Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air cooling and conditioning is among the most important inventions of modern history. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
Cooling, however, puts immense strain on the electricity system and generates massive quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the impact and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing the right cooling system energy efficiency is a crucial aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will help you save on energy bills and reduce environmental impacts. Air conditioning units are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool using a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of the system can be located on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for an air conditioner for the first time, choose one with a high rating. This rating indicates how efficiently the unit performs during the course of a season in normal conditions. If you’re replacing an older model with a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy consumption and cost.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes as well. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, the absence of maintenance and duct leaks for instance, can cause your system to perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are easy ways to improve your system’s energy efficiency.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. They typically utilize the combination of packaged or split compressors with huge pipe networks to deliver cooling throughout the building. These systems could also incorporate steam systems that require special maintenance to keep the pipes from getting blocked.
In addition the majority of these massive systems are controlled by a system known as a Building Automation System (BAS) which connects all heating and cooling systems in the building into one centralized system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems by providing simple retrocommissioning guidelines that typically have quick paybacks and incentives to implement.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to mitigate climate change. In the end, we have to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling equipment to market, and that consumers are demanding 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 could pose significant health threats when the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments like asthma, allergies fatigue, allergies, etc.
Particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide are three of the most prevalent pollutants in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants are released into the air through various activities, including cooking, cleaning, and smoking cigarettes, and can cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
High levels of humidity can also create destruction on the air quality. Mildew and mold can thrive in humid air, and can lead to respiratory problems. To prevent these issues it is crucial to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a minimum. The best method to do this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture and utilizing a dehumidifier or humidifier as required based on readings from hygrometers.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ in your home, it can improve the comfort of your home. For instance, a home that is contaminated by air pollutants could become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also trigger irritation to eyes, itchy skin and a snoring feeling. Installing an air purifier as well as maintaining the HVAC system can help prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open doors and windows for ventilation whenever you need to.
The symptoms of poor air quality can be a variety of symptoms and can include headaches, difficulty concentrating, and even general malaise. While these symptoms will be relieved after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could exacerbate existing health conditions and can even result in serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing old air, a process known as ventilation. This is affected by the weather conditions, the occupancy rate of the room, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ by introducing plants into the house and opening doors and windows as much as possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning properly. For those who would prefer more of a thorough approach, it is suggested to speak with a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do a fantastic job of filtering out most biological contaminants, like molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they are not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. The tiny particles of wildfire smoke are very dangerous, and they can easily get into your nose, eyes and throat, causing symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause a variety health effects, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The smoke that blanketed New York City last week was caused by forest fires that are burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality issues across most of the north and south of the United States. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to prevent smoke from entering your home through windows and doors especially in older houses 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 can reduce the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30 percent. If you can, put wet towels on the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or office.
If your HVAC system features an recirculation feature, make sure you turn it off when the air is smoky. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air outside, rather than returning it. If your structure has ducts that connect to areas where contaminants are likely to be high, such as parking garages or loading docks it is important to ensure that these ducts are kept away from the rest of.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more often during times of smoke to ensure they are effectively eliminating the toxins from the air inside. Choose a filter with an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are specially designed to eliminate the smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the idea that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. In fact, many electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours so they don’t have to run their air conditioners during those high-cost summer peak hours.
This method requires a thermostat with programmable settings that can adjust automatically. However homeowners should examine their usage patterns for electricity to determine when their air conditioner will be the most efficient. This could save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills.
To supercool the home homeowners should set their AC to an lower temperature the following morning and then keep it there for a few more hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures, as well as the inside air. When energy costs are high, the homeowner will turn the air conditioning up and then leave it running until the next time it is shut off.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the house cooler. It also aims to prevent heat from entering the house through doors, windows and other leak points. This is why homeowners should ensure that their home is properly insulated and cover any drafty or leaky areas. They should also cover windows to block the sun, especially in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Additionally, they should make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. Finally, they should consider using smart thermostats that can aid them in remembering to start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy consumption without worrying about forgetting when to turn on or off the system.
