Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most important inventions of the modern age. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and also helped boost production for wartime supplies and airplanes.
However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and causes huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the impact and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting an air conditioner energy efficiency is a key aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air cooling system will lower your energy bills and reduce environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is evaluated in a variety of ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings tell you how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of power consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit. You can find a SEER rating on the yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating reveals how well the unit performs under normal conditions during a given season. A higher SEER rating could lower your energy consumption and costs when replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes 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. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple ways to increase the energy efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. They typically use an array of packaged or split compressors and massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also incorporate steam systems that require specific maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
Many of these systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the performance of the systems by offering retrocommissioning suggestions that have quick paybacks.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to combat climate change. We must ensure that cooling equipment is super-efficient and that consumers demand them. In the meantime, we can take other measures to reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be an important health issue for many people who spend a significant portion of their lives in buildings. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments like asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources for pollution in modern homes and offices. These pollutants can be released into the air through a variety of activities like cooking, cleaning, and smoking. They can cause allergies and respiratory problems.
The presence of excessive moisture can also have a negative impact on the quality of air. Moist air encourages the development of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory problems. To prevent these issues, it is important to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a lower level. The best way to achieve this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and soft furnishings, and using 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 pollutants such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause irritation or itchy eyes and also a snoring sensation. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open doors and windows for ventilation whenever you need to.
Poor air quality can cause headaches, problems with concentration and a general feeling of unwellness. The symptoms can resolve when you leave the room, but prolonged exposure to poor air quality could exacerbate existing health issues or even trigger serious illness.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing the old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, as well as the design of the structure. There are simple methods to improve IAQ. These include introducing plants in the home, opening the windows and doors whenever possible, and making sure that the HVAC system is operating correctly. If you’re looking to take it a further, we suggest you speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are great at filtering out biological pollutants like bacteria, molds, pet dander and pollen. However they cannot remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up wildfire smoke pose a risk and easily enter your nose, eyes and throat, which can cause symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung conditions. Smoke particles can cause a range of health issues, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality issues across much of the south and north of the United States. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility and can cause respiratory distress to anyone who is required to be outside.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent smoke from getting into your business or home through windows and doors, especially older homes with a lot of drafts and cracks. However, you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke entering your building.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it’s smoky outside. This can cut the amount of smoke by 30 percent. Put wet towels in cracks of door frames and around them to slow down the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system features a recirculation function, make sure to shut it off when air is smoking. This allows your HVAC system to exhaust the smoky indoor air instead of returning it. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contamination is likely to be high, such as loading docks and parking garages, you should ensure that the ducts are separated from the rest.
The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are eliminating contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter that has a minimum reporting value (MERV) which is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to remove the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has become an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based on the idea that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In reality, the majority of electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to cool their homes ahead of off-peak times, so they don’t need to run air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners must be sure to study their electric usage patterns and figure out when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioning. This strategy can save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills.
To keep the home cool the home, the homeowner set their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and keeps it at that setting for a couple of hours. This cools the floors, walls, furniture, and fixtures of the home as well as the air inside. Then, when the peak energy-cost hours hit the homeowner cranks the air conditioning on and then leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours again.
This strategy works because cooling isn’t just about keeping the air inside the home cool. It’s also about preventing heat from getting into the house through doors, windows and other leak points. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should make use of window shades to block out sun, especially in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. Also they should ensure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to stop 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 allows homeowners to keep their energy bills low without worrying about forgetting to switch off or on.
