Energy Efficient Cooling and Air Conditioning Tips

Air conditioning and cooling are one of the most important inventions of the past century. They made summer blockbusters possible and helped boost manufacturing for wartime supplies as well as airplanes.

However cooling puts a huge demand on electric systems and creates massive quantities of pollution. This special IEA Report raises awareness of the impact and offers solutions.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is among the most important aspects when selecting a new cooling system. Upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner and you’ll save money on energy bills and also reduce the environmental impact. Air conditioners are rated according to a variety of energy efficiency ratings, including SEER, EER, and HSPF. These ratings tell you how much a unit can cool in a given amount of electricity consumed. The higher the rating the more efficient the unit. The SEER rating of a unit can be found on its yellow Energy Guide Label or by searching “SEER ratings”.

When looking for a brand new air conditioning unit, look for one with a good SEER rating. This rating reveals how efficiently the unit performs in normal conditions. If you’re replacing a model that’s older with a higher SEER rating, it will significantly reduce your energy consumption and cost.

Air conditioning systems can be affected by other causes too. For instance high levels of humidity in the indoor, lack of maintenance, and duct leaks could all make your system more efficient and consume more energy. Regular maintenance and sealing of leaks in ducts are simple ways to increase the energy efficiency of your system.

Commercial cooling systems are also susceptible to concerns about energy efficiency. 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 may also incorporate steam systems that require special maintenance in order to prevent the pipes from becoming blocked.

Many of these large systems can also be controlled with the use of a Building Automation System, which integrates the cooling and heating systems into one centralized system. Verde has helped clients optimize the performance of these systems with simple retrocommissioning guidelines that typically have quick paybacks and incentives for their implementation.

The global effort to reduce the effects of climate change is heavily dependent on the efficiency of energy used in cooling and air-conditioning. We must ensure that cooling equipment is extremely efficient and that consumers want them. In the meantime, there are a variety of ways we can help cut our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Indoor Air Quality

Many people spend much of their lives in structures, and these structures could cause serious health risks if the indoor air quality isn’t good enough. Fortunately, there are numerous 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 can be released into the atmosphere through a variety of actions like cooking, cleaning, and smoking. They can cause respiratory issues and allergies.

High levels of moisture can also have a negative impact on the quality of air. Mildew and mold can thrive in humid air, and can lead to respiratory problems. To avoid these issues, it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels and keep the moisture at a lower level. The best way to accomplish this is to regularly dust and vacuuming, washing bedding and soft furnishings and utilizing the dehumidifier or humidifier when necessary based on hygrometer readings.

In addition to the obvious health benefits of improving IAQ It can also improve the comfort of your home. For instance, a house with high air pollutants can become musty and smell unpleasant. It can also trigger irritated or itchy eyes, as well as a stuffy sensation. These issues can be prevented by installing an air purifier, keeping the HVAC system, and ensuring that windows and doors are opened to allow air circulation when needed.

Poor air quality can lead to headaches, concentration problems, and a general unwellness. While these symptoms will disappear after leaving the area, prolonged exposure could worsen existing health issues and could lead to serious illness.

The most important factor that influences IAQ is the rate at which fresh air replaces the old air, a process known as ventilation. This can be affected by the weather, the room occupancy rate and the design. But, a few simple steps can be taken to improve IAQ, including introducing plants into the home and opening doors and windows as much as possible, and ensuring that the HVAC system is functioning properly. If you’re looking to go a step further, we recommend that you talk to a Comfort Specialist for an indoor air assessment.

Smoke Pollution

While central air conditioners do an excellent job of removing the majority of biological pollutants, such as molds, bacteria, pet dander, and pollen, they’re not specifically designed to remove smoke particles. Smoke from wildfires contains microscopic particles which can cause symptoms like burning or itchy eye congested nasal, runny nose and coughing. They can also irritate your lungs and worsen lung and heart conditions that are chronic. Smoke particles can cause a variety of health problems like bronchitis, as well as aggravation of asthma.

The haze that engulfed New York City last week was caused by forest fires burning in Canada. It is also causing dangerous air quality conditions throughout large parts of the south and north of the United States. The thick smoke haze can reduce visibility and causes breathing difficulties for those who must be outdoors.

Unfortunately there is no way to completely block smoky air from entering your home or business through doors and windows, especially older homes with lots of cracks and drafts. However you can make steps to limit the amount of smoke entering your home or business.

Keep all windows and doors closed when it’s smoky outside. This will reduce the amount of smoke in the outside air by 30%. Place damp towels in the cracks around door frames and in the corners to reduce the flow of smoky air.

If your HVAC system features the ability to recirculate air, be sure to turn it off when the air is smoky. This will allow your HVAC system to expel the smokey indoor air outside, rather than returning it. If you have ducts within your building which connect to areas that can produce high concentrations of pollutants, like attached parking garages and loading docks, be sure to have those ducts separate from the rest of the duct system.

The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filters more frequently in the event of smoke to ensure that they are removing contaminants from indoor air. Choose a filter with an efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or greater, as these filters are specifically designed to remove the smoke and other gaseous air pollutants.

Supercooling

Supercooling is a green trend that has become more popular in recent years. It’s based on the idea that electricity prices vary at different times of the day. In fact, most electricity companies offer “time-of-use” plans that feature different peak and off-peak rates. Supercooling lets homeowners cool their homes in advance during off-peak times, so they don’t have to run air conditioners at those expensive summer peak hours.

This method requires a programmable thermostat that can adjust automatically. However even with this, homeowners need to be aware of and study their electric usage patterns and determine when it’s most cost-effective to run their air conditioner. 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. This cools the home’s walls as well as floors, furniture and fixtures, as well as the air inside. When peak energy costs hit, the homeowner will turn the air conditioning up, and leave it running until the next time it’s shut off.

This method is efficient because it doesn’t only mean making the air in the house cooler. It’s important to prevent heat from entering your home through doors, windows, and other leaky points. That’s why homeowners should double-check that their homes are properly sealed and cover any drafty or leaky areas. They should also use window coverings to block sun light, especially those that get bright direct sunlight in the hottest parts of the day. They should also make sure that all doors and windows are sealed tightly to stop air from escape during cooling cycles. Finally, they should consider using smart thermostats that can 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 consumption without worrying about forgetting to turn on or off the system.