Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air cooling and conditioning is one of the most important inventions of modern history. They made wartime and summer blockbusters and supplies possible.
Cooling, however, places an enormous strain on the power system and produces huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the impact and offers solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When you are choosing the right cooling system, energy efficiency is an important aspect. Upgrade to an efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills, as well as reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings indicate how the air conditioner is able to cool using a specific amount of electricity. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit is. You can locate a system’s SEER rating on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
When you are looking for a new air conditioning system, search for one that has a high SEER rating. This rating indicates how well the unit can perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. If you’re replacing an older model with a higher SEER rating, it will significantly reduce your energy use and expenses.
Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes too. For example high levels of indoor humidity as well as a lack of maintenance and duct leaks can make your system work harder and use more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing ducts leaks are easy ways to increase the energy efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems have their own energy efficiency concerns as well. These systems use a combination split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also include steam systems, that require special maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
A lot of these huge systems can also be controlled with an Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into a single 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 implementation.
The global effort to combat the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of cooling and air-conditioning. We need to ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want them. In the meantime, there are a variety of steps we can take to help reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A lot of people spend the majority of their lives in buildings, and these structures can pose significant health threats if the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are numerous ways to improve IAQ and prevent common issues such as asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide are the three most common pollutants in modern offices and homes. These pollutants are released into the air by many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they could cause respiratory problems as well as allergic reactions.
High levels of humidity can also create havoc on the quality of air. Mold and mildew can grow in humid air, and can lead to respiratory issues. To prevent these issues it is crucial to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture at a minimum. This can be accomplished by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, cushions and using a dehumidifier or humidifier that is based on the hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ It can also increase the comfort in your home. A home with high levels of air pollution such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause irritated eyes or itchy eyes, and a swollen sensation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help to prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open windows and doors for ventilation when needed.
Poor air quality can cause headaches, problems with concentration and a general feeling of malaise. Although these symptoms may disappear after leaving the space, prolonged exposure to air pollution can cause health problems that are already present and may lead to serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the rate that fresh air replaces old air, a process known as ventilation. This is affected by the weather conditions, the room occupancy rate and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including adding plants to the home opening up windows and doors as much as possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating properly. If you’re looking to go further, we suggest you talk to a Comfort Specialist for an indoor air assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While heat pumps and central air conditioners do an excellent job of removing the majority of biological pollutants, including molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they’re not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. The tiny particles of wildfire smoke are very dangerous, and they can easily get into your eyes, nose and throat, which can cause symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause range of health issues, including bronchitis and aggravated asthma.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week is the result of forest fires in Canada, and it has created hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The dense smoky fog reduces visibility and may cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.
There is no way to stop smoke from entering your home through windows and doors especially in older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your building.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smoky. This will reduce the amount of smoke by 30 percent. Place damp towels in the cracks around door frames and in the corners to slow down the flow of smoke.
If your HVAC system has the ability to recirculate air, be sure you shut it off when air is smokey. This will allow the system exhaust the smoky air directly outside, rather than the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts within your building connected to areas that may have high concentrations of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, make certain to have these ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters much more often during times of smoke to ensure that they are effective in removing the toxins from the air inside. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV) that is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to eliminate the smoke and gaseous pollution from the air.
Supercooling
In recent times, supercooling has become an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. 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 energy companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners pre-cool their homes during off-peak times so that they don’t have to run their air conditioners during those high-cost summer peak times.
This requires a thermostat with programmable settings that is able to adjust itself automatically. However homeowners must take the time to analyze their patterns of usage of electricity to determine when their air conditioner will be the most efficient. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills through this method.
To keep the home cool homeowners, they set their AC to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at that temperature for a couple of hours. This cools the walls as well as floors, furniture and fixtures as well as the inside air. Then, when peak energy-cost hours arrive the homeowner, he or she turns the air conditioning up and leaves it running until it is turned off for several hours again.
This strategy is effective because cooling doesn’t just mean making the air in the house cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from entering the home through doors, windows and other leak points. It is crucial that homeowners double-check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. Also, they should cover windows to block the sun, especially in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. It is also important to ensure that all windows and doors are tightly sealed to prevent air from escape during cooling cycles. Also, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy costs low and not worry about forgetting to turn off the system or on.