Part 5 of Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning. If your air conditioner is installed correctly, or if major installation problems are found and fixed, it will perform efficiently for years with only minor routine maintenance. However, many air conditioners are not installed correctly. As an unfortunate result, modern energy-efficient air conditioners can perform almost as poorly as […]
Part 4 of Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning. Choosing a contractor may be the most important and difficult task in buying a new central air conditioning system. Ask prospective contractors for recent references. If you are replacing your central air conditioner, tell your contractor what you liked and did not like about the old system. If the […]
Part 3 of Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning. When your air conditioner needs more than the regular maintenance described previously, hire a professional service technician. A well-trained technician will find and fix problems in your air conditioning system. However, not all service technicians are competent. Incompetent service technicians forsake proper diagnosis and perform only minimal stopgap measures. […]
Part 2 of Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning. Each air conditioner has an energy-efficiency rating that lists how many Btu per hour are removed for each watt of power it draws. For room air conditioners, this efficiency rating is the Energy Efficiency Ratio, or EER. For central air conditioners, it is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or […]
Part 1 of Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning. Today’s best air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it […]
Air from hot attics can leak into the home around registers of the duct system. Air in the ducts can leak out through holes and seams. An enormous waste of energy occurs when cooled air escapes from supply ducts or when hot attic air leaks into return ducts. Recent studies indicate that 10% to 30% […]
An air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases. Air Conditioner Filters The most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air […]
An evaporative cooler (also called a “swamp cooler”) is a completely different type of air conditioner that works well in hot, dry climates. These units cool outdoor air by evaporation and blow it inside the building, causing a cooling effect much like the process when evaporating perspiration cools your body on a hot (but not […]
Older air conditioners may still be able to offer years of relatively efficient use. However, making your older air conditioner last requires you to perform proper operation and maintenance. Air Conditioning Problems One of the most common air conditioning problems is improper operation. If your air conditioner is on, be sure to close your home’s […]
The basic types of air conditioners are room air conditioners, central air conditioners split-system, central air conditioners and packaged. Room air conditioners are installed directly in the windows or walls, which means they have no pipeline. The fan spray faces inside, while the condenser fan is facing outside. Room Air Conditioners Room fresh air conditioners rooms […]
The fluid that collects heat at the evaporator and releases it at the condenser is called refrigerant. Apump, called the compressor, forces the refrigerant through the circuit of tubing and fins in the coils. Air moves through the tiny spaces between the fins and is cooled by the refrigerant in the coils. Air conditioners employ […]
Are you considering buying a new air conditioner? Or, are you dissatisfied with the operation of your current air condi- tioner? Are you unsure whether to fix or replace it? Are you concerned about high summer utility bills? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this publication can help. With it, you can […]
Part 1 of Air-Source Heat Pumps. There are two common types of heat pumps: air-source heat pumps and geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). Either one can keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. An air-source heat pump pulls its heat indoors from the outdoor air in the winter and from the […]
Part 4 of Elements of an Energy-Efficient House. Specifying the correct sizes for heating and cooling systems in airtight, energy-efficient homes can be tricky. Rule-of-thumb sizing is often inaccurate, resulting in wasteful operation. Conscientious builders and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning contractors size heating and cooling equipment based on careful consideration of the thermal envelope characteristics. […]
Part 2 of Elements of an Energy-Efficient House. A thermal envelope is everything about the house that serves to shield the living space from the outdoors. It includes the wall and roof assemblies, insulation, air/vapor retarders, windows, and weatherstripping and caulking. Wall and Roof Assemblies Most builders use traditional wood frame construction. Wood framing is […]
Part 2 of Learn About Saving Energy. We use a lot of energy to heat and cool our homes. We burn fuel in our furnaces or boilers for heat. We also burn fuel to heat water for our baths and showers. Large utility companies use energy to make electricity. These companies usually burn fossil fuels, […]
Part 9 of Ways to Save Money on Energy at Home. Appliances account for about 20% of your household’s energy consumption, with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list. When you’re shopping for appliances, you can think of two price tags. The first one covers the purchase price—think of […]
Part 4 of Ways to Save Money on Energy at Home. Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 44% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What’s more, heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit over a […]
Part 3 of Automatic and Programmable Thermostats. Because programmable thermostats are a relatively new technology, you should learn as much as you can before selecting a unit. When shopping for a thermostat, bring information with you about your current unit, including the brand and model number. Also, ask these questions before buying a thermostat: Does […]
Part 2 of Automatic and Programmable Thermostats. To maximize your energy savings without sacrificing comfort, you can install an automatic setback or programmable thermostat. They adjust the temperature setting for you. While you might forget to turn down the heat before you leave for work in the morning, a programmable thermostat won’t! By maintaining the […]
Part 1 of Automatic and Programmable Thermostats. In our modern, high-tech society, we don’t think much about some of the electronic gadgets in our homes. Take, for example, the ever-present thermostat—a staple of American households for decades. It usually takes the shape of an unassuming box on the wall, but that modest device controls the […]
Part 2 of Advances in Glazing Materials for Windows. Manufacturers usually represent the energy efficiency of windows in terms of their U-values (conductance of heat) or their R-values (resistance to heat flow). If a window’s R-value is high, it will lose less heat than one with a lower R-value. Conversely, if a window’s U-value is […]
Part 6 of Cooling Your Home Naturally with Fans and Ventilation. Evaporative coolers or swamp coolers are a popular and energy-efficient cooling strategy in dry climates of the United States. Hot outside air enters the swamp cooler. The air passes over water-saturated pads, and the water evaporates into the air. The energy used removes heat […]
Part 5 of Cooling Your Home Naturally with Fans and Ventilation. A whole-house fan can substitute for an air conditioner most of the year in most climates. Whole-house fans combined with ceiling fans and portable fans pro- vide acceptable summer comfort for many families, even in hot weather. How Whole-House Fans Work The whole-house fan […]
Part 5 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases. The energy efficiency of similar appliances can vary significantly. It is usually more cost effective to purchase appliances with high efficiencies. Determining and comparing the energy efficiency of different models is usually easy, because federal regulations require many types of appliances to display EnergyGuide labels. A […]
Part 7 of Cool Your Home Naturally. Using any or all of these strategies will help keep you cool. Even if you use air conditioning, many of these strategies, particularly reflecting heat and shading, will help reduce the energy costs of running an air conditioner. However, adopting all of these strategies may not be enough. […]
Part 1 of Cool Your Home Naturally. Keeping cool indoors when it is hot outdoors is a problem. The sun beating down on our homes causes indoor temperatures to rise to uncomfortable levels. Air conditioning provides some relief. But the initial costs of installing an air conditioner and the electricity costs to run it can […]