Most people have little tolerance for hot weather. With the summer already here, you inevitably look for a solution to keep your house cool. However, keeping a building at a comfortable temperature is increasingly challenging without consuming much electricity.
With most structures having energy-hungry air conditioners contributing to climate change, you need a more sustainable cooling system. Luckily, alternative sustainable cooling options can help deal with a carbon footprint and provide thermal comfort. Here are different ways you can make your home more energy efficient.
Improve the eco-credentials of your air conditioner
Most homes in the US have air conditioners that consume most of the energy bill. You can design a sustainable cooling system by swapping the old air conditioners with modern high-efficiency units that consume less energy. Most air conditioners with an energy star label meet the strict energy efficiency guidelines issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
There are many ways you can get your air conditioner to do more for you with less effort. Regular air conditioner maintenance is essential to ensure it continues to function efficiently. You can also add supplemental dehumidification and humidity controls to the HVAC system if you live in high humidity climates.
Invest in the right window coverings
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Take measures to reduce heat in the house through windows and shading. Instead of spending more energy to cool your overheated home, you can get the right window coverings. The idea is to reduce solar heat by providing appropriate shade and blocking sunlight from entering the house.
The right window treatments like cellular shades and solar shades can help reduce the amount of heat that comes through the windows. For example, a solar shield can help block the sun’s heat and glare while maintaining a view of the outdoors. You can use either white or light-colored shades to block sunlight while keeping a light in the house.
External horizontal settings such as overhangs effectively keep the heat out when the sun is high in the summer. Using the window coverings can also effectively supplement eco-heating options in winter, providing the extra insulation layer.
Boost your ventilation
While natural ventilation can be enough to keep your home cool, you may need to boost the ventilation to let fresh air in and warm air out. One of the options includes an electric fan, a great way to create air movement within your home. Ceiling fans are a great example of making the room cooler with minimum electricity usage. They’ll make the room feel comfortable and allow you to raise the thermostat, thus saving energy.
Another way of boosting your ventilation is by using window fans that use relatively little electricity. Open a few lower-level windows and turn on the fan to suck large quantities of air out through the attic. Experts often recommend combining natural ventilation with strategies to keep the heat out of the house. Add options like ceiling and window fans that use little electricity.
Try smart controls
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Running an AC daily can inflate your energy bills. The alternative is to invest in intelligent AC controls that give your window and portable heat pump innovative capabilities. HVAC combined with home automation allows you to monitor and change temperature settings remotely.
The smart controls can also help conserve the energy bill by allowing you to turn off your AC in case you forget to do it before leaving the house. They connect to your Wi-Fi router and will enable you to control your conditioners through your smartphone. You can set them to adjust automatically according to your personal preferences and monitor energy consumption.
Purchase an evaporative cooler
Apart from the natural cooling options, you can consider other eco-friendly alternatives to air conditioning. One alternative to an air conditioner is an evaporative cooling system. This device relies on the principle of bypassing outdoor air over water-saturated pads to reduce air temperature. According to the US Department of energy, the evaporative cooler can reduce a temperature by up to 15 degrees.
The system operates with less energy than compressor-driven air conditioning. They use filtered outside air to cool down a room, thus improving the indoor air quality. An evaporative cooling system uses less energy than other cooling systems, which reduces your energy bills and greenhouse gasses. It’s also more efficient than mechanical cooling, which only recirculates polluted indoor air. Developing cooling systems that use water and natural ventilation is great for sustainability.
Use a heat pump
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A heat pump can also provide energy-efficient cooling for your hands. It is one of the most efficient cooling systems that can take heat from the house and transport it outside, leaving your home satisfyingly comfortable. Since the heat pumps use existing heat within the air, they don’t release harmful fossil fuels to the environment.
Most ground Source heat pumps are more efficient than traditional central AC systems and can operate in any climate. The headphones are so simple and spacing efficient. Apart from keeping the air fresh and clean, they use the same energy for more cooling efficiency. However, look for a heat pump with an energy star label showing its cooling efficiency.
Bottom line
The challenges posed by climate change require the adoption of sustainable cooling solutions. You can take many measures to keep your home cooler by tapping into nature and low-tech cooling systems. Your cooling system needs significant energy usage, so consider green and sustainable actions. Take advantage of these basic strategies to save energy and live more sustainably. Technology delivers sustainable cooling through a range of materials and products.
