Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most significant inventions of the history of modern times. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters and wartime planes and supplies possible.
Cooling, however, puts an enormous strain on the power system and produces huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA report raises awareness about the impact of this demand and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Efficiency in energy is one of the most important factors when selecting a new cooling system. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills, as well as reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is evaluated in a variety of ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings tell you how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating is, 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”.
When shopping for a new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating indicates how efficiently the unit can perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. If you’re replacing an older model, a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy consumption and costs.
Other things can influence energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, too. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, lack of maintenance and duct leaks for instance, can make your system be more demanding and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing of leaks in ducts are simple ways to increase the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems have their own energy efficiency concerns as well. They usually utilize an array of packaged or split compressors with huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. These systems could also incorporate steam systems that require specialized maintenance to keep the pipes from getting blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into a single central system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives to implement.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to reduce climate change. We need to ensure that cooling appliances are extremely efficient and that consumers want them. In the meantime we can also take other measures to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be a major health risk for those who spend a large part of their lives inside buildings. There are many 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 can be released into the air through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can cause allergies and respiratory problems.
High levels of humidity can also wreak havoc on air quality. Moist air encourages the growth of mildew and mold which can cause respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is essential to avoid these problems. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture and utilizing the dehumidifier or humidifier when required based on readings from hygrometers.
Aside from the obvious health benefits as well as the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in the home. For example, a home with a lot of air pollution can turn musty and odor unpleasant. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes as well as a stuffy sensation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help to keep these issues from happening. Also, ensure that you open your windows and doors to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, problems with concentration and a general feeling of feeling of ill-health. Although these symptoms may be relieved after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could cause health problems that are already present and may lead to serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the rate at which fresh air replaces old air, a process that is known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, room occupancy rate, and the design. There are a few easy methods to improve IAQ. This can be done by adding plants to the home, opening doors and windows whenever feasible, and making sure that the HVAC system works effectively. If you’re looking to take it a a step further, we suggest you speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are excellent at filtering out biological pollutants such as bacteria, molds, pet dander and pollen. However, they do not remove smoke particles. The microscopic particles in wildfire smoke are very dangerous, and they can easily get into your eyes, nose, and throat and cause symptoms such as burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung conditions. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.
The smoke blanketing New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada, and it has created hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.
There is no way to prevent smoke from entering your home through your windows and doors, especially in older homes with a lot of drafts and cracks. However you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all doors and windows shut when it’s smokey outside. This can cut down on the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30%. Place damp towels in the cracks around door frames and in the corners to reduce the flow of smoky air.
If your HVAC system is in an recirculation mode, make sure to switch it off during smoky conditions. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air outside instead of the air being recirculated. If your building has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, for instance loading docks and parking garages, you should ensure that these ducts are kept away from the rest.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more frequently during times of smoke to ensure that they are effective in removing the toxins from the indoor air. Choose a filter that has an MERV that is at least (MERV) that is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to eliminate gaseous air pollution and smoke.
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, most energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes during off-peak hours so they don’t need to run their air conditioners during those high-cost summer peak periods.
This requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. Even so homeowners should take the time to analyze their electricity usage patterns to determine when their air conditioner is most cost-effective. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To keep the home cool homeowners, they set their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and keeps it at the same setting for a few hours. This cools the floors, walls furniture, fixtures and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. When peak energy-cost hours hit the homeowner cranks the air conditioner up and leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours.
This strategy is successful because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air in the home cooler. It also aims to prevent heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. It is crucial that homeowners double-check their home’s insulation and insulate any drafty or leaky areas. It is also recommended to cover windows to block the sun, particularly in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. Additionally they should ensure that all windows and doors are sealed to prevent 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 will allow homeowners to keep their energy costs at a minimum without having to remember to turn the system off or on.