Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most significant inventions of modern history. They made summer blockbusters, wartime planes and supplies possible.
Cooling, however puts enormous strain on the electricity system and produces huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report raises awareness of the effects and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is one of the most important factors when choosing a new cooling system. Upgrading to an efficient air conditioner will help you save on energy costs and also reduce environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much a unit is able to cool in a given amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of the system can be found on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning unit, look for one with a high SEER rating. This rating indicates how the unit performs under normal conditions during a given season. A higher SEER rating can lower your energy consumption and costs when replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other factors too. High indoor humidity, lack of maintenance and duct leaks for instance, can cause your system to work harder and consume additional energy. Maintaining your system with regular maintenance and sealing leaks from ducts are easy ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency concerns also. They use a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipe networks to provide cooling throughout the building. They could also include steam systems, which require specialized maintenance in order to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition to that, many of these huge systems are controlled by what’s called a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all heating and cooling systems within the building into one central system. Verde has helped optimize the performance of systems by providing retrocommissioning strategies that offer rapid paybacks.
The global effort to curb climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air-conditioning. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling appliances to market, and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in structures, and these structures can be a major health risk when their indoor air quality is poor. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like allergies, asthma, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three main pollutants in modern offices and homes. These pollutants are released into the air through many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they can cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
A high level of moisture may also have a negative impact on air quality. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, and can cause respiratory problems. To avoid these issues, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture at a minimum. The best method to do this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and soft furnishings and utilizing an air dehumidifier and humidifier if necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase the comfort in your home. A home that has high levels of air pollutants for instance, may smell musty. It can also cause irritation or itchy eyes and a swollen sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, ensuring the health of the HVAC system, and ensuring that doors and windows are kept open to let in air as needed.
Poor air quality can cause headaches, problems with concentration and general feeling of ill-health. These symptoms may resolve after leaving the space, but prolonged exposure to poor quality air can aggravate existing health issues or even trigger serious illnesses.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the rate of fresh air replacing stale air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather conditions, the room occupancy rate, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by introducing plants into the home, opening windows and doors as much as is possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working effectively. If you’re looking to go a step further, we recommend that you consult a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do a great job of removing the majority of biological pollutants, such as bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up wildfire smoke are very dangerous, and they can easily enter your eyes, nose and throat, and cause symptoms such as burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and exacerbate the severity of heart and lung problems. Smoke particles can cause variety of health problems such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.
The haze that engulfed New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions across large parts 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 outdoors.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely block smoky air from entering your business or home through doors and windows especially older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. However, you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it is smoky outside. This can reduce the amount of smoke from outside air by 30%. Put wet towels in cracks around door frames and in the corners to slow down the flow of smoky ai.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure to shut it off when air is smoking. This will allow the system expel the smoke directly outside instead of the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts in your building that connect to areas that could produce high concentrations of contaminants, such as attached parking garages and loading docks, make sure that those ducts are independently isolated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are effectively removing contaminants from indoor air. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or higher, as these filters are specifically designed to eliminate the smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based on the notion that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. The majority of energy 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, so they don’t require air conditioners during the expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. Even with this, homeowners still need to take the time to analyze their electricity usage patterns to determine the time when their air conditioner is most cost-effective. This method could save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills.
To keep the home cool the home, the homeowner set their AC to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools down the floors, walls, furniture, and fixtures of the house as well as the air inside. Then, when the peak energy-cost hours hit, the homeowner turns the air conditioning on and leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours again.
This strategy is effective since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the home cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from getting into the house through doors, windows and other leak points. This is why homeowners should ensure that their homes are properly insulated and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. It is also recommended to use window covers to block the sunlight, particularly in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. Also it is important to ensure that all windows and doors are sealed to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. Also, they should consider using smart thermostats to aid them in remembering to start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy bills at a minimum without having to remember to turn off the system or on.
