Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are among the most important inventions in modern history. They helped make wartime and summer blockbusters and other equipment possible.
Cooling, however, puts an enormous strain on the power system and produces huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the effects of this demand and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing an air conditioner, energy efficiency is a key factor. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and reduce your energy costs, as well as reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much a unit can cool for a given amount of energy consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of the system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are looking for an air conditioner for the first time look for one that has a high rating. This rating indicates how efficiently the unit will perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating will lower your energy consumption and costs when replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other causes as well. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, insufficient maintenance and duct leaks for instance, could all cause your system to work harder and consume additional energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are simple steps to increase the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency considerations also. These systems make use of a combination of packaged or split-compressors and huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. These systems may also include steam systems that require specific maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into a single centralized system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually have quick paybacks and incentives for implementation.
The global effort to combat climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air conditioning. We need to ensure that cooling devices are super-efficient and that consumers demand these appliances. In the meantime we can take additional steps to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people spend much of their lives in buildings and these structures could pose significant health threats if the indoor air quality is not as good. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments like asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most prevalent pollutants in modern homes and office buildings. These pollutants are released into the air due to various activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they could lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
High levels of humidity can also create destruction on the air quality. Moisture can encourage the growth of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory problems. To prevent this from happening, it is important to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a lower level. The best method to do this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, washing bedding and soft furnishings and utilizing an air dehumidifier and humidifier if required based on readings from hygrometers.
In addition to the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in a home. A home with high levels of air pollutants such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also trigger irritation to the eyes, itchy skin, and a stuffy feeling. Installing an air purifier as well as maintaining the HVAC system can help avoid these issues. Also, ensure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation when needed.
The signs of poor air quality can be varied and include headaches, difficulties in concentrating, or general malaise. Although these symptoms may resolve themselves after leaving a space, prolonged exposure to air pollution can exacerbate existing health conditions and may lead to serious health issues.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the speed that fresh air replaces stale air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, the occupancy rate of the room and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by adding plants to the home and opening doors and windows whenever possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working correctly. If you want to go one step further, we recommend that you consult a Comfort Specialist for an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do a fantastic job of filtering out the majority of biological pollutants, including molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they’re not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nasal and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and cause worsening of lung and heart conditions that are chronic. The tiny particles of smoke can lodge deep into your lung, triggering a myriad of health issues, including an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week was caused by forest fires in Canada, and it has created hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and creates respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to keep smoke from entering your home through your windows and doors especially in older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your home or office.
If your HVAC system features an recirculation feature, make sure to turn it off when the air is smoking. This will allow your HVAC system to exhaust the smoky indoor air outside, rather than returning it. If you have ducts within your building which connect to areas that could have high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, make certain to have these ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more frequently when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are removing pollutants from the air in your home. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV) which is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to remove smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has gained popularity in recent years. It’s based on the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. The majority of power companies offer “time of use” plans that have different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t need to run air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners must take the time to examine their electricity usage patterns and determine the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioner. This method could save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills.
To supercool, the homeowner sets their AC to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at that setting for a couple of hours. This cools the walls, floors furniture, fixtures and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. When energy costs are high, the homeowner will increase the temperature of the air conditioner, and leave it running until the next time it is turned off.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the house cooler. It’s important to prevent heat from entering your home through doors, windows and other points that leak. It is essential that homeowners check the insulation of their home and cover any drafty or leaky areas. It is also recommended to cover windows to block the sun, particularly in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Also they should ensure that all doors and windows are sealed to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. They should also think about using smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This helps homeowners cut their energy consumption without worrying about forgetting when to turn on or off the system.
