Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Cooling and air conditioning are among the most important inventions of the past century. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
Cooling, however puts immense strain on the electricity system and generates massive amounts of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the effects and suggests solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing the right cooling system, energy efficiency is an important factor. Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner and you’ll reduce your energy costs, as well as reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated with several different 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 rating, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of the system can be found on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning system, look for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating indicates how the unit performs under normal conditions in a given season. A higher SEER rating will reduce your energy consumption and costs in the event that you replace an older model.
Other things can influence energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, too. For example, high indoor humidity levels, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks could all make your system work harder and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing of leaks in the ducts are a simple way to increase the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. They use a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They could also include steam systems, that require special maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which integrates the heating and cooling systems into one centralized system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically offer quick paybacks as well as incentives for their implementation.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key element of global efforts to mitigate climate change. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime, we can take other steps to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be a serious health concern for those who spend a substantial portion of their lives in buildings. There are many ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues like allergies, asthma, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three main pollutants in modern offices and homes. These pollutants are released into the air due to a variety of activities, such as cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they can cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
High levels of humidity can also wreak destruction on the air quality. Mildew and mold can flourish in moist air, which can cause respiratory problems. To prevent this from happening, it is important to monitor humidity and ensure that the moisture level remains at a low level. This can be accomplished by regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing bedding, cushions and using a dehumidifier or humidifier based on the humidity gauge.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also improve the comfort of your home. For instance, a house with high air pollutants can become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation or itchy eyes as well as a stuffy sensation. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open doors and windows to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can cause headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a general unwellness. The symptoms can resolve after leaving the area however, prolonged exposure to poor quality air could exacerbate existing health issues or even cause serious illness.
Ventilation is the main factor that impacts IAQ. This can be affected by the weather conditions, the occupancy rate of rooms and the design. There are a few easy ways to improve IAQ. This includes installing plants in the home, opening windows and doors whenever possible, and making sure that the HVAC system is working effectively. If you’d prefer to take more of a thorough approach, it is recommended that they speak with a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do an excellent job of filtering out the majority of biological contaminants, like bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they’re not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires is a source of microscopic particles that can trigger symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nasal and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and worsen lung and heart conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause variety health effects such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.
The smoke that blanketed New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It can also cause dangerous air quality conditions across most of the south and north of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility and can cause respiratory stress for anyone who has to be outside.
There is no way to stop smoke from getting into your home through doors and windows especially in older houses with many cracks and drafts. However you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke entering your building.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smokey. This can reduce the amount of smoke from outside air by 30%. Put wet towels in cracks of door frames and around them to stop the flow of smoke.
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 system to expel the smokey indoor air instead of returning it. If your building has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, for instance loading docks or parking garages You should make sure that these ducts are kept away from the rest of.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are removing contaminants from indoor air. Select a filter with a minimum reporting value (MERV) which is 13 or more. These filters are designed to remove gaseous air pollution and smoke.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based on the idea that electricity costs don’t vary by amount at any given time of the day. In fact, many power companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours, so they don’t have to use their air conditioners during those high-cost summer peak hours.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners need to be sure to look up their electric consumption patterns and decide the best time to run their air cooling system. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills by using this method.
To keep the home cool homeowners should set their AC to a lower temperature the next morning and then keep it there for a few hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures as well as the air inside. Then, when the peak energy-cost hours hit, the homeowner turns the air conditioner up and leaves it running until it’s off for several hours again.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air in the house cooler. It’s also about preventing heat from entering the house through windows, doors and other leak points. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their home is sealed and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. They should also make use of window shades to block the sun, especially in areas that get direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. It is also important to ensure that all doors and windows are tightly sealed to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles. They should also consider installing smart thermostats to help them remember when to start and stop cooling. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy bills at a minimum without having to remember to switch off or on.
