Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most significant inventions of our time. They made summer movie blockbusters possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies and airplanes.
However cooling puts a huge strain on electricity systems and causes huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the issue and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system energy efficiency is an important factor. The upgrade to a more efficient conditioner will save on your energy costs and also reduce environmental impacts. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings tell you how much an air conditioner can cool using a certain amount of electricity. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a unit can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are looking for an air conditioner for the first time look for one that has a high rating. This rating indicates how well the unit performs during the course of a season in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating could reduce the cost of energy and consumption in the event that you replace an older model.
Other factors can impact the efficiency of air conditioning systems, too. For instance, high indoor humidity levels and a lack of maintenance and duct leaks could all make your system work harder and use more energy. Keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are easy ways to improve your system’s energy efficiency.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. They usually make use of an array of split or packaged compressors with huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems which require specialized maintenance in order to ensure that the pipes do not become blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled with the use of a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into a single central system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically offer quick paybacks as well as incentives for their implementation.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to combat climate change. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime we can also take other steps to reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings and these structures can be a major health risk in the event that the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues like asthma, allergies fatigue, allergies, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources of pollution in modern homes and offices. These pollutants can be released into the air through a variety of activities such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory problems.
High levels of moisture can also have a negative effect on the quality of air. Moisture can encourage the development of mildew and mold which can cause respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is key to preventing these problems. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, washing bedding and furniture, and using the dehumidifier or humidifier when needed based on the readings of a hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase comfort in your home. A home that has high levels of air pollution such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also trigger irritation to eyes, itchy skin and a feeling of suffocation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help avoid these issues. Also, make sure that you open windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
The signs of poor air quality can be a variety of symptoms and can include headaches difficulty concentrating, and even a general feeling of malaise. These symptoms may improve when you leave the room, but prolonged exposure to poor quality air can worsen existing health conditions or cause serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the speed at which fresh air replaces old air, a process referred to as ventilation. This is affected by the weather, occupancy rate of the room and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors as much as is possible and making sure that the HVAC system is operating properly. If you’re looking to take it a further, we recommend that you consult a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are excellent in removing biological contaminants like molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander and mold. However, they do not remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congested nasal, runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung conditions. Smoke particles can trigger a variety of health problems, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
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 across large parts of the north and south of the United States. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and creates breathing problems for those 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 that have a lot of cracks and drafts. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it’s smoky outside. This can cut the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels on the door frames and cracks to slow the flow of smoke into your home or business.
If your HVAC system features a recirculation function, make sure to switch it off when the air is smokey. This allows the system to eliminate the smoke outside, rather than returning it to inside. If you have ducts in your building that connect to areas that can produce high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages with attached loading docks, make certain to have these ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often in the event of smoke to ensure that they are effective in removing the toxins from the air inside. Choose a filter with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are specifically designed to remove the smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based off the idea that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In fact, most electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak times so that they don’t have to run their air conditioners during the high-cost summer peak times.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. Even with this homeowners should take the time to analyze their electricity usage patterns to determine when their air conditioner will be the most efficient. Many homeowners save around 25% or more off their energy bills through this method.
To supercool the home homeowners should set their AC to lower temperatures the next morning and then keep it there for a few hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling, floors, furnishings and fixtures as well as the interior air. When peak energy-cost hours arrive, the homeowner turns the air conditioner up and leaves it running until it shuts off for a few hours again.
This method is efficient because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air inside the home cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from getting into the house through doors, windows and other leak points. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should consider using blinds to block the sun’s rays particularly in areas that get direct sunlight that is bright during the hottest parts of the daytime. Additionally it is important to ensure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to stop air from escape during cooling cycles. They should also consider using smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This allows homeowners to reduce their energy consumption without worrying about forgetting when to switch on or off the system.