Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most significant inventions of the modern age. They made summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other equipment possible.
Cooling, however, places enormous strain on the electricity system and creates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report raises awareness of the impact and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting a new cooling system, energy efficiency is a crucial factor. Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner and you will reduce your energy costs and reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is rated in several ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much an air conditioner can cool for a given amount of power consumed. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of a unit can be located on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a high SEER rating. This rating indicates how well the unit performs under normal conditions in a given season. If you’re replacing an older model with a higher SEER rating will greatly reduce your energy use and costs.
Air conditioning systems are affected by other causes as well. High indoor humidity, lack of maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, can cause your system to perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are easy ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also susceptible to concerns about energy efficiency. They use a combination of packaged or split-compressors and huge pipe networks to provide cooling throughout the building. These systems may also include steam systems that require special maintenance to keep the pipes from getting blocked.
Additionally to that, many of these huge systems are controlled by something known as a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all heating and cooling systems within the building into one centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the efficiency of the systems by offering retrocommissioning recommendations that provide rapid paybacks.
The global effort to curb the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of cooling and air conditioning. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling equipment to market, and that consumers are demanding these appliances. In the meantime, we can take other measures to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings, and these structures can be a major health risk if their indoor air quality is poor. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments such as asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent pollutants in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants are released into the air by a variety of activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking cigarettes, and can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
A high level of moisture may have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can thrive in humid air, which can cause respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture level low is key to preventing these problems. This can be done by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, soft furnishings and using a dehumidifier or humidifier using a humidifier or hygrometer.
Aside from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can improve the comfort of a home. A home with high levels of air pollutants, for example, can smell musty. It can also cause irritation to eyes, itchy skin, and a stuffy feeling. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open doors and windows to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, concentration problems, and a general unwellness. The symptoms can resolve after leaving the area, but prolonged exposure to poor quality air can worsen existing health conditions or even trigger serious illnesses.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the rate that fresh air replaces the old air, a process that is known as ventilation. This is influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, and the design of the structure. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors as much as possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating correctly. For those who would prefer a more thorough approach, it is recommended to speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do a fantastic job of filtering out most biological pollutants, including bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they’re not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles which can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and exacerbate chronic lung and heart conditions. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada, and it is causing dangerous air quality conditions throughout much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and creates breathing problems for those who is outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely prevent smoky air from entering your home or business through windows and doors especially older houses with many cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This can cut down on the amount of smoke from outside air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels around the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your business or home.
If your HVAC system features an recirculation feature, make sure you switch it off when the air is smoky. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside rather than recirculating it inside. If your structure has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, for instance loading docks or parking garages, you should ensure that these ducts are kept away from the rest of.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more frequently during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are effectively removing pollutants from the air in your home. Choose a filter with an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are specially designed to eliminate gases and smoke pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the notion that electricity isn’t priced the same amount at all 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 allows homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t have to run air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires a programmable thermostat that can adjust automatically. Even with this homeowners must take the time to analyze their usage patterns for electricity to determine when their air conditioner will be most cost-effective. A lot of people save 25% or more off their energy bills through this method.
To supercool the home, the homeowner should set their air conditioner at a lower temperature the next morning and keep it there for a few more hours. This cools the walls as well as floors, furniture and fixtures as well as the inside air. When the energy costs are at their peak the homeowner, he or she will turn the air conditioning up and leave it on until the next time it’s turned off.
This method is efficient because it doesn’t only mean making the air in the home cooler. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through doors, windows and other leaky areas. It is crucial that homeowners double-check their homes’ insulation and seal any leaky or drafty areas. They should also cover windows to block out sun, especially in areas that receive direct sunlight during the hottest times of the day. They should also make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from escaping when cooling cycles occur. They should also consider using smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy bills low without worrying about forgetting to turn the system off or on.