Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are one of the most important inventions in modern history. They helped make wartime and summer blockbusters and supplies possible.
Cooling, however, puts immense strain on the electricity system and creates huge amounts of pollution. This particular IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the impact and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
When choosing the right cooling system, energy efficiency is a key aspect. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and save money on energy bills and also reduce your environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings tell you how much an air conditioner can cool using a specific amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a system can be located on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
If you are in the market for an air conditioner for the first time pick one with an A+ rating. This rating reveals how the unit performs under normal conditions during a particular season. A higher SEER rating could reduce your energy consumption and costs in the event that you replace an older model.
Other factors can impact energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, too. A high humidity indoors, a insufficient maintenance and duct leaks for example, can all cause your system to work harder and consume additional energy. Routine maintenance and sealing ducts leaks are easy ways to increase the efficiency of your system.
Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency concerns. They use a combination of split or packaged compressors as well as massive pipe networks to provide cooling throughout the building. These systems could also incorporate steam systems that require specific maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from getting blocked.
Additionally to that, many of these huge systems are controlled by something known as a Building Automation System (BAS) that integrates all heating and cooling systems of the building into one central system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning recommendations that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives for their implementation.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key element of global efforts to mitigate climate change. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring super-efficient cooling appliances to market, and consumers demand them. In the meantime we can also take other steps to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in structures, and these structures could cause serious health risks if the indoor air quality is poor. There are a variety of ways to improve IAQ and prevent common problems such as asthma, allergies fatigue, asthma, etc.
Particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most frequent pollutants in modern offices and homes. buildings. These pollutants can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of actions such as cleaning, cooking and smoking. They can trigger allergies and respiratory issues.
A high level of moisture may have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mold and mildew can grow in moist air, which can lead to respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the humidity low is essential to avoid these issues. This can be achieved by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, cushions and using a dehumidifier or humidifier using a humidifier or hygrometer.
In addition to the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in the home. A home with high levels of air pollution such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also trigger irritation to the eyes, itchy skin and a feeling of suffocation. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help prevent these issues. Also, ensure that you open your windows and doors to let air flow in when needed.
Poor air quality can trigger headaches, concentration problems and a general feeling of feeling of ill-health. While these symptoms can be relieved after leaving a space, prolonged exposure to air pollution can exacerbate existing health conditions and can even result in serious illness.
Ventilation is the primary factor that affects IAQ. This can be affected by the weather conditions, the room occupancy rate, and the design. But, a few 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 working correctly. For those who would like to take a more thorough approach, it is recommended to consult a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do an excellent job of removing the majority of biological pollutants, including molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. The microscopic particles in smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous and easily enter your nose, eyes, and throat which can cause symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate chronic lung and heart problems. Smoke particles can trigger a variety of health problems like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.
The smoke that blanketed New York City last week was caused by forest fires raging in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions across large parts of the south and north of the United States. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory stress to anyone who is required to be outside.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely prevent smoke from getting into your business or home through windows and doors particularly older homes with lots of cracks and drafts. However you can take steps to reduce the amount of smoke entering your home or business.
Keep all doors and windows shut when it’s smokey outside. This will reduce the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. If you can, put wet towels on the door frames and cracks to slow the movement of smoky air into your home or business.
If your HVAC system has a recirculation mode, be sure to turn off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow your HVAC to expel the smokey indoor air, rather than returning it. If you have ducts in your building which connect to areas that can generate high levels of contaminants, such as attached parking garages and loading docks, be sure to have those ducts separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions in order to ensure that they are effectively removing toxins from indoor air. Select a filter that has a minimum efficiency report value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are designed to eliminate smoke and other gaseous air contaminants.
Supercooling
Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based on the idea that electricity doesn’t cost the same amount at any time of the day. In fact, many electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that feature different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling lets homeowners cool their homes ahead of off-peak hours, so they don’t need to run air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automatic thermostat that can be programmed. However, even with this, homeowners should be aware of and examine their electricity usage patterns and figure out when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioner. Many people save about 25% or more off their energy bills by using this method.
To make the house super cool, the homeowner sets their air conditioner to lower temperatures in the morning, and then keeps it at that temperature for a few hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures as well as the inside air. When peak energy costs hit homeowners, they increase the temperature of the air conditioner and leave it on until the next time it is shut off.
This method is efficient since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the house cooler. It’s also about stopping heat from getting into the house through windows, doors and other leak points. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their home is constructed and insulated, and also insulate any leaky or drafty areas. They should also use window shades to block out sun, especially those that get bright direct sunlight in the hottest parts of the day. It is also important to make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to stop air from getting out during cooling cycles occur. Also, they should consider using smart thermostats that can help them remember to start and stop cooling at the best times of the day. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy bills at a minimum without having to remember to switch off or on.
