Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips

Air cooling and conditioning is among the most important inventions of our time. They made blockbuster summer movies possible and helped boost production for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.

However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and generates huge quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report aims to raise awareness of the effects and offers solutions.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is among the most important factors to consider when choosing a new cooling system. Upgrading to an efficient air cooling system will lower your energy bills and reduce the environmental impact. The energy efficiency of air conditioning units is assessed in various ways such as SEER and EER. These ratings show how much an air conditioner can cool using a certain amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. You can find the SEER rating on the yellow Energy Guide label or by searching for “SEER ratings” online.

If you are looking for an air conditioner for the first time pick one with a high rating. This rating indicates how the unit performs under normal conditions during a particular season. A higher SEER rating could reduce the cost of energy and consumption if you are replacing an older model.

Air conditioning systems can be affected by other elements as well. Insufficient humidity in the indoors, lack of maintenance and duct leaks for instance, could all cause your system to be more demanding and consume more energy. Keeping up with routine maintenance and sealing duct leaks are simple steps to increase the efficiency of your system.

Commercial cooling systems are also subject to energy efficiency issues. These systems make use of a combination of split- or packaged compressors, as well as huge pipe networks to distribute cooling throughout the building. They might also have steam systems which require specialized maintenance to ensure that the pipes do not become blocked.

Additionally to that, many of these huge systems are controlled by something known as a Building Automation System (BAS), which integrates all heating and cooling systems of the building into a single system. Verde has helped clients improve the performance of these systems through simple retrocommissioning guidelines that typically provide quick paybacks and incentives to implement.

The global effort to curb climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air conditioning. In the end, we must ensure that manufacturers bring highly efficient cooling equipment to market, and that consumers demand them. In the meantime, we can take other measures to cut down on our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Indoor Air Quality

A large portion of people live their lives in buildings, and these structures can pose significant health threats when the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. There are fortunately many ways to improve IAQ that can help prevent common problems such as asthma or allergies, as well as fatigue.

Particulate matter as well as volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide are three of the most frequent sources of pollution in modern office and home buildings. These pollutants are released into the air due to a variety of activities, such as cooking, cleaning, or smoking, and they can cause respiratory problems as well as allergic reactions.

A high level of humidity can also wreak havoc on air quality. Moist air encourages the development of mildew and mold that can trigger respiratory problems. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture level low is essential to avoid these issues. The best method to do this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, washing bedding and soft furnishings and using the dehumidifier or humidifier when required based on readings from hygrometers.

In addition to the obvious health benefits in improving IAQ can enhance the comfort in the home. A home with high levels of air pollutants such as radon, for instance, can smell musty. It can also cause irritation to eyes, itchy skin and a snoring feeling. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help avoid these issues. Also, make sure that you open your windows and doors for ventilation whenever you need to.

The signs of poor air quality can be varied and can include headaches difficulty in concentrating, and a general malaise. While these symptoms will resolve themselves 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 is affected by the weather, occupancy rate of rooms and the design. However, simple steps can be taken to enhance IAQ, including introduction of plants into the house and opening doors and windows as much as possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is working effectively. For those who would like to take a more thorough approach, it is suggested to consult a Comfort Specialist about an indoor air quality assessment.

Smoke Pollution

Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are excellent at removing biological pollutants like molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander, and mold. However they are not able to remove smoke particles. The tiny particles of smoke from wildfires are extremely dangerous and easily get into your eyes, nose, and throat and cause symptoms such as burning or itchy eyes congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also cause irritation to your lungs and cause worsening of chronic lung and heart conditions. Smoke particles can cause variety of health problems such as bronchitis and aggravation of asthma.

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 across much of the south and north of the United States. The thick smoky fog can reduce visibility and can cause respiratory distress for anyone who has to be outside.

There is no way to keep smoke from getting into your home through doors and windows, especially in older homes that have a lot of cracks and drafts. However, you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke that enters your building.

Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This can cut down on the amount of smoke from outside air by 30 percent. Put wet towels in cracks around door frames and in the corners to stop the flow of smoke.

If your HVAC system has the recirculation feature, make sure to turn off when you are in a smokey environment. This will allow your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air to the outside, rather than returning it. If you have ducts within your building that connect to areas that can have high concentrations of contaminants, such as attached parking garages and loading docks, make sure that those ducts are separate from the rest of the duct system.

The EPA suggests changing your HVAC filters much more often in the event of smoke to ensure that they are effective in taking out the toxins in the air inside. Select a filter that has an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or more, since these filters are designed to eliminate gases and smoke pollutants.

Supercooling

Supercooling is an energy-saving trend that has gained popularity in recent years. It’s based off the idea that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. In fact, most electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that provide 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 during those costly summer peak hours.

This method requires an automated thermostat that can be programmed. However even with this, homeowners need to take the time to look up their electric usage patterns and determine the most cost-effective time to run their air conditioning. Many homeowners save around 25% or more on their energy bills by using this method.

To keep the home cool, the homeowner sets their AC to a lower temperature in the morning and maintains it at the same setting for a couple of hours. The home’s walls are cooled by the cooling furniture, floors, flooring and fixtures as well as the interior air. When peak energy-cost hours arrive, the homeowner turns the air conditioning up and leaves it running until it’s off for several hours again.

This method works because cooling isn’t only about keeping the air inside the home cool. It’s crucial to prevent heat from getting into your home through windows, doors and other points that leak. It is essential that homeowners check their home’s insulation and insulate any leaky or drafty areas. It is also recommended to use window shades to block out sun, especially those that get bright direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the daytime. They should also ensure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to prevent air from getting out during cooling cycles occur. They should also think about using smart thermostats to assist them remember when to begin and stop cooling. This allows homeowners to keep their energy costs low and not worry about forgetting to switch off or on.

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