Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips
Air conditioning and cooling are one of the most important inventions in the past century. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other supplies possible.
Cooling, however, puts enormous strain on the electricity system and generates massive amounts of pollution. This special IEA report raises awareness about the effects of this demand, and provides solutions.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is among the most important factors when selecting a new cooling system. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and you’ll reduce your energy costs and reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated with several different energy efficiency ratings, such as SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings tell you how much a unit can cool for a given amount of energy consumed. The higher the score, the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of the system can be found on the yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.
When looking for an air conditioner for the first time look for one that has an A+ rating. This rating shows how well the unit performs under normal conditions during a given season. A higher SEER rating will reduce the cost of energy and consumption when replacing an older model.
Other things can influence the efficiency of air conditioning systems, too. For instance, high indoor humidity levels, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks can all 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 considerations, too. They usually use a combination of split or packaged compressors that have huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They may also incorporate steam systems that require special maintenance to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.
Many of these systems can also be controlled by an Building Automation System, which integrates the heating and cooling systems into a single central system. Verde has assisted clients in optimizing the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning suggestions that usually have quick paybacks and incentives for implementation.
Energy efficiency in cooling and air conditioning is a key component of global efforts to combat 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 reduce our energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Indoor Air Quality
A large portion of people live their lives in buildings, and these structures could cause serious health risks when the indoor air quality is not as good. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve IAQ that can help prevent common problems such as asthma, allergies, and fatigue.
Particulate matter (PM) as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide are the three most common sources for pollution in modern workplaces and homes. These pollutants are released into the air through various activities, like cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they can lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
High levels of moisture can also have a negative effect on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can thrive in moist air, which can lead to respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is essential to avoid these problems. The best way to achieve this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, cleaning furniture and bedding and utilizing an air dehumidifier and humidifier if needed based on the readings of a hygrometer.
Aside from the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in homes. For instance, a home with a lot of air pollution can be stale and smell unpleasant. It can also cause irritation to the eyes, itchy skin and a feeling of suffocation. Installing an air purifier and keeping the HVAC system can help to keep these issues from happening. Also, make sure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation when needed.
Symptoms of poor air quality can be varied and include headaches, difficulty in concentrating, and general feeling of malaise. Although these symptoms may resolve themselves after leaving a area, prolonged exposure could worsen existing health issues and can even result in serious illness.
The most important factor that influences IAQ is the speed of fresh air replacing old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather conditions, the occupancy rate of the room, and the design. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including introduction of plants into the house opening up windows and doors whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating effectively. If you’re looking to take it a one step further, we suggest that you talk to a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.
Smoke Pollution
While central air conditioners do an excellent job of filtering out the majority of biological pollutants, including molds, bacteria and pet dander pollen, they are not designed to eliminate smoke particles. The tiny particles of smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous, and they can easily get into your nose, eyes, and throat causing symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and aggravate chronic heart and lung conditions. The invisible fine particles in smoke can lodge deep into your lung, triggering a myriad of health effects, including an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.
The smoke that blanketed New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It can also cause dangerous air quality conditions throughout large parts of the north and south of the United States. The dense smoky haze reduces visibility and can cause breathing problems for those who is outdoors.
Unfortunately there is no way to completely prevent smoky air from getting into your business or home through doors and windows especially older houses with a lot of drafts and cracks. You can make steps to decrease the amount of smoke that enters your building.
Close all windows and doors when it’s smokey. This will reduce the amount of smoky air by 30 percent. Place wet towels in the cracks and around door frames to stop the flow of smoky air.
If your HVAC system has an recirculation mode, make sure to switch off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow the system eliminate the smoke outside, rather than the air being recirculated inside. If you have ducts within your building connected to areas that could produce high concentrations of contaminants, such as parking garages with attached loading docks, you should be sure that those ducts are separated from the rest of the duct system.
The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters more often during smokey conditions to ensure that they are effective in eliminating the toxins from the air inside. Choose a filter that has the minimum reporting value (MERV) which is 13 or greater. These filters are designed to get rid of gaseous air pollution and smoke.
Supercooling
In recent years, supercooling has been an increasingly popular method of reducing energy consumption. It’s based on the notion that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. Most power companies offer “time of use” plans that offer different off-peak and peak rates. Supercooling allows homeowners to cool their homes in advance during off-peak hours, meaning they don’t need to run air conditioners during the expensive summer peak hours.
This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners need to be aware of and study their electric consumption patterns and decide when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioner. This method can save you up to 25 percent on your energy bills.
To supercool the home, the homeowner should set their AC to a lower temperature the next morning and maintain it for a few more hours. This cools down the floors, walls furniture, fixtures, and furniture of the house as well as the air inside. When the energy costs are at their peak homeowners, they increase the temperature of the air conditioner and then leave it running until the next time it’s shut off.
This strategy is effective since cooling doesn’t just refer to making the air inside the home 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 the insulation of their home and cover any drafty or leaky areas. It is also recommended to use window shades to block out sun particularly in areas that get direct sunlight that is bright during the hottest parts of the day. Also, they should ensure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to prevent air from escaping when cooling cycles. They should also think about using smart thermostats to help them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This will allow homeowners to keep their energy costs low without worrying about forgetting to turn off the system or on.
