Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling is among the most important inventions of the modern age. They helped make summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other supplies possible.
Cooling, however, places immense strain on the electricity system and creates huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the effects and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing an air conditioner, energy efficiency is a crucial factor. Upgrade to an energy-efficient air conditioner and you will reduce your energy costs, as well as reduce your environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioners is evaluated in a variety of ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool in a given amount of power consumed. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. You can locate a SEER rating of a system on its yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” on the internet.
If you are in the market for an air conditioner that is new look for one that has an excellent rating. This rating reveals how the unit performs under normal conditions during a given season. A higher SEER rating will lower your energy costs and consumption when replacing an older model.
Other things can influence energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, too. High indoor humidity, the absence of maintenance and leaks in ducts, for instance, can make your system perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are easy steps to improve the efficiency of your system.
Large commercial cooling systems come with their own energy efficiency concerns, too. They typically use the combination of packaged or split compressors and massive pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also include steam systems, which require specialized maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these large systems can also be controlled by a Building Automation System, which integrates the heating and cooling systems into a single centralized system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives for their implementation.
Energy efficiency in air conditioning and cooling is a key element of global efforts to reduce climate change. We must ensure that cooling appliances are super-efficient and that consumers demand them. In the meantime, there are a variety of ways we can help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is an important health issue for many people who spend a large part of their lives inside buildings. There are many ways to improve IAQ and avoid common ailments like asthma, allergies, fatigue, etc.
Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources for pollution in modern offices and homes. These pollutants are released into the air due to many different activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they could lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
A high level of humidity can also create havoc on air quality. Mildew and mold can thrive in moist air, which can lead to respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is essential to avoid these problems. This can be done by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, furniture and making use of a humidifier or dehumidifier using a humidity gauge.
Aside from the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can improve the comfort of homes. A home with high levels of air pollutants, for example, can smell musty. It can also trigger irritated eyes or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. These issues can be avoided by installing an air purifier, maintaining the HVAC system, and making sure that doors and windows are kept open to let in air as needed.
Poor air quality can lead to headaches, difficulty concentrating and general unwellness. These symptoms may improve after leaving the area however, prolonged exposure to poor quality air could exacerbate existing health issues or cause serious illnesses.
Ventilation is the main factor that impacts IAQ. This is affected by the weather, the room occupancy rate, and the design. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including introducing plants into the house and opening doors and windows whenever possible and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating properly. If you want to go further, we recommend that you speak with a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air assessment.
Smoke Pollution
Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are great at filtering out biological contaminants like bacteria, molds pollen, pet dander, and mold. However they cannot remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles that can cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eye congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and exacerbate heart and lung conditions that are chronic. The fine particles that are invisible in smoke can get stuck in your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects, including aggravated asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your lungs and heart.
The smoke that has blanketed New York City this week has been caused by forest fires in Canada and has created hazardous air quality conditions across much of the northern US and southern Canada. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility, and can cause respiratory distress to anyone who is required to be outside.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely stop smoky air from getting into your business or home through windows and doors especially older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. However you can take steps to minimize the amount of smoke entering your home or business.
Close all doors and windows when it’s smokey. This can cut the amount of smoke by 30 percent. If you can, place damp towels around the door frames and cracks to stop the flow of smoke into your business or home.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation function, make sure to turn it off when the air is smokey. This allows the system to exhaust the smoky air directly outside rather than recirculating it inside. If you have ducts within your building which connect to areas that can generate high levels of pollutants, like parking garages that are attached to the building and loading docks, you should be sure that those ducts are separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more frequently in the event of smoke to ensure that they are eliminating contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV), which is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to get rid of smoke and gaseous air pollution.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has become a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based off the idea that electricity prices are different at different times of the day. In fact, most power companies offer “time-of-use” plans that offer different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners to cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t need to run air conditioners during those costly summer peak hours.
This method requires a programmable thermostat that is able to adjust itself automatically. However even with this, homeowners must be aware of and look up their electric usage patterns and determine when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioning. This could save you up to 25 percent off your energy bill.
To supercool the home, the homeowner should set their AC at lower temperatures the next morning and keep it there for a few hours. This cools down the walls, floors, furniture, and fixtures of the home as well as the air inside. Then, when the peak energy-cost hours arrive the homeowner cranks the air conditioning up and then leaves it running until it is turned off for several hours.
This strategy works because cooling isn’t just about making the air inside the home cool. It’s crucial to prevent heat from entering your home through windows, doors and other leaky areas. It is essential that homeowners check their homes’ insulation and seal any drafty or leaky areas. They should also use window shades to block the sun’s rays, especially those that get direct sunlight that is bright during the hottest times of the day. Also, they should make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles. Also, they should consider installing smart thermostats that will assist them in ensuring that they start and stop cooling at the most optimal times of the day. This makes it easier for homeowners to keep their energy costs low without worrying about forgetting to switch off or on.
