Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air cooling and conditioning is among the most important inventions of the modern age. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
Cooling, however, puts immense strain on the electricity system and creates huge amounts of pollution. This special IEA report aims to raise awareness of the impact of this demand, and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting an air conditioner, energy efficiency is an important aspect. Upgrading to an efficient air conditioner will save on your energy bills and reduce environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is evaluated in a variety of ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much a unit can cool with a certain amount of energy consumed. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit. You can find a system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
If you are looking for a new air conditioner look for one that has a high rating. This rating reveals how well the unit performs under normal conditions in a given season. If you’re replacing an older model with a higher SEER rating will greatly reduce your energy use and costs.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other elements too. For example high levels of indoor humidity, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks can all make your system more efficient and use more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple ways to increase the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also susceptible to concerns about energy efficiency. These systems make use of a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also have steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled by the use of a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into a single centralized system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically offer quick paybacks as well as incentives to implement.
The global effort to combat the impact of climate change is largely dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air conditioning. We need to ensure that cooling appliances are efficient and that consumers are demanding these appliances. In the meantime, there are a variety of actions we can take to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be an important health issue for those who spend a significant portion of their lives in buildings. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to improve IAQ that can help be a solution to common ailments like asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent sources for pollution in modern offices and homes. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of activities such as cooking, cleaning, and smoking. They can cause allergies and respiratory problems.
A high level of moisture may also have a negative effect on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, which can lead to respiratory problems. To avoid these issues, it is important to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a low level. The best method to do this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning furniture and bedding, and using a dehumidifier or humidifier as needed based on the readings of a hygrometer.
Apart from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in homes. A home with high levels of air pollutants such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes, and a swollen sensation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open your windows and doors to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, difficulty concentrating and a general feeling of unwellness. While these symptoms can be relieved after leaving a space, prolonged exposure can cause health problems that are already present and can even result in serious health issues.
Ventilation is the main factor that affects IAQ. This can be influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, and the design of the building. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including adding plants to the home and opening doors and windows whenever possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning effectively. For those who would 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
Central air conditioning systems are effective at removing biological pollutants such as molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander and mold. However, they do not remove smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eye, congestion, runny nasal and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. The invisible fine particles in smoke can clog your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects such as an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
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 south and north of the United States. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and creates breathing problems for those who is outdoors.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent smoky air from entering your business or home through doors and windows particularly older homes with lots of drafts and cracks. You can take steps to lessen 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 wet towels in the cracks of door frames and around them to stop the flow of smoky air.
If your HVAC system features the ability to recirculate air, be sure you shut it off when air is smoking. This will allow the system expel the smoke directly outside rather than returning it to inside. If your structure has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, for instance loading docks or parking garages it is important to ensure that the ducts are separated from the rest of.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters much more often in the event of smoke to ensure they’re effectively taking out the toxins in the air inside. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or higher, as these filters are specially designed to remove the smoke and other gaseous air contaminants.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based upon the notion that electricity isn’t priced the same amount at all times of the day. In fact, most energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that feature different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners 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 times.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However homeowners should examine their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner is the most efficient. A lot of people save 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools the floors, walls furniture, fixtures and furniture of the house as well as the air inside. When the energy costs are at their peak the homeowner, he or she will turn up the temperature and leave it on until the next time it’s turned off.
This method is effective because cooling isn’t just about keeping the air inside the home cool. It is essential to stop heat from entering your home through doors, windows, and other leaky points. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. They should also make use of window shades to block the sun, particularly in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. They should also ensure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from escaping when cooling cycles are in progress. Additionally, they should think about installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they start and stop cooling at the most optimal 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.
