Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are among the most important inventions in the past century. They made summer blockbusters possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies and aircrafts.
Cooling, however, puts enormous strain on the electricity system and produces huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the issue and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is among the most important aspects when choosing a new cooling system. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and you’ll save money on energy bills, as well as reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioners 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 using a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a system can be located on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are in the market for an air conditioner for the first time look for one that has an excellent rating. This rating shows how the unit performs under normal conditions in a given season. A higher SEER rating can lower your energy costs and consumption when replacing an older model.
Other factors can impact the efficiency of air conditioning systems, too. For instance high levels of humidity in the indoor as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks could all make your system work harder and consume more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple ways to increase the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with particular energy efficiency considerations also. They usually use a combination of split or packaged compressors and massive pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also have steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition, many of these large systems are controlled by a system known as a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all heating and cooling systems within the building into one central system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives for their implementation.
The global effort to curb climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air-conditioning. Ultimately, we need to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling appliances to market, and consumers want them. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A lot of people spend the majority of their lives in structures, and these structures can cause serious health risks in the event that the indoor air quality is poor. There are fortunately numerous ways to improve IAQ, which can be a solution to common ailments like asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter as well as 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 by various activities, including cooking, cleaning, and smoking cigarettes, and can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
A high level of moisture may also have a negative effect on air quality. Mildew and mold can flourish in humid air, and can lead to respiratory problems. To prevent this from happening, it is important to monitor humidity and keep the moisture at a minimum. The best way to accomplish this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, washing bedding and furniture and utilizing 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 a home. For instance, a house with a lot of air pollution can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause itchy skin, irritated eyes and a snoring feeling. These issues can be avoided by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are kept open to let in air as needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a general malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space however, prolonged exposure to poor air quality can aggravate existing health issues or even cause serious illness.
The main factor that affects IAQ is the rate of fresh air replacing the old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, the occupancy rate of the room and the design. There are simple methods to improve IAQ. This includes introducing plants in the home, opening doors and windows as often as possible, and making sure that the HVAC system is operating correctly. If you’d like to take a more thorough approach, it is suggested that they speak with a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are effective at removing biological contaminants like bacteria, molds pollen, pet dander and mold. However they are not able to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eye congested nasal, 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, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week was caused by forest fires in Canada and has created hazardous air quality conditions across a large portion of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and can cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to keep smoke from getting into your home through your windows and doors particularly in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. However, you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If you can, put wet towels on the door frames and cracks to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or office.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure that you switch it off when the air is smoking. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air outside, rather than the air being recirculated. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contamination is likely to be high, for instance parking garages or loading docks, you should ensure that these ducts are isolated from the rest.
The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more frequently when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are eliminating contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter that has a minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to get rid of the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become an energy-saving method that is popular. It’s based on the idea that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In fact, most energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that feature different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners cool their homes ahead of off-peak times, so they don’t have to run air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This requires a thermostat with programmable settings that can adjust automatically. However, even with this, homeowners need to be sure to study their electric consumption patterns and decide the best time to run their air cooling system. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning and maintains it at that temperature for a couple of hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling as well as floors, furniture and fixtures, as well as the air inside. Then, when peak energy-cost hours arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning on and runs it until it is turned off for several hours again.
This strategy is effective since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the home cooler. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through your windows, doors, and other leaky points. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their homes are properly constructed and insulated, and also insulate any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should consider using blinds to block sun light, especially those that get bright direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the daytime. Also, they should make sure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to stop air from escaping during cooling cycles. Additionally, they should think about installing smart thermostats that will help them remember to start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This helps homeowners cut their energy costs without having to remember when to turn on or off the system.
