Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are among the most important inventions of modern history. They made summer movie blockbusters possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
Cooling, however, places an enormous strain on the power system and creates huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the effects and suggests solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing an air conditioner, energy efficiency is a key aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will save on your energy costs and also 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 score, 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 looking for a brand new air conditioning system, look for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating shows how the unit performs under normal conditions during a particular season. A higher SEER rating could reduce your energy costs and consumption when replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes as well. For instance high levels of humidity in the indoor and a lack of maintenance and duct leaks could all make your system work harder and consume more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing ducts leaks are easy ways to increase the energy efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also susceptible to concerns about energy efficiency. These systems often make use of an array of packaged or split compressors with huge pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also have steam systems that require special maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which integrates the heating and cooling systems into one centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the performance of systems by providing retrocommissioning suggestions that have quick paybacks.
The global effort to curb the impact of climate change is largely dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air-conditioning. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime, we can take other measures to reduce our energy consumption 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 is not as good. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent sources for pollution in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere by a number of activities such as cleaning, cooking, and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory issues.
High levels of humidity can also wreak destruction on the air quality. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, and can lead to respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture level at a minimum is crucial to avoid these problems. This can be achieved by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, cushions and using a dehumidifier or humidifier using a humidity gauge.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase the comfort in your home. For example, a home with high air pollutants can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritated or itchy eyes, and a swollen sensation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help to avoid these issues. Also, ensure that you open windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
The symptoms of poor air quality are varied and can include headaches difficulties in concentrating, or a general malaise. While these symptoms can resolve themselves after leaving a space, prolonged exposure to air pollution can exacerbate existing health conditions and could lead to serious illness.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the speed at which fresh air replaces the old air, a process that is known as ventilation. This can be influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, and also the design of the structure. There are many ways to improve IAQ. This can be done by installing plants in the home, opening doors and windows as often as possible, and making sure that the HVAC system works effectively. For those who would like to take 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 an excellent job of filtering out the majority of biological pollutants, such as bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they are not designed to remove smoke particles. The microscopic particles in wildfire smoke pose a risk and easily enter your eyes, nose, and throat which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to the lungs and cause worsening of the severity of heart and lung problems. The invisible fine particles in smoke can get stuck in your lungs, triggering a variety of health issues, including worsened asthma, bronchitis and damage to your heart and lungs.
The smoke that blanketed New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions throughout large parts of the north and south of the United States. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to stop smoke from getting into your home through windows and doors particularly in older homes with many cracks and drafts. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your building.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it is smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or business.
If your HVAC system has the recirculation feature, make sure to switch off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow the system expel the smoke directly outside instead of returning it to inside. If your building has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, like parking garages or loading docks You should make sure that these ducts are isolated from the rest.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are removing toxins from indoor air. Select a filter that has an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are designed to remove gases and smoke contaminants.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based on the notion that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In reality, the majority of energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that feature different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners cool their homes ahead of off-peak times, so they don’t need to run air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This requires a thermostat that is able to adjust itself automatically. Even with this, homeowners still need to take the time to analyze their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner is most cost-effective. This method could save you as much as 25 percent off your energy bill.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner sets their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at that temperature for a couple of hours. This cools down the floors, walls furniture, fixtures, and furniture of the house as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit the homeowner, he or she will increase the temperature of the air conditioner and then leave it running until the next time it’s turned off.
This method works because cooling isn’t only about keeping the air inside the home cool. It’s also about stopping heat from entering the home through doors, windows and other leak points. This is why homeowners should ensure that their homes are properly sealed and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. It is also recommended to use window covers to block out the sun, especially 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 tightly to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles. They should also think about installing smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy bills at a minimum without having to remember to turn off the system or on.
