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enLIGHTen

Energy facts and inspiration from our team of experts.

Everything you need to know about your HVAC

7/31/2019

24 Comments

 

by: Anthony Kinslow II, Ph.D., CEM

Learn tips and tricks on how to save money, by maximizing the energy efficiency of your HVAC.​

For the majority of Americans, the largest energy consuming equipment in their home is their Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system. Whether you are in the north and your HVAC unit is primarily used for heating or the South and your HVAC unit is primarily used for cooling, it is more than likely your largest energy hog.

The following is organized into three areas
  • Five (5) little known facts about your Air-Conditioning
  • How does a HVAC system work?
  • How Your Air-Conditioning impacts the environment
​
Five (5) little known facts about your Air-Conditioning
  1. Whenever your A/C comes on it comes on full blast. Units purchased after 2018 may have a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) that adjust the power based on the load, saving you energy.
  2. There is no mechanical way to cool your space faster because no matter how low you turn the thermostat, the air coming out of your vents will always be the same temperature. The A/C will keep blowing that air until it reaches the temperature you set it to. Therefore, set your temperature to your comfort level and wait or risk it is becoming too cold.
  3. Your A/C determines when to come on and turn off based on the temperature sensor located in the thermostat. To avoid your A/C coming on to often, make sure your thermostat is not being hit by direct sunlight.
  4. If your A/C unit comes on and then goes off within 10 minutes than it is most likely over-sized (i.e., too big). When a A/C unit is over-sized, you may experience hot and cold spots throughout the space.
  5. A/C unit efficiency is determined by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) value. The higher the SEER value the more efficient the A/C unit, but if your SEER value is under 13 then you should be thinking about replacing it. Your utility company may have an incentive or rebate program for replacing an old unit.
How does a HVAC system work?
An air-conditioning (A/C) unit controls the interior moisture (relative humidity) and offsets heat that is gained from the external environment and heat generated from internal loads (e.g., lights and appliances). The purpose of A/C is to provide a comfortable environment for occupants through temperature, humidity, and air movement. The four major components of an A/C unit are:
  • Thermostat. The thermostat enables the occupant to set the internal temperature they would like the house to not exceed. This value is called the setpoint. When the thermostat setpoint is exceeded, the thermostat sends signals to the A/C unit to turn on. A residential A/C unit has only one speed; therefore, the A/C unit is running at full power whenever on.
  • Refrigerant Cycle. The refrigerant cycle process is based on the ideal gas law (PV = nRT) and contains four components: the compressor, the compressor coil, the expansion valve, and the evaporator coil. The compressor takes cold, low-pressure gas and makes hot, high-pressure gas. This gas moves through the condenser coil becoming a liquid by releasing the heat from that gas to the outside. As the fluid reaches the expansion valve, it is a warm, high-pressure liquid. After passing through the expansion valve, the fluid becomes a cold, low-pressure liquid. The evaporator coil absorbs heat from the air, making it a cold, low-pressure gas again. The work done by the compressor is proportional to the difference in entering and leaving pressures. The higher the temperature in the evaporator coil entering the condenser, the lower the pressure that needs to be applied. Therefore, the delta in temperatures from the evaporator coil and the condenser coil indicates the work for the motor in the compressor. The smaller the delta, the less work and the less energy consumed.
  • Fans. The fans blow air over the coils. The refrigerant in the coils absorbs the heat from the air, providing cool air into the home to displace the heat gains.​​
  • Size. The air conditioner (A/C) removes heat (i.e., cools a space) at a rate (BTU/hr). The size of the A/C unit determines the rate of heat removal. In America, the sizes are typically measured by tons, and a 1-ton A/C unit means that 12,000 BTUs can be removed from the space in an hour. The increase in tonnage is proportional to the heat removal rate, so a 2-ton A/C unit removes 24,000 BTUs/hr and a 3-ton A/C unit will remove 36,000 BTUs/hr, etc. The size of the unit also determines the power output. In standard conditions, which are specified by the manufacturer, the power output of a 2-ton A/C unit is approximately 0.586 kW while a 3-ton A/C unit is 0.879 kW, assuming an energy efficiency ratio of 12. 
How Your Air-Conditioning impacts the environment
A/C is often the largest energy consumer during utility peak day and utility summer peak hours. During peak moments, the utility company must bring additional energy sources to the grid to avoid power outage. These supplemental energy sources often produce the most greenhouse gases. For examples, the grid could be running on hydro and natural gas normally, but during peak hours, coal plants are brought online to supplement the extra load. As such, reducing A/C energy consumption can often have greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions than other energy efficiency measures. Minimizing A/C energy consumption can occur in two ways: reduce the power required to provide the necessary cooling through efficiency or reduce the runtime that A/C is cooling through behavior and/or controls. 
About the author: Anthony D. Kinslow II, Ph.D.

Anthony Kinslow II, Ph.D., CEM, is the Founder and CEO of Gemini Energy Solutions. Gemini democratizes the small commercial energy audit sector, creating affordable investment-grade energy audits and supporting efforts to increase workforce diversity in the energy efficiency sector drastically. Dr. Kinslow is also a Commercialization and Equity consultant for Clean Energy Works. This nonprofit organization seeks to accelerate private capital utility investments in inclusive clean energy solutions at the grid edge.  
Anthony also lectures at Stanford University, where he co-teaches two courses Racial Equity in Energy and Quest for an Inclusive Clean Energy Economy. 
 
His efforts center around accelerating the U.S. transition to a clean energy economy. And he argues that without prioritizing inclusive and affordable solutions for marginalized communities, the transition will be slow, expensive, and inequitable.  Dr. Kinslow II's work to drive equity and inclusion extends past his professional responsibilities. For example, the City of San Jose recognized his active involvement in understanding wage theft in the construction industry. Moreover, Dr. Kinslow II's role in designing and implementing Stanford's workforce program has introduced the concept of environmental justice to hundreds of high school students.
 
In addition to being a Historic Black Church and University (HBCU) alum (North Carolina A&T), Dr. Kinslow earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in Civil and Environmental Engineering, where he incorporated Bayesian statistics in building science analysis to improve the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency programs. His M.S. (Sustainable Design & Construction) was also from Stanford. In his free time, Dr. Kinslow II enjoys walking trails with his wife, Maria, and sons, Marcus and Samuel. 
24 Comments
Alice Carroll link
5/3/2021 07:08:55 pm

Thanks for the explanation on how refrigerant cycles work. I'd like to get air conditioning in my home soon but I'm a bit worried that it might get overused during the worst days of the summer. As such, it would be important for me to know the essential things to keep in mind for its maintenance.

Reply
Anthony Kinslow II, PhD
5/4/2021 05:05:59 am

Thank you for your question Alice. Based on your question, it is clear you understand how important maintenance is on the life of your equipment and keeping it working efficiently. The two general maintenance areas is replacing your filter and making sure nothing is blocking the vents (metal ridged portion). How often you need to replace your filter depends on the type of filter you have. Eventually you will want to have someone come out and do an inspection on the equipment for all the other nuisance maintenance issues. However, as you will be purchasing a new one that will not be necessary this year. Lastly, look on your utility website for deals on energy efficient heat pumps. I hope this is helpful!

Reply
Max Jones link
5/27/2022 01:49:46 pm

Thanks for the info about HVAC services. My home's AC is not working. I'll look for an HVAC service to hire.

Reply
Braden Bills link
8/2/2022 09:41:57 am

I want to make sure that I take good care of my HVAC system. It makes sense that I would want to maintain it properly! I can see how that would be a good way to ensure that I handle things properly.

Reply
premiersystemsmt link
8/4/2022 08:48:28 am

Air conditioners circulate and filter air, removing pollutants and mold from the air. This is especially important for people who suffer from allergies and asthma because it minimizes the irritants that trigger an attack. This is why proper maintenance is a must!

Reply
HVAC Installation link
8/5/2022 03:53:45 pm

Thank you for sharing these 5 facts about HVAC.

Reply
Aircond Installation Cyberjaya link
8/12/2022 05:53:37 am

Great! It’s really amazing article and with lot of knowledge sharing. thank you lot for you guys such a great work you guys are working on and please keep it up. Regards Aircon Repair kuala Lumpur

Reply
completecomforthampton link
9/2/2022 09:19:39 am

Proper HVAC systems are a worthy investment for any business or building owner because it gives you energy savings. HVAC systems today are automated, which means you no longer have to manually adjust the temperature settings or the time settings of each machine. Given that your entire HVAC system operates in an automated system, proper adjustments will be made right when they are needed.

Reply
Mia Evans link
9/7/2022 10:08:50 pm

I never took into account the fact that there would still be cold and hot spots around the house even when the unit is big or oversized. With that in mind, we definitely need to make sure that we ask professionals in air conditioning installation what is the right unit for our new apartment. It is a two-story property with three bedrooms.

Reply
air conditioning service brisbane southside link
9/8/2022 10:33:22 pm

We pride ourselves on providing the highest level of service possible and have more than 80 reviews on Google to back this up.

Reply
all star service link
9/14/2022 06:37:50 am

HVAC systems are playing a very important role in hospitals, not only by maintaining comfortable climate conditions of temperature and humidity control, but also by maintaining a clean, germ-free environment to contribute to the well-being of patients and to prevent the spread of disease. These determining factors mean that the design of air conditioning systems for the hospital sector must take into account a series of characteristics that, although important in other sectors, must be given special attention in this sector.

Reply
calvinsclimate link
9/14/2022 06:45:29 am

I agree. The evaporator coil is an important part of your HVAC system. Concealed inside, this refrigerant-filled loop is easy to forget about, but it deserves your care and consideration. You should know what your evaporator coil does, why it needs care, and what service it requires. Understanding your evaporator coil will give you a better idea of how your HVAC system does its job.

Reply
Eli Richardson link
9/19/2022 08:35:31 am

Next week, I want to buy an air conditioner for my house, and I think I could find one at a great price during this season. I'm glad you elaborated on avoiding buying the wrong seized AC, so I'll be sure to speak with a technician first. I appreciate your tips on air conditioners and how they work.

Reply
air conditioning repairs brisbane southside link
10/5/2022 10:32:42 pm

We pride ourselves on providing the highest level of service possible and have more than 80 reviews on Google to back this up.

Reply
Jessie Holloway link
10/7/2022 12:20:32 pm

Thanks so much for talking about how HVAC systems work and how to properly use them. My partner and I want to make sure our heating system works well before the winter. So we've been looking into how the systems work and calling down a professional to make sure nothing is wrong with our system.

Reply
Thomas Clarence link
10/17/2022 04:33:47 pm

I thought you made a good point when you mentioned that the purpose of an air conditioning system is to make your home more comfortable. With that in mind, it seems like it would be important to make sure that your HVAC system can effectively warm and cool your home. You would probably want to make sure that your HVAC unit isn't too large or too small for your home.

Reply
American Airconditioning Carson link
10/24/2022 12:08:57 pm

Nice Blog!! The content you have shared is very elaborative and informative. Thanks a lot for sharing such a great piece of knowledge with us.

Reply
American Air Conditioning & Heating - San Pedro link
10/31/2022 02:24:17 pm

Nice Blog! The content you have shared is detailed and informative. Thank you a lot for sharing such a great piece of knowledge with us.

Reply
Millie Hue link
11/9/2022 11:27:25 pm

It got me when you said that the HVAC unit will consume most of the electricity, especially during the summer. With that in mind, I hope that I find an HVAC installation service that can suggest the right system for our home. It should be something that will be efficient and will be at the right size so that it will not work hard too much on hot days.

Reply
Jay Sarmiento link
11/11/2022 11:08:46 pm

Thank you for such an informative article. Always choose trusted HVAC experts because they have the experience to deal with any type of AC problem at a reasonable cost. Keep it up

Reply
Iris Smith link
12/1/2022 03:57:52 am

Thank you for mentioning that there is no mechanical way to chill your area faster because the air flowing out of your vents will always be the same temperature regardless of how low you adjust the thermostat. My father is complaining that the air conditioner isn't cooling the room. I will advise him to contact HVAC Systems Services to have the thermostat checked.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
12/20/2022 10:22:56 am

I agreed when you stated that AC is usually the largest energy consumer during summer. My friend told me that their Ac is acting up. I should advise him to hire an AC service to prevent further damage.

Reply
Tex Hooper link
12/27/2022 03:52:04 pm

I had no idea that there was a formula for refrigerant gasses. My AC isn't cooling like it used to and needs some improvements. I'll have to have the condenser coils swapped out.

Reply
Air DUCT Cleaning Service link
1/9/2023 04:09:03 am

Wonderful Post and Great tips!! I value your work. I find this post really informative about the facts about HVAC. Thank you for the great article.

Reply



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  • Home
  • Who is Gemini
    • Democratizing Energy Audit Sector
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    • Meet The Team
    • Gemini in the News
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