Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are among the most important inventions of modern history. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters and wartime planes and other equipment possible.
However cooling places a significant burden on electrical systems and creates massive quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the impact of this demand, and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is among the most important factors to consider when choosing a new cooling system. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills and reduce your environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much a unit is able to cool in a given amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. You can find the system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning unit, look for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how the unit performs in normal conditions in a given season. A higher SEER rating could lower your energy costs and consumption if you are replacing an older model.
Other factors can impact the efficiency of energy in air conditioning systems too. For instance high levels of humidity in the indoor as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks can make your system more efficient and use more energy. Maintaining your system with regular maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple steps to increase the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. They typically utilize an array of packaged or split compressors and massive pipe networks to deliver cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one 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 reduce climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of cooling and air conditioning. We must ensure that cooling equipment is super-efficient and that consumers demand them. In the meantime, there are a variety of ways we can reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people spend much of their lives in buildings and these structures can be a major health risk when the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like asthma, allergies, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent sources of pollution in modern homes and offices. 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.
High levels of moisture can have a negative impact on the quality of air. The humid air encourages the growth of mildew and mold, which can trigger respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is key to preventing these problems. This can be achieved by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, furniture and using a humidifier or dehumidifier based on the hygrometer.
Apart from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in homes. For instance, a home that is contaminated by air pollutants could be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are opened to allow air circulation when required.
The symptoms of poor air quality are varied and can include headaches difficulties in concentrating, or general malaise. 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 old air, a process referred to as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, occupancy rate of rooms and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors as much as possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating effectively. If you’d prefer to take more of a thorough approach, it is recommended to speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are excellent at filtering out biological pollutants such as bacteria, molds pollen, pet dander and mold. However, they do not remove smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congestion, runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate the lungs and worsen the severity of heart and lung problems. The invisible fine particles in smoke can get stuck in your lungs, triggering a variety of health effects, including an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your lung and heart.
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 large parts of the north and south of the United States. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and can cause breathing difficulties for those who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to stop smoke from entering your home through windows and doors, especially in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smokey. This can cut down on the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30 percent. Put wet towels in cracks of door frames and around them to slow down the flow of smoky ai.
If your HVAC system is in an recirculation mode, make sure to turn off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow the system to exhaust the smoky air directly outside, rather than the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts in your building connected to areas that could generate high levels of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, you should be sure to have those ducts independently isolated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often in the event of smoke to ensure that they are eliminating contaminants from indoor air. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are designed to eliminate the smoke and other gaseous air contaminants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based upon the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. The majority of electricity companies offer “time of use” plans that offer different peak and offpeak 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 cooling system. Many people save about 25% or more on their energy bills through this method.
To cool the house homeowners should set their air conditioner at an lower temperature the following morning and maintain it for a few hours. This cools down the walls, floors furniture, fixtures, and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. Then, when peak energy-cost hours arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning on and leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours.
This strategy 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 your windows, doors, and other leaky points. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their homes are properly constructed and insulated, and also insulate any leaky or drafty areas. They should also cover windows to block out sun, particularly in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. Also it is important to ensure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from escaping during cooling cycles. Additionally, they should think about using smart thermostats that can help them remember to 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 to switch on or off the system.
