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility, and can cause respiratory stress to anyone who is required to be outside.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent smoky air from entering your business or home through doors and windows especially older houses with lots of drafts and cracks. However you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke entering your building.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it is smoky outside. This can reduce the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30 percent. If possible, place wet towels on the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your home or business.
If your HVAC system has an recirculation mode, make sure to switch off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow the system to expel the smoke directly outside instead of the air being recirculated inside. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contaminants are likely to be high, such as loading docks and parking garages, you should ensure that these ducts are isolated from the rest of.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more frequently during times of smoke to ensure they are effectively taking out the toxins in the air inside. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV), which is 13 or more. These filters are designed to get rid of smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based on the idea that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. Most power companies offer “time of use” plans that have different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners cool their homes ahead of off-peak hours, so they don’t have to run air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This requires a programmable thermostat that can adjust automatically. However, even with this, homeowners must take the time to look up their electric usage patterns and determine the best time to run their air conditioner. This method could save you up to 25% on your energy bills.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner should set their air conditioner at a lower temperature the next morning and then keep it there for a few hours. This cools the walls, floors, furniture, and fixtures of the house as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit homeowners, they turn up the temperature and leave it on until the next time it is turned off.
This method works because cooling isn’t only about making the air inside the house cool. It’s also about preventing heat from getting into the house through doors, windows and other leak points. It’s important that homeowners double-check the insulation of their home and cover any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should consider using blinds to block out sun, especially those that get bright direct sunlight in the hottest hours of the daytime. Also it is important to ensure that all windows and doors are sealed to prevent air from escaping during cooling cycles. Also, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will help them remember to start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This allows homeowners to reduce their energy consumption without having to remember when to turn off or on the system.