Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most significant inventions of the past century. They helped make summer blockbusters and wartime planes and other supplies possible.
Cooling, however, puts immense strain on the electricity system and produces huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA Report raises awareness of the impact and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is among the most important factors to consider when selecting a new cooling unit. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will save on your energy bills and reduce environmental impacts. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is rated in several ways that include SEER and EER. These ratings show how the air conditioner is able to cool using a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit is. You can find a system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning system, look for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating indicates how well the unit performs in normal conditions. If you’re replacing an older model, a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy use and costs.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other factors as well. High indoor humidity, insufficient maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, could all cause your system to be more demanding 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 use a combination packaged or split-compressors and huge pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. These systems could also incorporate steam systems that require specific maintenance to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
In addition the majority of these massive systems are controlled by what’s known as a Building Automation System (BAS) which connects all heating and cooling systems in the building into a single system. Verde has been able to improve the performance of the systems by offering retrocommissioning strategies that offer quick paybacks.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to combat climate change. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is efficient and that consumers are demanding these appliances. In the meantime, there are other steps we can take to help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings, and these structures could be a major health risk in the event that their indoor air quality is not as good. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to improve IAQ, which can stop common issues like asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common pollutants in modern offices and homes. These pollutants can be released into the air by a number of activities such as cooking, cleaning and smoking. They can trigger respiratory issues and allergies.
The high levels of humidity can also cause havoc on the quality of air. Moisture can encourage the growth of mold and mildew, which can trigger respiratory problems. To avoid these issues, it is important to monitor humidity and keep the moisture at a lower level. The best way to accomplish this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, washing furniture and bedding and utilizing an air dehumidifier and humidifier if necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also improve the comfort of your home. A home with high levels of air pollution for instance, may smell musty. It can also trigger irritated or itchy eyes, and also a snoring sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, ensuring the health of the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are open for ventilation as needed.
The symptoms of poor air quality can be varied and include headaches, difficulty in concentrating, and a general feeling of malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space however, prolonged exposure to poor quality air can aggravate existing health issues or even cause serious health issues.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the speed that fresh air replaces stale air, a process referred to as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, occupancy rate of the room and the design. There are many methods to improve IAQ. This can be done by introducing plants in the house, opening the doors and windows as often as possible, and making sure that the HVAC system is operating effectively. If you’re looking to take it a one step further, we suggest you talk to a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are great at removing biological contaminants like bacteria, molds pollen, pet dander and mold. 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 eyes, nose, and throat which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and cause worsening of heart and lung conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause variety health effects such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It can also cause dangerous air quality conditions across most of the north and south of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility and can cause respiratory distress to anyone who is required to be outside.
There is no way to stop smoke from entering your home through your windows and doors, especially in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This can cut the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. If possible, place wet towels around the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your business or home.
If your HVAC system is in the recirculation feature, make sure to turn off when you are in a smokey environment. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside rather than recirculating it inside. If you have ducts within your building that connect to areas that may have high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, make sure that those ducts are independently isolated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more frequently when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are effectively removing toxins from indoor air. Select a filter with a minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to eliminate the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has gained popularity in recent years. It’s based on the idea that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. Most energy companies offer “time of use” plans that have different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes at off-peak hours, so they don’t need to run their air conditioners during the high-cost summer peak periods.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. Even with this, homeowners still need to take the time to analyze their usage patterns for electricity to determine when their air conditioner will be the most efficient. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To make the house super cool the home, the homeowner set their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and keeps it at that temperature for a couple of hours. This cools the walls, floors, furnishings and fixtures, as well as the interior air. Then, when the peak energy-cost hours arrive the homeowner, he or she turns the air conditioning on and leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours.
This method works because cooling isn’t just about keeping the air inside the home cool. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through windows, doors and other leaky areas. This is why homeowners should ensure that their homes are properly constructed and insulated, and also insulate any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should consider using blinds to block the sun’s rays particularly those that receive bright direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the daytime. Also they should ensure that all doors and windows are sealed to prevent air from escaping during cooling cycles. They should also think about using smart thermostats to help them remember when to start and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy bills without worrying about forgetting when to turn on or off the system.