Mar 17
As the temperature rises during the summer season, many households turn to more than just ice-cold drinks to keep them cool. Air conditioning was once regarded as a residential luxury, but has become something of a necessity throughout the United States. Not only will air conditioning cool a room to a bearable temperature during balmy, humid summer days, but also uses the same techniques as a refrigerator to provide ventilation and dehumidification for indoor air.
Brief Air Conditioning History
The concept of cooling spaces by using natural elements is one that can be traced to the times of ancient Egyptians, who circulated aqueduct water through the walls of various structures to produce a cooling effect. Even in those times, since water was scarce, wealthy residents were only able to enjoy this luxury. During hot weather, medieval Persians created wind towers to cool down buildings. It wasn’t until the early 1800s that a British scientist started to experiment with the compressing and liquefying of ammonia. He learned that liquefied ammonia could chill the air when it evaporated.
In 1842, an American doctor named John Gorrie created ice to cool the air of hospital patients and had dreams of using this technology to create a cooling machine for buildings. He tinkered with the plans of constructing an ice-making machine with the help of a financial backer. When his support was no longer available, he could no longer finance his experiments. When he passed away in 1855, the idea of air conditioning was also laid to rest for about 50 years.
After the attempts of Gorrie, industrial air conditioning was created in the early 1900s with the first modern electrical version of air conditioning. Throughout the years, a shift was seen in the use of air conditioning, as automobiles and households began to benefit from the invention. The Carrier Air Conditioning Company began to lead the way in bringing the concept to the public, and during the 1950s, it was a contagious residential dream.
The Pros and Cons
The benefit of enjoying a cooler atmosphere during heated weather is not the only advantage gained when turning on the air conditioner. A household, vehicle, and other building environment becomes cleaner and safer for breathing when air conditioning is able to prevent the growth and spread of harmful microorganisms. Individuals who suffer from allergies and asthma are especially thankful for the better atmosphere an air-conditioned room provides, as less dust and dander are present. In seriously hot weather, babies and the elderly also benefit from air conditioning as heat waves have been known to take the lives of those whose immune systems and health might not be the strongest.
One of the most controversial topics attached to the subject of air conditioning deals with some of the materials that are used to produce the cooling affect of these machines. Fluorocarbon refrigerants also contribute to global warming concerns, which serves as one of the main ways that air-conditioning impacts the state of the environmental world. Fluorocarbon refrigerants also add to the problems concerning ozone layer depletion.
While the temporary relief that air conditioning provides makes hot summer nights and heat waves a more bearable event, many question how much the world will pay in the long run after the environmental damage has settled. Today, scientists are working on making more environmental friendly products, but for now, individuals are reluctant to part with their instant cool during the thick of summer.
Derek Both
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/is-air-conditioning-doing-more-damage-than-good-108142.html
Apr 16
I am building a small cabin in the woods, which will be off grid, and I was considering not Air Conditioning it at all, because I am building it entirely in the shade of a forest, and it has large overhanging eaves, high ceilings, and I will have ceiling fans in the upstairs loft, to vent the hot air out the high clerestory windows, and to suck air in from the cool north side of the house downstairs.
But it gets very muggy here, and very hot in August, and I was thinking I might want to run an air conditioner for an hour or so each day during that month. Also, air conditioners dehumidify the air, so I was thinking it might be nice to open the windows at night and then seal them in the morning and then run the air conditioner in late afternoon a bit, and then open the windows again at night. Just to make it less miserable.
It gets up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit in August, usually several times, but in the shaded wooded area where I am putting the cabin, it will only get up to maybe 90 in the shaded woods, and 80 in the house midday, if I keep the windows closed starting in the morning. I can deal with 80 degrees inside, but I know it will creep towards 90 later in the day, and I was thinking an air conditioner would help.
The solar panels are going to be set up in a clearing in the woods, where they will get sunlight almost the whole day, from 8 am until probably 4pm in the summer. I only need 6 100 watt solar panels to run everything else in the cabin (all the l.e.d. lights, the Sundanzer fridge and freezer, the fans, the stereo, etc.), because I am buying all very efficient appliances, or running them on propane (stove, backup water heater) or wood.
I don’t want to spend $3,000 on solar panels to run a small a/c, so I am just wondering if there are any small a/c units that will at least sort of cool my house, getting it down to 80 degrees or so in the afternoons. The house is 17 feet by 29 feet, with a second floor loft that is 17 feet by 12 feet. It’s basically all one room, aside from the bathroom.
I am having a hard time finding out how many watts these small air conditioners use. The spec sheets usually just list their "cooling watts," but I don’t know what that means. I am hoping I can buy a couple more 100 watt solar panels, and have that cover it, but is that possible?
The only solar ready a/c units I could find were either thousands of dollars or only worked in dry climates.
The cheapest way to run air conditioning is with a geothermal heat pump. The cheapest way to install that is using a body of water like a lake.
First you would have to properly size the air conditioner for the space. If it is not sized properly you may be closing windows and then you would still have to sit in front of the ac to even get some relief. Once you sized the unit you need to get your solar electricity to match.
Your space is 17 x 29 plus 17 x 12 which gives a total of 697 sq ft according to the chart here: http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/window_ac.html you need a minimum of a 14,000 BTU AC. With cathedral ceilings and high humidity you will need to size even larger and closer to an 18,000 to 24,000 btu AC. Now you are no longer talking about a small AC unit.
This 18,000 btu AC: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100527420&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100527420&cm_mmc=shopping-_-google-_-D29X-_-100527420&locStoreNum=6175&marketID=373 draws 9 amps at 120 volts or 1080 watts = another 10 panels for the time you are using them or some electric storage that you can charge all day and use only for an hour of heavier use. Or how about a ceiling fan instead?
Apr 7
We just had a new Trane AC/Oil furnace combo installed and this is our first week of using the AC and it’s been running non-stop for about 6 hours now. We have it set to 75 and it’s around 90 degrees outside. Is this normal?
Also, it currently shows that it’s 77 inside even though it’s set to 75 and it’s been running for so long. In the winter, if we had the furnace set to 72 then it would keep the house at 72 no questions asked. Is the way a home heats up and cools down just different or is something wrong with our AC unit?
I tested the air and it’s blowing at 54 degrees so I don’t think that could be it. Also, our vents are on the ceiling instead of floor based and I’ve heard that homes with the air vents on the ceiling always take longer to heat/cool. Could that have anything to do with it?
Weather they should be running constantly or not depends on the unit. Mine goes on and off automatically, but yours might be set to constantly run. It may be doing this to keep it close to 75, since it’s so hot out, so it’s blowing enough cool air to keep it at the set level. Also, having the vents on the ceiling might affect something with the way air rises and sinks (hot air rises, cold air sinks), but I’m not sure if that’s affecting anything in your case. If you have a concern call the company who makes your unit.
Apr 7
A quick google search found the SolaCool evaporative system (link below) but an evaporative system isn’t always viable in a very humid climate. Essentially, any a/c system is "solar powered" if you have a photovoltaic system installed in your home. In effect, solar power works best at the time of day when you most need a/c.
With net metering you don’t need a bank of batteries to benefit from solar power.
The best solution is to design the architecture of a building to use natural convection currents caused by sunshine, but most existing homes are not that way. I have seen some great designs in Arizona that do this.
Mar 17
!–[if !vml]–>We have become so reliant on Air Conditioning and heating that we sometimes forget to take advantage of the inherent good design found in our historic homes. As the weather gets more pleasant this fall, consider taking a few steps to operate your historic house more energy efficiently, and save some money in the process. The following are some ideas to consider:
1. Unstick any windows that are painted shut. It is almost a universal trait of old homes to have at least one window that won’t budge, but when more than half aren’t functioning, it’s time to take action. A web search for “windows painted shut” brings up countless websites with step-by-step instructions for loosening stuck windows, including HGTV and This Old House (they offer a video). Releasing a stuck window is not rocket science, but it generally requires some muscle and patience. Professional help can be called in, particularly if you need to reattach the counter weights; just beware of anyone telling you to replace your wood windows. There are good contractors in the area that can repair your windows, preserving the character and integrity of your home as well as keeping dollars in your pocket.
2. Install wood framed screens on windows if they are missing. You are more likely to open those unstuck windows if you arenât worried about welts from mosquitoes. As a bonus, wood window screens add historic character and an additional accent color to the building exterior.
3. Install wood screen doors on all exterior doors. Wood screen doors should be heavy duty since they open and close as often as the primary door; if the model you see is made with thin, finger-jointed wood or comes with a diagonal wire support, donât expect it to function properly for more than a season or two. Choose self closing spring hinges rather than ugly vacuum bars for a more authentic design for your historic home.
4. Install awnings, operable shutters or blinds over openings on south and west elevations. When appropriate for your house style, they provide a nice architectural accent in addition to functioning as a shading device. Close shutters and blinds during the hottest parts of the day.
5. Install ceiling fans and use in conjunction with open windows and doors.
6. Install a solar powered ventilation fan in the attic to help remove excess heat. Turned on by a temperature sensor, this relatively inexpensive project will help reduce your cooling load next summer.
7. Caulk or foam-seal penetrations into your house (where the cable enters, water lines penetrate, etc.) and install weather-stripping around windows and doors. Air infiltration is good when you can control it by opening windows and doors, but bad when the air you paid to heat or cool escapes.
8. Insulate your attic space; most heat loss and gain comes through your roof. If you expose exterior wall framing during remodeling, install insulation as part of the project. Donât remove plaster walls just to insulate though; plaster is a surprisingly good insulator and reduces noise transmission from room to room.
9. Plant some shade trees on the south and west sides of the house. Trees are a long term investment in the environment, providing cleaner air, habitat for wildlife, reducing soil erosion and sheltering from the sun. Your historic house has shown that it appeals to multiple generations already, so even though the trees you plant today may not have much effect on energy bills for a while, the next owners will thank you.
10. Sit on your front porch rather than watch TV in the early evening a few nights a week. We tend to decorate our porches with inviting rocking chairs and beautiful potted flowers, but rarely take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere they provide. In addition to the pleasure of a cool, relaxing evening, you might find one of the other benefits of living in a historic home: friendly conversation with your neighbors.
Jo-Anne Peck
http://www.articlesbase.com/remodeling-articles/making-the-most-of-our-quotgreenquot-historic-homes-680403.html
Mar 17
Solving air flow problems in your home
Basic things that the homeowner can check to help air flow:
First and foremost, check your furnace filter to see if it is dirty and if so, remove the dirty filter and install a new furnace filter. Plugged furnace filters restrict air flow by creating a pressure drop. Next, walk around your house to see if any cold air returns have anything such as couches, rugs or cabinets obstructing the vent. If anything is obstructing the vent, then remove these obstructions so that the cold air return, which is an air intake, can draw in enough air. Last, but not least, walk around your home to check to see if all supply registers (heat vents that blows out air) are open. All supply registers should be open. A popular homeowner misnomar, is that by shutting off certain vents throughout the house will cause other vents to blow harder. This simply is not true, because CFM (a measurement of air flow, cubic feet per minute) is determined by the pipes diameter and only so much CFM can ever blow out due to the size of the round, regardless if other registers are shut off or not. Shutting down too many supply registers usually causes more harm than good by creating pressurization problems with the overall duct system, that in an extreme case can actually cause your furnace to short cycle on a high limit and hence increases the cost on your utility bill while working key HVAC components and parts to reduce their life expectancy. Never buy and install heat vent filters either, because these filters really cause pressurization problems too. If there is too much dust blowing out of the vents, then the best thing that you may consider is to have the HVAC system cleaned out thoroughly with the power vacuum/air sweep method in air duct cleaning by an ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) member company. An average price for a 1 furnace home would cost between $400.00-$700.00 to do the job correctly, depending on where you live in the country and depending on the service providers cost to operate.
Some solutions that an HVAC company or contractor may suggest:
Very often in older homes, air ducts are sized incorrectly due to building departments in the past not emphasizing the importance of properly sized air duct construction and the by the fact that the builder wanted to save a buck to construct his own ductwork rather than paying a heating and cooling professional to install the ductwork properly. In recent years, many building departments throughout the United States really have zeroed in on enforcing proper duct design, so in most newer homes indoor thermal comfort has improved drastically. Some of the things that your licensed HVAC company or contractor may suggest to you to drastically help your older homes air flow is as follows:
- Let me tear out all of your ducts and start over! (That would be sweet, however in many instances that is just not practical due to cost, time and a big mess!)
- I can bandaide your homes HVAC system by replacing your old inefficient furnace with a Rheem 80% AFUE 2 stage variable speed furnace equipped with the GE ECM motor. Visit www.luckyduct.net to learn more about the GE ECM motor. The GE ECM motor operates 30-40% more efficiently than a standard conventional multi-speed motor and sustains constant CFM even if your ductwork is undersized and restrictive. What this means is that vents that seem to never blow air with your inefficient old furnace will all of a sudden blow air after the new Rheem furnace equipped with the GE ECM motor is installed. The ECM motor also allows homeowners to qualify for a $50.00 EPACT tax credit that you can receive when you do your taxes, so even the Federal government wants you to go for it!
- For some reason your home does not have enough return air openings to even allow enough air to enter the duct system at all! We need to build additional return air openings into your ductwork so that we can get additional CFM into the HVAC system so that your AC indoor evaporator coil can stop freezing. Good golly, you’re paying more money on cooling not to mention the fact that your AC doesn’t even keep your house cold enough! Let’s fix that and add some new return air openings so that you can save some money on your utility bill and actually cool down this summer too!
- Let’s go ahead and rip out the 4″ diameter supply runs and install 6″ diameter runs so that we can circulate more air into that sun room!
- You know, your ducts amazingly enough are sized correctly, but all of the air is escaping into unfinished portions of the house because the construction of the ductwork is very loose. Let’s go ahead and seal up every trunk line connection, brace, joyce and end cap with mastic duct sealant. By sealing up every duct connection on the entire system we’ll see if we can blow those curtains side ways afterall! No, just kidding, but the air will come out a touch harder, though as a result in sealing up the ductwork better and you will see a significant reduction in your utility bill because the system will only cycle half as often now.
- You know, for some reason all of your ductwork is sized correctly, but the return leg that is attached to your furnace is severly undersized and is acting like a choke point. Lets rip this leg out and install a bigger one with a greater dimension!
- You know, your homebuilder really got cheap and should have installed 2 seperate systems considering that your home is 3600 Sq/ft. Two smaller systems will actually cost you less on the utility bill to operate and will provide greater comfort. Save up some money and lets build that second system in the attic!
- You know, the most cost effective thing that I can think of that will improve your indoor comfort tremendously is to simply just zone your current system so that 3 different thermostats will control 3 different temperatures in your home. Aprilaire and Honeywell make great zoning systems and we usually can get this system installed from $3800.00-$6,000.00 depending on how fancy of a system you want to have installed!
You see some of these bandaide jobs will cost just a few hundred dollars, while some solutions may cost a few thousand dollars, but in the end after the corrections are made, your utility bill will probably reduce a bunch and you’ll finally have true indoor comfort that you didn’t have before. Many HVAC companies and or contractors will give you more than one option to consider as well so that no matter what you decide on some sort of indoor air comfort solution will be achieved to atleast improve the comfort situation. The best thing that you can do as a homeowner is to select an ACCA member heating and Air Conditioning company or contractor to ensure that your comfort specialist has all of the latest and greatest training, tools and professional assistance to best serve you as a customer. In the long term you won’t regret it because you will save some money on the utility bill and you will be much more comfortable in your home as a result.
Article By: Mike Meincke
Managing Member
Lucky Duct, LLC
www.luckyduct.net
Mike Meincke
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/great-information-on-how-to-solve-air-flow-problems-in-your-home-683430.html
Mar 14
There are some mini air con devices that will plug in and provide some cool air, but nothing that will provide cooling as good as a proper air con, the typical cooling power required for car air con runs off the engine and a cig lighter won’t give that power, it will also be too big and need an external radiator to be effective. Not worth the money.
Mar 10
One of the more popular uses of solar power in the home is the solar attic fan.
As its name implies, a solar attic fan is powered and activated by sunlight. It is installed into the roof of the attic, with its panels facing the sky.
Why would one need a solar-powered attic fan?
Well, for that matter, what is the purpose of an attic fan?
Since heat rises, all of the heat in a home tends to rise up into the attic. If this heat has no easy outlet, it will simply get stuck up there. This causes the over-heating. When combined with a lack of proper ventilation, this leads to dampness, mildew, and the the like.
Furthermore, when the accumulated attic heat is not allowed to escape, the temperature of the entire home rises.
While there are some circumstances under which you want to warm up your home, there are other circumstances under which you would prefer to cool it down. A lack of sufficient ventilation in a hot attic can make matters difficult. Thus, an attic fan can play an important role in allowing you to control the temperature of your home.
Okay, now that we understand what the purpose of this fan is, why would we want it to be solar-powered?
The first answer is obvious - to use greener energy and to avoid using energy sources which damage the environment.
By using solar power for the fan, we can also save a bit of money on electricity.
But a more pragmatic reason for using a solar powered fan is the simple fact that it is basically “wireless.” You won’t have to worry about installing electrical wires and cables into your attic, in order to run your fan.
Solar-powered fans are relatively simple to install into one’s attic. But if you aren’t an enthusiastic DIYer ready to climb onto your roof with a knife and a hammer, you will probably want to get someone else to do it.
When installing a solar-powered fan into the roof, one has to actually cut a hole into the roof and install the fan in that spot. It’s smart to install it on the south facing side, which will receive more sun (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case you would obviously install it on the north side). There is a certain degree of skill involved, as is normally the case when one considers the prospect of climbing up on the roof, removing shingles and roofing material, and cutting a hole through to the other side without damaging any rafters.
But overall the process does not take a long time, for someone who knows what they’re doing. The installation of the fan should be well worth the trouble in the long run, particularly if you live in a hot climate. It will run at virtually no running cost, while reducing the overall level of heat in your home. That reduces the costs involved with cooling your home (using less energy-efficient methods, such as Air Conditioning).
So, even if you don’t give a hoot about the environment, a solar attic fan might be a very worthwhile financial investment. Providing you do have an attic.
Anna
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/solar-attic-fans-715918.html
Mar 10
As the summer starts its wet climb up the thermostat, residents should relieve themselves by turning on their air conditioner Chambersburg PA heat doesn’t give up. Air conditioners are a major comfort in modern life, and a trustworthy retailer will help you to find a quality air conditioner to keep you cool thru the summer months.
An air conditioner definetly would have helped onetime Chambersburg, PA resident John Brown when he hid away in Mary Ritner’s attic in the summertime of 1859. The militant abolitionist couldn’t have been too cushty when he settled up in the attic in June of that year. His face would have been lined with sweat in that cramped, humid area. If only the Ritners had had the modern miracle of an air conditioner Chambersburg PA could have bettered his plans for the unsuccessful raid on Harper’s Ferry. With an effective air conditioner, who is able to say what would have happened?
Chambersburg, PA’s insufferable summers also played a role in the Civil War. During the June 1863 Gettysburg campaign, the Virginia Cavalry made use of the heat to accelerate their burning of many Chambersburg warehouses. Robert E. Lee subsequently established his headquarters in Chambersburg, where the oppressive heat could have been the maximum amount of an enemy as the northerly army. The heat accelerated another fire the following summer, when Confederate troops burned down the majority of Chambersburg. Chambersburg was the site of many major battles in this Civil War, but there is no need for you to battle the heat so violently this summer. A quality air conditioner will make sure that the summer heat incurs no casualties in Chambersburg, PA this summer.
There are several different purposes for air conditioner Chambersburg PA, but they all have the same goal : keeping humidity low, circulating air, improving air quality, and temperature control. The comfort application of air conditioners guarantees that indoor air temperature will remain consistently low and tolerable to inhabitants of the crib or business regardless of the outside weather. The process application of air conditioning can also provide comfort, but the processes performed are the determinant of the temperature rather than human preference. An example of the process application of Air Conditioning is in nuclear facilities, where the difference of a couple degrees can be key to the soundness of these dangerous properties.
Air conditioning is an essential part of present-day life and something no Chambersburg, PA resident should be without. Your home or business should be outfitted with a quality air conditioner. Thru the use of their air conditioner Chambersburg PA residents do not have to dread June, July, and Aug. Air conditioners let you decide your comfort level, not the whims of mother nature. Keep yourself free of sweat and unhappiness by buying and maintaining a quality air conditioner today.
Anatol Bakewell
http://www.articlesbase.com/tools-and-equipment-articles/solution-to-hot-summer-air-conditioner-chambersburg-pa-1142437.html
Mar 7
Which of the following do you think is good brand for a 2HP air condition
1. Samsung
2. Panasonic
3. LG
4. Carrier
With the power efficiency and less noise.
Why limit yourself to those 4 brands. Look at the page below and read the "How To Choose" section. Then look at the reviews. This will help you decide. Good luck.
