Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most significant inventions of the past century. They made summer movie blockbusters possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies and airplanes.
However cooling puts a huge burden on electrical systems and creates massive quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the effects and suggests solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting an air conditioner, energy efficiency is an important factor. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will help you save on energy bills and reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is rated in several ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings tell you how much a unit can cool in a given amount of electricity consumed. The higher the score, 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”.
If you are looking for a new air conditioner, choose one with an A+ rating. This rating indicates how efficiently the unit will perform during a season under normal conditions. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating, it will drastically reduce your energy use and expenses.
Other things can influence the efficiency of air conditioning systems too. For instance high levels of humidity in the indoor as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks could all make your system more efficient and use more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing leaks in the ducts are a simple way to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems have particular energy efficiency considerations also. These systems often utilize a combination of split or packaged compressors that have huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also have steam systems, that require special maintenance to ensure that the pipes do not become blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has assisted in optimizing the performance of these systems by providing retrocommissioning recommendations that provide rapid paybacks.
The global effort to combat climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air conditioning. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers introduce super-efficient cooling appliances to market, and that consumers want them. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in structures, and these structures can cause serious health risks when their indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like allergies, asthma, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide are three of the most prevalent pollutants in modern offices and homes. buildings. These pollutants are released into the air due to many different activities, including cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they can cause respiratory problems as well as allergic reactions.
A high level of moisture may also have a negative effect on air quality. Moisture can encourage the growth of mildew and mold which can cause respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is key to preventing these problems. The best way to achieve this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture and utilizing a dehumidifier or humidifier as necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits as well as the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in homes. A home that has high levels of air pollution such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause irritation to eyes, itchy skin, and a stuffy feeling. Installing an air purifier as well as maintaining the HVAC system can help to keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
The symptoms of poor air quality are varied and can include headaches, difficulty concentrating, and even general malaise. These symptoms may resolve after leaving the space however, prolonged exposure to poor air quality can worsen existing health conditions or even trigger serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing stale air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, the occupancy rate of the room, and the design. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by introduction of plants into the house and opening doors and windows whenever possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning correctly. For those who would prefer to take a more thorough approach, it is suggested that they speak with a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are great at filtering out biological pollutants such as molds, bacteria, pet dander and pollen. However, they do not remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up wildfire smoke pose a risk and can easily get into your eyes, nose and throat, which can cause symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and exacerbate chronic lung and heart conditions. The fine particles that are invisible in smoke can clog your lungs, triggering a variety of health effects such as 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 is causing dangerous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility and may cause respiratory stress to anyone who is required to be outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely prevent smoky air from getting into your business or home through windows and doors especially older houses with many drafts and cracks. However, you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smoky. This can cut down on the amount of smoky outside air by 30%. Place damp towels in the cracks around door frames and in the corners to slow down the flow of smoky air.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation function, make sure you shut it off when air is smokey. This allows your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air to the outside, rather than returning it. If you have ducts within your building connected to areas that may produce high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, you should be sure that those ducts are separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more frequently during smokey conditions to ensure that they are effective in taking out the toxins in the air inside. Select a filter with an MERV that is at least (MERV) that is 13 or more. These filters are designed to remove smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
Supercooling is a green trend that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based upon the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. In fact, most electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours so they don’t have to use their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak hours.
This requires a programmable thermostat that can be adjusted automatically. Even so homeowners should be aware of their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner is most cost-effective. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills using this method.
To keep the home cool homeowners, they set their AC to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at that setting for a few hours. This cools the home’s walls, floors, furnishings and fixtures, as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit, the homeowner will turn the air conditioning up and then leave it running until the next time it is turned off.
This strategy is successful because it doesn’t only mean making the air inside the house cooler. It is essential to stop heat from getting into your home through doors, windows and other points that leak. This is why homeowners must ensure that their home is properly sealed and cover any drafty or leaky areas. They should also cover windows to block out sun, particularly in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. Additionally they should ensure that all windows and doors are sealed to prevent air from escaping during cooling cycles. They should also consider using smart thermostats to help them remember when to start and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy bills low without worrying about forgetting to switch off or on.