Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most important inventions of the modern age. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other equipment possible.
Cooling, however, puts immense strain on the electricity system and creates huge quantities of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the issue and suggests solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting the right cooling system, energy efficiency is a key aspect. Making the switch to a more efficient air cooling system will lower your energy costs and also reduce environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is rated in several ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings tell you how much an air conditioner can cool using a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. You can find a SEER rating on the yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning system, look for one with a high SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit can perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating could reduce the cost of energy and consumption if you are replacing an older model.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other elements too. For example, high indoor humidity levels, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks can all make your system work harder and use more energy. Keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are easy ways to improve your system’s energy efficiency.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. These systems often use a combination of split or packaged compressors and massive pipes to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also incorporate steam systems that require specialized maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
In addition the majority of these massive systems are controlled by what’s called a Building Automation System (BAS) which connects all cooling and heating systems of the building into one central system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually provide quick paybacks and incentives for their implementation.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to reduce climate change. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling devices to market, and consumers demand them. In the meantime, there are a variety of actions we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is a serious health concern for those who spend a substantial portion of their lives inside buildings. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most frequent sources of pollution in modern homes and office buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of activities such as cleaning, cooking, and smoking. They can cause allergies and respiratory issues.
High levels of moisture can also have a negative effect on air quality. Moisture can encourage the development of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory issues. To avoid these issues, it is important to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a minimum. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and furniture, and using a dehumidifier or humidifier as needed based on the readings of a hygrometer.
Apart from the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in the home. For instance, a home with a lot of air pollution can become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also cause itchy skin, irritated eyes and a snoring feeling. Installing an air purifier as well as maintaining the HVAC system can help prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open windows and doors to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can lead to headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a general malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space however prolonged exposure to poor quality air could exacerbate existing health issues or even trigger serious health issues.
Ventilation is the most important factor that affects IAQ. This can be affected by the weather, the occupancy rate of rooms, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ by introduction of plants into the home opening up windows and doors whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning properly. If you’d prefer more of a thorough approach, it is suggested that they speak with a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
Central air conditioning systems are excellent in removing biological pollutants such as molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander, and mold. However they cannot remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous, and they can easily enter your eyes, nose and throat, which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and cause worsening of chronic lung and heart conditions. The fine particles that are invisible 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 lung and heart.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada, and it is causing dangerous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and can cause breathing difficulties for those who has to be outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely stop smoky air from entering your home or business through doors and windows, especially older homes with lots of drafts and cracks. However you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Keep all doors and windows closed when it’s smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If possible, place wet towels around the door frames and cracks in order to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or business.
If your HVAC system features an recirculation feature, make sure to turn it off when the air is smokey. This allows your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air instead of recirculating it. If you have ducts in your building that connect to areas that can have high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, make sure that those ducts are independently isolated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more frequently during times of smoke to ensure they’re effectively removing the toxins from the indoor air. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are specifically designed to eliminate smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based on the notion that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. Most electricity companies offer “time of use” plans that have different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners cool their homes ahead of off-peak hours, so they don’t have to run air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners must take the time to examine their electricity usage patterns and determine the best time to run their air conditioning. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their air conditioner to a lower temperature in the morning and keeps it at the same setting for a few hours. This cools the floors, walls furniture, fixtures, and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit, the homeowner will turn the air conditioning up and then leave it running until the next time it’s shut off.
This strategy is successful because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air in the house cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from getting into the house through doors, windows and other leak points. This is why homeowners should ensure that their home is properly insulated and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. They should also use window shades to block sun light particularly those that receive bright direct sunlight during the hottest times of the daytime. Additionally they should ensure that all windows and doors are tightly sealed to stop air from escape during cooling cycles. Finally, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will aid them in remembering to start and stop cooling at the ideal times of the day. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy costs without having to remember when to turn off or on the system.
