Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are among the most significant inventions of modern history. They made summer movie blockbusters possible and also helped boost production for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.
Cooling, however puts enormous strain on the electricity system and produces huge amounts of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the impact and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is among the most important factors when choosing a new cooling system. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will help you save on energy costs and also reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is evaluated in a variety of ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings indicate how much a unit can cool for a given amount of energy consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit is. The SEER rating of the system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating indicates how well the unit will perform during a season under normal conditions. A higher SEER rating can reduce your energy consumption and costs if you are replacing an older model.
Other factors can affect the efficiency of air conditioning systems too. For example high levels of indoor humidity, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks can make your system work harder and consume more energy. Maintaining your system with regular maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple steps to increase the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency considerations also. These systems use a combination packaged or split-compressors and huge pipeline networks to supply cooling throughout the building. They may also have steam systems, that require special maintenance to keep the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled with the use of a Building Automation System, which connects the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually provide quick paybacks and incentives to implement.
The global effort to curb climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning. We must ensure that cooling devices are extremely efficient and that consumers want them. In the meantime, there are other actions we can take to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people spend much of their lives in buildings and these structures can pose significant health threats in the event that the indoor air quality is not as good. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems like asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most frequent pollutants in modern offices and homes. These pollutants can be released into the air through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can cause respiratory issues and allergies.
The presence of excessive moisture can also have a negative effect on the quality of air. The humid air encourages the growth of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is essential to avoid these issues. The best method to do this is by regularly dusting and vacuuming, cleaning bedding and soft furnishings and utilizing an air dehumidifier and humidifier if necessary based on hygrometer readings.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ, it can also increase the comfort in your home. For example, a home with a lot of air pollution can become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. Installing an air purifier as well as maintaining the HVAC system can help to prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
The signs of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches difficulty in concentrating, and general malaise. While these symptoms can disappear after leaving the space, prolonged exposure to air pollution can cause health problems that are already present and may lead to serious health issues.
Ventilation is the primary factor that affects IAQ. This is affected by the weather conditions, the room occupancy rate and the design. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ by adding plants to the house and opening doors and windows as much as possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working properly. If you’re looking to take it a further, we suggest that you consult a Comfort Specialist about an assessment of indoor air quality.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do a great job of removing the majority of biological pollutants, including bacteria, molds and pet dander pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can trigger symptoms like burning or itchy eye congested nasal, runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues like bronchitis, as well as 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 issues across large parts of the north and south of the United States. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and causes respiratory stress for anyone who must be outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely block smoke from entering your home or business through windows and doors especially older houses with many drafts and cracks. However, you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke entering your building.
Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This can reduce the amount of smoky outside air by 30 percent. Place damp towels in the cracks of door frames and around them to slow down the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system is in an recirculation mode, make sure to switch off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air, rather than the air being recirculated. If you have ducts within your building that connect to areas that could produce high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages with attached loading docks, you should be certain to have these ducts separate from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA recommends changing your HVAC filters more often in the event of smoke to ensure they are effectively removing the toxins from the air inside. Select a filter with the minimum reporting value (MERV), which is 13 or higher. These filters are designed to eliminate smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
Supercooling is a trend to save energy that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based on the notion that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at all times of the day. Most power companies offer “time of use” plans that offer different peak and offpeak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes in off-peak hours so they don’t have to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak times.
This requires a programmable thermostat that can adjust automatically. However even with this, homeowners should be sure to study their electric usage patterns and determine the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioning. Many homeowners save around 25% or more off their energy bills using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their AC to lower temperatures in the morning and maintains it at that temperature 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 hit, the homeowner turns the air conditioner up and runs it until it is turned off for several hours again.
This method works because cooling isn’t only about keeping the air inside the home cool. It’s important to prevent heat from getting into your home through doors, windows and other leaky areas. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their home is properly sealed and cover any drafty or leaky areas. It is also recommended to use window shades to block the sun’s rays particularly in areas that get bright direct sunlight in the hottest hours of the daytime. Additionally, they should make sure that all windows and doors are sealed to prevent air from escaping 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 worrying about forgetting when to turn on or off the system.