Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air cooling and conditioning is among the most significant inventions of the modern age. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and creates massive amounts of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the impact of this demand, and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing the right cooling system energy efficiency is a key aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air cooling system will lower your energy costs and also reduce environmental impacts. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much a unit is able to cool in a given amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit is. You can find a SEER rating on the yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit performs in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating can reduce the cost of energy and consumption if you are replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes as well. High indoor humidity, insufficient maintenance and duct leaks for instance, could all make your system perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing ducts leaks are easy ways to increase the energy efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. These systems use a combination split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these systems can also be controlled by a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has been able to improve 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 mitigate climate change. In the end, we have to ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling devices to market, and consumers demand them. In the meantime, there are a variety of steps we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a serious health concern for many people who spend a substantial portion of their lives in buildings. There are fortunately a number of ways to improve IAQ, which can prevent common problems such as asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent sources of pollution in modern homes and offices. These pollutants are released into the air through many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they could lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
A high level of humidity can also cause destruction on the air quality. Moist air encourages the growth of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is key to preventing these problems. This can be accomplished by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, cushions and using a dehumidifier or humidifier using a hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ in your home, it can increase comfort in your home. For example, a home that is contaminated by air pollutants could be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes, and a swollen sensation. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a general feeling of ill-health. The symptoms can resolve when you leave the room however, prolonged exposure to poor air quality could exacerbate existing health issues or even cause serious illness.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the rate that fresh air replaces stale air, a process referred to as ventilation. This is influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, as well as the design of the structure. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by introducing plants into the house opening up windows and doors as much as is possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning correctly. For those who would like to take more of a thorough approach, it is recommended to consult a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do an excellent job of filtering out most biological pollutants, such as bacteria, molds, pet dander, and pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles that can trigger symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congested nasal, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. The tiny particles of smoke can get stuck in your lung, triggering a range of health effects such as worsened asthma, bronchitis and damage to your lungs and heart.
The smoke blanketing New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada and is causing hazardous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and creates breathing difficulties for those who must be outdoors.
There is no way to keep smoke from getting into your home through windows and doors particularly in older homes with many cracks and drafts. You can take steps to lessen the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks to slow the flow of smoke into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure that you shut it off when air is smoking. This will allow your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air, rather than the air being recirculated. If your building has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, like loading docks or parking garages it is important to ensure that the ducts are separated from the rest of.
The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more often when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are effectively removing pollutants from the air in your home. Select a filter with a minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or more. These filters are designed to eliminate smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has become an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based on the notion that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at any given time of the day. In fact, many power companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes in off-peak times so that they don’t have to use their air conditioners during those high-cost summer peak periods.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. Even so, homeowners still need to examine their electricity usage patterns to determine when their air conditioner is the most efficient. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills through this method.
To cool the house, the homeowner should set their AC to a lower temperature the next morning and keep it there for a few hours. This cools down the walls, floors furniture, fixtures and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. When energy costs are high homeowners, they turn the air conditioning up and leave it on until the next time it’s shut off.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the house cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. This is why homeowners must ensure that their homes are properly constructed and insulated, and also insulate any leaky or drafty areas. They should also make use of window shades to block out the sunlight, particularly in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. Also, they should make sure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to prevent air from escaping when cooling cycles. Also, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they start and stop cooling at the ideal times of the day. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy costs low and not worry about forgetting to turn the system off or on.