Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air cooling and conditioning is among the most important inventions of our time. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
However, cooling puts a large strain on electricity systems and generates huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the effects of this demand and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system energy efficiency is a key factor. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and you’ll reduce your energy costs and reduce your environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is evaluated in a variety of ways, including SEER and EER. 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. You can find the system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When shopping for a new air conditioning unit, look for one with a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit can perform during a season under normal conditions. A higher SEER rating can lower your energy consumption and costs if you are replacing an older model.
Other factors can affect the efficiency of energy in air conditioning systems, too. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, insufficient maintenance and duct leaks, for example, can all make your system be more demanding and consume more energy. Keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are easy ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also susceptible to concerns about energy efficiency. They use a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also include steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the efficiency of systems by providing retrocommissioning suggestions that have quick paybacks.
The global effort to reduce the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of cooling and air-conditioning. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling equipment to market, and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a serious health concern for those who spend a large part of their time in buildings. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments such as asthma, allergies, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent sources of pollution in modern offices and homes. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory problems.
A high level of moisture may have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mold and mildew can grow in humid air, which can cause respiratory problems. To prevent these issues it is crucial to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture level at a lower level. This can be done by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, soft furnishings and making use of a humidifier or dehumidifier that is based on the hygrometer.
Apart from the obvious health benefits as well as the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can improve the comfort of homes. A home that has high levels of air pollution, for example, can smell musty. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes and a swollen sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are kept open to let in air as required.
The signs of poor air quality are varied and include headaches, difficulties in concentrating, or a general malaise. These symptoms may resolve when you leave the room, but prolonged exposure to poor quality air can aggravate existing health issues or cause serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the rate at which fresh air replaces the old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, occupancy rates, and the design of the structure. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors as much as is possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working correctly. If you’d like to take an even more comprehensive approach, it is suggested to speak with a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do a great job of filtering out the majority of biological pollutants, including molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can trigger symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nasal, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and worsen chronic lung and heart problems. Smoke particles can cause variety of health problems, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It can also cause dangerous air quality issues across most of the south and north of the United States. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.
There is no way to prevent smoke from getting into your home through doors and windows, especially in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke entering your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smokey. This can cut the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks in order to slow the flow of smoke into your home or business.
If your HVAC system features a recirculation function, make sure to shut it off when air is smoky. This will allow your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air to the outside instead of the air being recirculated. If you have ducts within your building which connect to areas that could produce high concentrations of contaminants, such as parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, be sure to have those ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters much more often in the event of smoke to ensure they are effectively eliminating the toxins from the indoor air. Select a filter with the minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to get rid of the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
Supercooling is a green trend that has gained popularity in recent years. It’s based on the notion that electricity costs different amounts at different times of the day. In fact, most power 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 the high-cost summer peak times.
This requires a programmable thermostat that is able to adjust itself automatically. Even so homeowners should examine their usage patterns for electricity to determine when their air conditioner is the most efficient. This method can save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning and keeps it at that setting for a few hours. This cools the floors, walls furniture, fixtures, and furniture of the house as well as the air inside. Then, when peak energy-cost times arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning up and runs it until it is turned off for several hours.
This strategy is effective because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air inside the house cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. It is essential that homeowners check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. They should also use window shades to block out sun particularly in areas that get bright direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the daytime. Also they should ensure that all doors and windows are sealed to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. Finally, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will help them remember to start and stop cooling at the most optimal times of the day. This helps homeowners cut their energy costs without worrying about forgetting to turn off or on the system.