Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most important inventions of modern history. They made summer blockbusters possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
Cooling, however, places immense strain on the electricity system and creates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the impact and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Efficiency in energy is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a new cooling system. The upgrade to a more efficient conditioner will help you save on expenses for energy and reduce environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is evaluated in a variety of ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings show how much a unit is able to cool with a certain amount of energy consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of a system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When shopping for a new air conditioning system, search for one with a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit will perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating will lower your energy costs and consumption if you are replacing an older model.
Other factors can impact the efficiency of air conditioning systems, too. High indoor humidity, the absence of maintenance and duct leaks, for example, can all cause your system to perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in the ducts are a simple way to improve the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. These systems often make use of the combination of split or packaged compressors with huge pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also have steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition, many of these large systems are controlled by what’s called a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates 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 guidelines that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives for implementation.
The global effort to reduce the impact of climate change is largely dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air-conditioning. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling appliances to market, and consumers want them. In the meantime, there are a variety of ways we can help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be an important health issue for many people who spend a large part of their lives in buildings. There are many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like allergies, asthma fatigue, allergies, etc.
Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three main sources for pollution in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of activities such as cooking, cleaning and smoking. They can cause allergies and respiratory problems.
High levels of moisture can have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can thrive in moist air, which can lead to respiratory issues. To avoid these issues, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and ensure that the moisture level remains at a low level. The best way to achieve this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and soft furnishings and using a dehumidifier or humidifier as required based on readings from hygrometers.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also improve the comfort of your home. A home that has high levels of air pollution for instance, may smell musty. It can also trigger itchy skin, irritated eyes and a snoring feeling. This can be addressed by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are open for ventilation as required.
The signs of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches, difficulty concentrating, and even a general malaise. While these symptoms can resolve themselves after leaving a space, prolonged exposure can exacerbate existing health conditions and may lead to serious health issues.
Ventilation is the most important factor that impacts IAQ. This can be affected by the weather, room occupancy rates, and also the design of the structure. 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 properly. If you’d prefer an even more comprehensive approach, it is recommended to consult a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are great at removing biological pollutants like molds, bacteria, pet dander and pollen. However they cannot remove smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes congested nasal, runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and exacerbate the severity of heart and lung problems. The tiny particles of smoke can get stuck in your lungs, triggering a variety of health effects such as an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your lung and heart.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions across most of the south and north of the United States. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and can cause breathing problems for those who is outdoors.
There is no way to stop smoke from entering your home through your windows and doors particularly in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke entering your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If possible, place wet towels on the door frames and cracks in order to slow the flow of smoke into your home or business.
If your HVAC system is in a recirculation mode, be sure to turn off the recirculation mode during smoke conditions. This allows your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air instead of the air being recirculated. If you have ducts in your building which connect to areas that can have high concentrations of contaminants, such as parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, you should be sure that those ducts are separate from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more often when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are eliminating pollutants from the air in your home. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV) which is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to eliminate the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the idea that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at all times of the day. The majority of energy companies offer “time of use” plans that have different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners cool their homes ahead of off-peak hours, meaning they don’t have to run air conditioners during the expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners must be sure to look up their electric consumption patterns and decide when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioning. A lot of people save 25% or more off their energy bills using this method.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner should set their AC at lower temperatures the next morning and keep it there for a few more hours. This cools the walls, floors furniture, fixtures and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit the homeowner, he or she will increase the temperature of the air conditioner, and leave it running until the next time it’s shut off.
This strategy is effective because it doesn’t only mean making the air inside the home cooler. It’s important to prevent heat from entering your home through your windows, doors and other points that leak. This is why homeowners must ensure that their home is insulated and cover any drafty or leaky areas. They should also use window shades to block out sun particularly those that receive bright direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the daytime. Also they should ensure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. They should also think about installing smart thermostats to help them remember when to start and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy costs low and not worry about forgetting to turn off the system or on.