Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are one of the most important inventions in modern history. They made summer blockbusters possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
Cooling, however, puts an enormous strain on the power system and generates massive amounts of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the impact and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is among the most important aspects when choosing a new cooling system. The upgrade to a more efficient cooling system will lower your energy costs and also reduce environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool using a specific amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of the system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for an air conditioner that is new pick one with an excellent rating. This rating reveals how the unit performs in normal conditions in 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. For instance, high indoor humidity levels, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks could all make your system work harder and use more energy. Keeping up with routine 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 issues. They usually use the combination of packaged or split compressors with huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also have steam systems which require specialized maintenance to keep 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 been able to improve the efficiency of systems by providing retrocommissioning suggestions that have rapid paybacks.
The global effort to reduce the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers introduce super-efficient cooling devices to market, and consumers are demanding them. In the meantime, there are a variety of actions we can take to help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be a major health risk for many people who spend a substantial portion of their lives inside buildings. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues such as asthma, allergies fatigue, allergies, etc.
Particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide are three of the most common pollutants in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants are released into the air through many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they could cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
The presence of excessive moisture can have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, which can lead to respiratory problems. To prevent this from happening, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture at a lower level. The best method to do this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and soft furnishings and using a dehumidifier or humidifier as required based on readings from hygrometers.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase comfort in your home. A home with high levels of air pollutants for instance, may smell musty. It can also cause irritation to the eyes, itchy skin and a feeling of suffocation. This can be addressed by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and making sure that windows and doors are kept open to let in air as required.
The signs of poor air quality can be a variety of symptoms and can include headaches difficulties in concentrating, or general feeling of malaise. These symptoms may resolve after leaving the area however, prolonged exposure to poor quality air can aggravate existing health issues or even cause serious illness.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the speed that fresh air replaces old air, a process known as ventilation. This is affected by the weather, occupancy rate of the room, and the design. There are a few easy methods to improve IAQ. This can be done by introducing plants in the home, opening the doors and windows as often as feasible, and making sure that the HVAC system is working effectively. For those who would prefer a more thorough approach, it is recommended that they speak with a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do a great job of filtering out most biological pollutants, such as bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they are not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. The microscopic particles in smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous and can easily get into your eyes, nose, and throat causing symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and worsen the severity of heart and lung problems. The fine particles that are invisible in smoke can clog your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects such as worsened asthma, bronchitis and damage to your heart and lungs.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires that are burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality issues across much of the north and south of the United States. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and creates breathing difficulties for those who is outdoors.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent smoke from getting into your business or home through doors and windows, especially older homes with many cracks and drafts. However you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smokey. 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 smoky ai.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation mode, be sure to turn off the recirculation mode during smoke conditions. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside rather than returning it to inside. If you have ducts in your building which connect to areas that can have high concentrations of pollutants, like attached parking garages and loading docks, you should be sure that those ducts are separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests that you change 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 with an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are designed to remove the smoke and other gaseous air contaminants.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the notion that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. The majority of power companies offer “time of use” plans that have different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, so they don’t need to run air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This method requires a thermostat that can adjust automatically. Even with this, homeowners still need to examine their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner will be the most efficient. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills by using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning, and then keeps it at that setting for a few hours. This cools the walls, floors, furniture, and fixtures of the home as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit homeowners, they increase the temperature of the air conditioner, and leave it running until the next time it’s turned off.
This method is efficient because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air in the house cooler. It is essential to stop heat from getting into your home through windows, doors, and other leaky points. This is why homeowners should ensure that their homes are properly sealed and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should make use of window shades to block the sun, especially in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. They should also ensure that all windows and doors are tightly sealed to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles are in progress. They should also consider using smart thermostats to assist them remember when to start and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy bills without worrying about forgetting to turn off or on the system.
