Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most significant inventions of modern history. They helped make summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other supplies possible.
However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and creates massive amounts of pollution. This particular IEA report aims to raise awareness of the negative impact of this demand and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When selecting an air conditioner energy efficiency is a crucial factor. Making the switch to a more efficient air conditioner will help you save on energy bills and reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is rated in several ways, including SEER and EER. These ratings show how the air conditioner is able to cool with a certain amount of electricity. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit. You can locate a SEER rating on the yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.
When looking for an air conditioner for the first time look for one that has an excellent rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit will perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. If you’re replacing an older model with a higher SEER rating will significantly reduce your energy consumption and cost.
Other things can influence energy efficiency in air conditioning systems too. For instance, high indoor humidity levels and a 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 your system’s energy efficiency.
Large commercial cooling systems have their own energy efficiency considerations as well. These systems make use of a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. These systems may also include steam systems that require specific maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled with a Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning guidelines that typically offer quick paybacks as well as incentives to implement.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key component of global efforts to mitigate climate change. In the end, we have to ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling appliances to market, and that consumers want these appliances. In the meantime, there are other steps we can take to help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be a serious health concern for many people who spend a large part of their time in buildings. There are fortunately a number of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems such as asthma or allergies, as well as fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three main sources for pollution in modern homes and offices. These pollutants are released into the air through many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
High levels of humidity can also wreak havoc on the quality of air. The humid air encourages the growth of mildew and mold which can cause respiratory issues. To prevent this from happening, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture level at a minimum. This can be achieved by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, cushions and using a humidifier or dehumidifier that is based on the hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ in your home, it can increase the comfort in your home. For example, a home with high air pollutants can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause itchy skin, irritated eyes, and a stuffy feeling. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help to prevent these issues. Also, make sure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.
Symptoms of poor air quality can be a variety of symptoms and include headaches, difficulty in concentrating, and a general feeling of malaise. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space, but prolonged exposure to poor quality air can worsen existing health conditions or even trigger serious illnesses.
Ventilation is the main factor that impacts IAQ. This is influenced by the weather, occupancy rates, and also the design of the structure. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including adding plants to the house, opening windows and doors as much as possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is working effectively. If you want to go further, we suggest you talk to a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do an excellent job of filtering out most biological pollutants, such as bacteria, molds, pet dander, and pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires is a source of microscopic particles that can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eyes congested nasal, runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and cause worsening of heart and lung conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The smoke blanketing New York City this week has been caused by forest fires in Canada, and it is causing dangerous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and causes breathing problems for those who has to be outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely stop smoke from entering your home or business through doors and windows, especially older homes with many drafts and cracks. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke that enters your home or business.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. Put wet towels in cracks and around door frames to reduce the flow of smoky air.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation function, make sure you turn it off when the air is smoking. This will allow the system to exhaust the smoky air directly outside rather than recirculating it inside. If you have ducts in your building connected to areas that could generate high levels of pollutants, like attached parking garages and loading docks, make sure to have those ducts separate from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more frequently in the event of smoke to ensure they’re effectively taking out the toxins in the air inside. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV) which is 13 or more. These filters are designed to eliminate smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s based upon the notion that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at all times of the day. In reality, the majority of electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes at off-peak hours so they don’t have to run their air conditioners during the high-cost summer peak periods.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners need to be aware of and study their electric usage patterns and determine when it’s most cost-effective to run their air cooling system. This could save you up to 25 percent off your energy bill.
To keep the home cool, the homeowner should set their air conditioner at an lower temperature the following morning and then keep it there for a few more hours. This cools down the walls, floors furniture, fixtures and furniture of the home as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit homeowners, they turn the air conditioning up, and leave it running until the next time it is shut off.
This strategy works because cooling isn’t only about making the air inside the house cool. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through windows, doors and other leaky areas. It is crucial that homeowners double-check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. It is also recommended to make use of window shades to block out sun, particularly in areas that receive 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 escaping during cooling cycles. They should also consider using smart thermostats to assist them remember when to start and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy bills without worrying about forgetting to turn off or on the system.
