Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are one of the most important inventions of modern history. They made summer blockbusters and wartime planes and other equipment possible.
Cooling, however puts enormous strain on the electricity system and generates massive amounts of pollution. This particular IEA report raises awareness about the negative impact of this demand and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing a new cooling system energy efficiency is an important factor. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will save on your expenses for energy and reduce environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit is. 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 an air conditioner for the first time pick one with an excellent rating. This rating indicates how well the unit performs in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating could reduce your energy consumption and costs in the event that you replace an older model.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other factors as well. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, lack of maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, can make your system work harder and consume additional energy. Maintaining your system with regular maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are easy ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. They use a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems which require specialized maintenance to ensure that the pipes do not become blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning guidelines that typically have quick paybacks and incentives for implementation.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to mitigate climate change. We need to ensure that cooling appliances are super-efficient and that consumers demand these appliances. In the meantime we can also take other steps to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people spend much of their lives in structures, and these structures could pose significant health threats in the event that their indoor air quality is poor. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments such as asthma, allergies, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources for pollution in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants are released into the air due to many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking cigarettes, and can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
The presence of excessive moisture can have a negative impact on the quality of air. The humid air encourages the development of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is essential to avoid these issues. This can be accomplished by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, furniture and making use of a humidifier or dehumidifier using a humidifier or hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can increase comfort in the home. For instance, a home with high air pollutants can turn musty and odor unpleasant. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes and a swollen sensation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open your windows and doors to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can lead to headaches, concentration problems and a general feeling of feeling of ill-health. Although these symptoms may resolve themselves after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could exacerbate existing health conditions and can even result in serious illness.
Ventilation is the main factor that impacts IAQ. This can be influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, and also the design of the structure. There are a few easy methods to improve IAQ. This includes installing plants in the house, opening the doors and windows as often as feasible, and making sure that the HVAC system works properly. If you want to go further, we suggest that you speak with a Comfort Specialist for an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are great at removing biological pollutants like molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander and mold. However they cannot remove smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eye congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate the lungs and exacerbate the severity of heart and lung problems. Smoke particles can cause a variety health effects like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week has been caused by forest fires in Canada, and it has created hazardous air quality conditions throughout much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and causes breathing problems for those who is outdoors.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent smoke from entering your business or home through windows and doors particularly older homes with a lot of drafts and cracks. However you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Keep all doors and windows shut when it’s smokey outside. This will reduce the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30%. If you can, put wet towels on the door frames and cracks to slow the movement of smoky air into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure to shut it off when air is smoking. This will allow your HVAC to exhaust the smoky indoor air to the outside, rather than returning it. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contaminants are likely to be high, for instance parking garages or loading docks, you should ensure that these ducts are isolated from the rest.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more frequently when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are effectively removing pollutants from the air in your home. Select a filter with the minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to get rid of smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s based on the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at all times of the day. The majority of energy companies offer “time of use” plans that offer different peak and offpeak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours so they don’t have to use their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak hours.
This method requires a programmable thermostat that can be adjusted automatically. However even with this, homeowners need to take the time to look up their electric usage patterns and determine the most cost-effective time to run their air cooling system. This strategy can save you up to 25% on your energy bills.
To supercool the home, the homeowner set their AC to lower temperatures in the morning and keeps it at that setting for a couple of hours. This cools the walls furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures, as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit homeowners, they increase the temperature of the air conditioner and then leave it running until the next time it is shut off.
This strategy works because cooling isn’t just about keeping the air inside the home cool. It also aims to prevent heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. It is essential that homeowners check the insulation of their home and cover any drafty or leaky areas. It is also recommended to make use of window shades to block out sunlight, particularly in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Also, they should make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles. Also, they should consider using smart thermostats to aid them in remembering to start and stop cooling at the most optimal times of the day. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy costs at a minimum without having to remember to switch off or on.