Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips

Air conditioning and cooling is one of the most significant inventions of the modern age. They were instrumental in making summer blockbusters, wartime planes and other equipment possible.

Cooling, however, puts an enormous strain on the power system and generates massive quantities of pollution. This special IEA report aims to raise awareness of the effects of this demand and offers solutions.

Energy Efficiency

When you are choosing the right cooling system energy efficiency is an important factor. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and you’ll reduce your energy costs and reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioning units are rated using a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings tell you how the air conditioner is able to cool using a specific amount of electricity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit. 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 unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating indicates how well the unit can perform during the course of a season in normal conditions. A higher SEER rating can reduce your energy costs and consumption in the event that you replace an older model.

Air conditioning systems can be affected by other factors as well. A high humidity indoors, a the absence of maintenance and duct leaks for instance, can cause your system to perform more efficiently and consume more energy. Routine maintenance and sealing leaks in ducts are simple ways to improve the efficiency of your system.

Large commercial cooling systems have particular energy efficiency considerations also. These systems often use the combination of packaged or split compressors with huge pipe networks to deliver cooling throughout the building. These systems could also incorporate steam systems that require special maintenance to keep 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 centralized system. Verde has been able to improve the efficiency of systems by providing retrocommissioning suggestions that have rapid paybacks.

The global effort to reduce the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on energy efficiency in cooling and air-conditioning. We need to ensure that cooling devices are extremely efficient and that consumers want them. In the meantime, we can take other steps to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality can be a major health risk for those who spend a substantial portion of their lives inside buildings. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve IAQ and be a solution to common ailments like asthma as well as allergies and fatigue.

Particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide are the three most common pollutants in modern homes and offices. These pollutants are released into the air by a variety of activities, like cooking, cleaning, and smoking, and they could lead to respiratory issues and allergic reactions.

High levels of humidity can also cause havoc on the quality of air. Moist air encourages the growth of mold and mildew that can trigger respiratory issues. Monitoring humidity and keeping the moisture low is key to preventing these issues. This can be done by regularly vacuuming and dusting, washing bedding, furniture and using a humidifier or dehumidifier using a hygrometer.

Aside from the obvious health benefits, improving IAQ can increase comfort in a home. A home that has high levels of air pollution for instance, may smell musty. It can also cause itchy skin, irritated eyes, and a stuffy feeling. Installing an air purifier and maintaining the HVAC system can help to avoid these issues. Also, make sure that you open doors and windows for ventilation when needed.

Poor air quality can lead to headaches, difficulty concentrating and general feeling of ill-health. These symptoms may improve after leaving the space however, prolonged exposure to poor quality air can worsen existing health conditions or even cause serious health issues.

The most important factor that influences IAQ is the rate at which fresh air replaces old air, a process referred to as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, occupancy rate of rooms, and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including introduction of plants into the house and opening doors and windows whenever possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is operating correctly. If you’re looking to take it a further, we recommend that you consult a Comfort Specialist regarding an indoor air quality assessment.

Smoke Pollution

Heat pumps and central air conditioning systems are great in removing biological contaminants like molds, bacteria pollen, pet dander and mold. However, they do not remove smoke particles. The tiny particles that make up wildfire smoke pose a risk and can easily enter your eyes, nose, and throat causing symptoms like burning eyes or itchy eyes, congestion, a runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and aggravate lung and heart conditions that are chronic. The fine particles that are invisible in smoke can lodge deep into your lung, triggering a range of health effects such as an increase in asthma, bronchitis, and damage to your heart and lungs.

The haze that engulfed New York City last week was caused by forest fires that are burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions across most of the south and north of the United States. The thick fog of smoke reduces visibility, and can cause respiratory distress 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, especially older homes with many 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 smoke in the outside air by 30%. Place wet towels in the cracks around door frames and in the corners to slow down the flow of smoky air.

If your HVAC system has an recirculation feature, make sure that you shut it off when air is smoking. This will allow your HVAC system to take the smokey indoor air outside, rather than the air being recirculated. If your building has ducts that connect to areas where contamination is likely to be high, like loading docks and parking garages it is important to ensure that these ducts are kept away from the rest of.

The EPA suggests that you change your HVAC filters more often when you are in a smokey environment to ensure that they are eliminating toxins from indoor air. Choose a filter with an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or higher, as these filters are specifically designed to eliminate smoke and other gaseous air contaminants.

Supercooling

In recent times, supercooling has become a popular energy-saving technique. It’s based on the notion that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. The majority of power companies offer “time of use” plans with different rates for off-peak and peak times. Supercooling allows homeowners to pre-cool their homes during off-peak times so that they don’t have to run their air conditioners during high-cost summer peak hours.

This requires a thermostat with programmable settings that can be adjusted automatically. However homeowners must be aware of their usage patterns for electricity to determine when their air conditioner is the most efficient. Many people save about 25% or more on their energy bills through this method.

To make the house super cool the home, the homeowner set their air conditioner to lower temperatures in the morning and keeps 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 air inside. When peak energy costs hit, the homeowner will turn up the temperature, and leave it running until the next time it is turned off.

This method works because cooling isn’t only about making the air inside the home cool. It also aims to prevent heat from entering the home through doors, windows and other leak points. It’s important that homeowners double-check their home’s insulation and insulate any drafty or leaky areas. Also, they should consider using blinds to block the sun’s rays particularly those that receive bright direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the daytime. They should also make sure that all windows and doors are sealed tightly to stop air from escape during cooling cycles are in progress. Finally, they should consider using smart thermostats to help them remember to start and stop cooling at the most optimal times of the day. This will allow homeowners to cut down on their energy bills without worrying about forgetting to turn off or on the system.

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