Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most significant inventions of our time. They helped make summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other supplies possible.
However, cooling puts a large demand on electric systems and causes huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA report aims to raise awareness of the effects of this demand, and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Efficiency in energy is one of the most important factors when selecting a new cooling system. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and you will reduce your energy costs and reduce your environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool for a given amount of energy consumed. The higher the rating is, the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of a system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating indicates how the unit performs in normal conditions during a given season. A higher SEER rating can reduce the cost of energy and consumption if you are replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other elements as well. High indoor humidity, insufficient maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, could all cause your system to work harder and consume additional energy. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in the ducts are a simple way to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with particular energy efficiency considerations, too. They usually make use of an array of split or packaged compressors with huge pipe networks to deliver cooling throughout the building. They may also include steam systems, that require special maintenance to ensure that the pipes do not become blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the performance of systems by providing retrocommissioning strategies that offer rapid paybacks.
The global effort to curb climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air-conditioning. In the end, we have to ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling appliances to market, and that consumers demand them. In the meantime, there are other ways we can help reduce our energy use 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 if the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues like asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide are three of the most frequent sources of pollution in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of activities such as cooking, cleaning and smoking. They can trigger respiratory issues and allergies.
A high level of moisture may also have a negative impact on the quality of air. Moisture can encourage the development of mildew and mold, which can trigger respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is essential to avoid these issues. The best way to accomplish this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture and using an air dehumidifier and humidifier if needed based on the readings of a hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase comfort in your home. For instance, a home that is contaminated by air pollutants could turn musty and odor unpleasant. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes, and a swollen sensation. This can be addressed by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and making sure that doors and windows are kept open to let in air as needed.
Poor air quality can lead to headaches, concentration problems and general feeling of ill-health. While these symptoms can be relieved after leaving a space, prolonged exposure can exacerbate existing health conditions and can even result in serious health issues.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing the old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, occupancy rates, as well as the design of the building. However, simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ by introducing plants into the house, opening windows and doors as much as is possible and making sure that the HVAC system is functioning correctly. If you’re looking to take it a further, we recommend that you talk to a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do an excellent job of filtering out the majority of biological pollutants, such as molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they’re not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous and easily get into your nose, eyes, and throat and cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and worsen heart and lung conditions that are chronic. The tiny particles of smoke can clog your lungs, triggering a variety of health effects such as an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your lungs and heart.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada, and it is causing hazardous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and can cause respiratory stress for anyone who is outdoors.
There is no way to prevent smoke from entering your home through windows and doors especially in older houses with many cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smokey. This can reduce the amount of smoky outside air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has an recirculation feature, make sure that you shut it off when air is smokey. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air to the outside instead of returning it. If you have ducts in your building connected to areas that may have high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages with attached loading docks, be certain to have these ducts independently isolated 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 eliminating toxins from indoor air. Choose a filter that has an MERV that is at least (MERV) which is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to remove smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based on the notion that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. In fact, most electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, so they don’t require air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This method requires a thermostat that can adjust automatically. However, homeowners still need to take the time to analyze their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner is the most efficient. This method can save you up to 25 percent off your energy bill.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning, and then keeps it at that temperature for a few hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures, as well as the interior air. When the energy costs are at their peak the homeowner, he or she will turn the air conditioning up, and leave it running until the next time it’s shut off.
This method is efficient because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air inside the home cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from getting into the house through windows, doors and other leak points. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should consider using window coverings to block out sun particularly those that receive bright direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the daytime. They should also make sure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to prevent air from escaping when cooling cycles. Finally, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will aid them in remembering to start and stop cooling at the ideal times of the day. This allows homeowners to keep their energy bills low without worrying about forgetting to turn off the system or on.