Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are one of the most important inventions of modern history. They helped make summer blockbusters and wartime planes and other equipment possible.
However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and generates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the effects and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing an air conditioner, energy efficiency is a key aspect. The upgrade to a more efficient cooling system will lower your expenses for energy and reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how much a unit can cool with a certain amount of electricity 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 you are looking for a new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating indicates how well the unit can perform during a season under normal conditions. A higher SEER rating will reduce your energy costs and consumption when replacing an older model.
Other factors can affect energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, too. For instance high levels of humidity in the indoor, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks can all make your system work harder and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks from ducts are easy steps to improve your system’s energy efficiency.
Large commercial cooling systems come with particular energy efficiency considerations as well. These systems make use of a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems which require specialized maintenance in order to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
Additionally, many of these large systems are controlled by a system known as a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all cooling and heating systems of the building into a single system. Verde has been able to improve the efficiency of systems by providing retrocommissioning strategies that offer quick paybacks.
The global effort to reduce the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air-conditioning. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling equipment to market, and consumers demand them. In the meantime we can take additional measures to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A lot of people spend the majority of their lives in buildings, and these structures can cause serious health risks if the indoor air quality is not as good. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues such as asthma, allergies fatigue, allergies, etc.
Particulate matter as well as volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most frequent pollutants in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants are released into the air through a variety of activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they could cause respiratory problems as well as allergic reactions.
A high level of humidity can also cause havoc on the quality of air. The humid air encourages the development of mildew and mold, which can trigger respiratory problems. To prevent this from happening it is essential to monitor humidity and keep the moisture level at a minimum. The best way to accomplish this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, washing bedding and soft furnishings and using a dehumidifier or humidifier as necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ It can also increase comfort in your home. For instance, a house with a lot of air pollution can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation to eyes, itchy skin, and a stuffy feeling. This can be addressed by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and making sure that windows and doors are kept open to let in air as required.
The symptoms of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches, difficulties in concentrating, or a general feeling of malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space however, prolonged exposure to poor quality air can worsen existing health conditions or even trigger serious illnesses.
The primary factor that affects IAQ is the speed at which fresh air replaces the old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, the room occupancy rate, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning correctly. For those who would prefer to take an even more comprehensive approach, it is suggested to speak with a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are great at removing biological contaminants like molds, bacteria, pet dander and pollen. However, they do not remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires is a source of microscopic particles that can trigger symptoms such as burning or itchy eye congestion, runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and worsen the severity of heart and lung problems. The invisible fine particles in smoke can get stuck in your lung, triggering a range of health effects such as an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
The smoke blanketing New York City this week has been caused by forest fires in Canada and has created hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility and may cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outdoors.
There is no way to prevent smoke from entering your home through doors and windows, especially in older homes with a lot of drafts and cracks. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke entering your building.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smokey. This can cut the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If you can, put wet towels on the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure you turn it off when the air is smoking. This will allow your HVAC system to take the smokey indoor air to the outside, rather than returning it. If your building has ducts connecting to areas where contamination is likely to be high, such as parking garages or loading docks it is important to ensure that these ducts are isolated from the rest of.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more frequently during smokey conditions to ensure they are effectively taking out the toxins in the air inside. Select a filter that has an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or higher, as these filters are specially 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 upon the notion that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at any given time of the day. The majority of energy companies offer “time of use” plans with different peak and offpeak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours so they don’t have to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak hours.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However, even with this, homeowners should be sure to study their electric usage patterns and determine when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioner. A lot of people save 25% or more on their energy bills through this method.
To supercool the home, the homeowner set their AC to a lower temperature in the morning and keeps it at the same setting for a couple of hours. This cools the walls, floors, furniture, and fixtures of the house as well as the air inside. When energy costs are high homeowners, they turn the air conditioning up and then leave it running until the next time it is shut off.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the house cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from entering the house through doors, windows and other leak points. It is crucial that homeowners double-check the insulation of their home and cover any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should use window covers to block out the sun, especially in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Also, they should make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles are in progress. Finally, they should consider using smart thermostats to help them remember to start and stop cooling at the ideal times of the day. This allows homeowners to keep their energy costs low without worrying about forgetting to turn off the system or on.