Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most significant inventions of modern history. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
However, cooling puts a large burden on electrical systems and causes huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the issue and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing a new cooling system, energy efficiency is a crucial aspect. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and you’ll save money on energy bills, as well as reduce your environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated with several different energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much an air conditioner can cool with a certain amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit is. You can find the SEER rating of a system 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, choose one with a high rating. This rating indicates how efficiently the unit performs in normal conditions. If you’re replacing an older model, a higher SEER rating will drastically reduce your energy consumption and expenses.
Other factors can impact the efficiency of air conditioning systems too. 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 use more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple ways to improve the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. They typically make use of an array of split or packaged compressors and massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition to that, many of these huge systems are controlled by a system called a Building Automation System (BAS) which connects all cooling and heating systems in the building into a single system. Verde has helped optimize the efficiency of systems by providing retrocommissioning suggestions that have rapid paybacks.
The global effort to curb climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of cooling and air conditioning. We must ensure that cooling equipment is super-efficient and that consumers demand these appliances. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings and these structures could cause serious health risks if the indoor air quality is poor. There are many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues like allergies, asthma fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most common sources of pollution in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking, and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory issues.
High levels of moisture can also 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 essential to monitor humidity and keep the moisture at a minimum. The best method to do this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture, and using an air dehumidifier and humidifier if necessary based on hygrometer readings.
Aside from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in the home. For example, a home with a lot of air pollution can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation eyes or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are open for ventilation as required.
The symptoms of poor air quality can be varied and include headaches, difficulties in concentrating, or general feeling of malaise. While these symptoms will disappear after leaving the area, prolonged exposure could cause health problems that are already present and could lead to serious illness.
Ventilation is the primary factor that affects IAQ. This can be influenced by the weather, room occupancy rates, as well as the design of the building. However, simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including introducing plants into the house and opening doors and windows as much as possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning effectively. For those who would prefer an even more comprehensive approach, it is recommended to consult a Comfort Specialist regarding an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are effective at removing biological pollutants such as molds, bacteria, pet dander and pollen. However they are not able to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires is a source of microscopic particles which can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congestion, runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate chronic lung and heart problems. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.
The haze that covered New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions across large parts of the south and north of the United States. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility and can cause respiratory distress to anyone who is required to be outside.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely block smoke from entering your home or business through windows and doors, especially older homes with a lot of drafts and cracks. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. Put wet towels in cracks and around door frames to reduce the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system features the ability to recirculate air, be sure that you shut it off when air is smokey. This will allow your HVAC to exhaust the smoky indoor air to the outside instead of the air being recirculated. If your building has ducts that connect to areas where contaminants are likely to be high, like loading docks and parking garages, you should ensure that the ducts are separated from the rest of.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are eliminating contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter that has an MERV that is at least (MERV) which is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to remove smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based off the idea that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In reality, the majority of electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes at off-peak hours so they don’t have to use their air conditioners during the high-cost summer peak periods.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However, even with this, homeowners should take the time to look up their electric consumption patterns and decide the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioning. This strategy 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 few hours. This cools the home’s walls, floors, furnishings and fixtures as well as the interior air. When peak energy costs hit the homeowner, he or she will turn up the temperature, and leave it running until the next time it is shut off.
This method is efficient because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air inside the home cooler. It also aims to prevent heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. It’s important that homeowners double-check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should consider using window shades to block out sun particularly those that receive direct sunlight that is bright during the hottest times of the day. They should also make sure that all windows and doors are tightly sealed to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles occur. They should also consider using smart thermostats to assist them remember when to start and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy bills low without worrying about forgetting to switch off or on.
