Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most important inventions of the modern age. They made wartime and summer blockbusters and other supplies possible.
Cooling, however puts enormous strain on the electricity system and creates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report aims to raise awareness of the impact of this demand, and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing the right cooling system, energy efficiency is an important factor. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and reduce your energy costs and reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is rated in several ways that include SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much a unit is able to cool for a given amount of power consumed. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of the system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning system, search for one with a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit will perform in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating can lower your energy costs and consumption in the event that you replace an older model.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other causes too. A high humidity indoors, a lack of maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, can cause your system to be more demanding and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are simple steps to increase your system’s energy efficiency.
Large commercial cooling systems have their own energy efficiency concerns, too. They typically utilize the combination of split or packaged compressors that have huge pipe networks to deliver cooling throughout the building. They may also incorporate steam systems that require specific maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition the majority of these massive systems are controlled by something called a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all heating and cooling systems in the building into one central system. Verde has helped optimize the performance of systems by providing retrocommissioning recommendations that provide rapid paybacks.
The global effort to combat the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning. In the end, we have to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling equipment to market, and that consumers want these appliances. 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 major health risk for those who spend a large part of their time in buildings. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like allergies, asthma, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most prevalent sources of pollution in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere by a number of activities such as cleaning, cooking, and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory issues.
High levels of moisture can also have a negative effect on air quality. Mildew and mold can thrive in humid air, which can lead to respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is essential to avoid these issues. The best method to do this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, washing bedding and soft furnishings and using the dehumidifier or humidifier when 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 such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause itchy skin, irritated eyes and a snoring feeling. These issues can be avoided by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and ensuring that doors and windows are kept open to let in air as needed.
Symptoms of poor air quality are varied and include headaches, difficulty in concentrating, and general feeling of malaise. Although these symptoms may be relieved after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could worsen existing health issues and could lead to serious illness.
Ventilation is the main factor that affects IAQ. This can be affected by the weather, the occupancy rate of the room, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including introduction of plants into the house, opening windows and doors whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is working correctly. For those who would like to take more of a thorough approach, it is suggested to speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are great in removing biological contaminants like bacteria, molds, pet dander and pollen. However they cannot remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous, and they can easily get into your nose, eyes, and throat and cause symptoms such as burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate the lungs and cause worsening of the severity of heart and lung problems. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions throughout most of the north and south of the United States. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory stress to anyone who is required to be outdoors.
There is no way to keep smoke from entering your home through doors and windows especially in older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. You can take steps to lessen the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smokey. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. Put wet towels in cracks of door frames and around them to reduce the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation mode, be sure to turn off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air instead of the air being recirculated. If your building has ducts that connect 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.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often during times of smoke to ensure they’re effectively taking out the toxins in the air inside. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are specifically designed to remove smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s based off the idea that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. The majority of electricity 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, so they don’t require air conditioners during the expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners should be aware of and look up their electric consumption patterns and decide the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioner. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills by using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools the home’s walls furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures, as well as the air inside. When peak energy-cost hours hit the homeowner, he or she turns the air conditioning up and then leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the house cooler. It’s important to prevent heat from entering your home through doors, windows and other points that leak. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their homes are properly constructed and insulated, and also make sure to insulate any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should consider using blinds to block the sun’s rays particularly those that receive direct sunlight that is bright during the hottest times of the daytime. Additionally, they should make sure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to stop air from getting out during cooling cycles. They should also consider installing smart thermostats to help them remember when to start and stop cooling. This helps homeowners cut their energy costs without worrying about forgetting to turn off or on the system.
