Year: 2015

How Is Heating And Cooling Equipment Efficiency Measured?

A lot of people are becoming aware of the need to reduce their carbon footprint and help in efforts to combat global warming. Accordingly, it is important to make sure that your AC system is as efficient as possible. An efficient HVAC system does not only operate better but also saves energy. So, how is heating and cooling equipment efficiency measured? Here are a few ways that you can explore: EER The Energy Efficiency Ratio is designed to give you a rough estimate of how much cooling you will get on your HVAC system for every dollar you spend on energy. The rating is often based on the season’s hottest day other than an average of the entire season. EER is calculated by dividing the total output cooling energy with the incoming electrical energy. The Energy Star The Energy star is provided by the US Environment protection agency and is only awarded to an HVAC system that meets or surpasses the high energy efficiency guidelines. The guidelines are often based on how much the HVAC system contributes to the nationwide efforts to save energy, the difference in cost between the system, and its less efficient counterpart and the performance of

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Refrigerant Leaks and Health Issues

The chemical component Refrigerant is used in several ways in industrial manufacturing. Notwithstanding, its’ large scale use highlights some important issues about the health of humans. Refrigerant is a brand name encompassing a range of chemical elements, otherwise referred to as chlorofluorocarbons. This name reflects the fact that these elements include hydrogen, carbon, fluorine and chlorine. The Refrigerant group’s most significant parts are Refrigerant Twenty-two, Refrigerant Twelve and Refrigerant Eleven. Typically, Refrigerant takes the form of a colorless, non-flammable gas or liquid. Primarily, it is used for making fluorocarbon resins and lubricants, and for refrigeration. Also, it is used as an aerosol propellant solvent. While it has multiple uses, in some circumstances, Refrigerant may pose a threat to human beings. How Exposure to Refrigerant Impacts Animals and Children Refrigerant remains near to the surface of the earth, because it is three to four times the weight of air. Consequently, those who are nearer to the floor or ground are more likely to breathe in the chemical. Pets and children (especially dogs, due to their heightened sensitivity) are far more vulnerable to the chemical’s effects. If you become aware of Refrigerant leaks in your property, open all doors and windows straightaway,

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How Do Air Conditioners Work?

Air conditioners and refrigerators have many similarities. In fact, the only difference between the two is that refrigerators only cool a small enclosed space while an AC cools a large open space. So, how do air conditioners work? Read on to find out. Components of an AC Like refrigerators, air conditioners have a compressor, refrigerant liquid, refrigerant piping, fans and a thermostat. Each of these components is used for a different purpose. For instance, the thermostat is responsible for switching the system on and off depending on the difference between the actual room temperature and the reference temperature. Refrigerator piping connects the two ends of the compressor and carries the refrigerant throughout the cooling system. The fans are responsible for driving air into the indoor wall-mounted unit for cooling as well as through the outdoor unit to cool the refrigerant and take away the heat. The compressor is responsible for compressing the refrigerant into a liquid and keeping it under pressure. Lastly, the refrigerant is the working fluid. It absorbs heat from the surroundings and takes it to the compressor coils for cooling. How Air Conditioners Work Air conditioners are able to cool a room because of a physical law,

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The Difference Between Manual Thermostats and Electrical Thermostats

A thermostat is a temperature–sensitive device that turns HVAC systems on and off when the temperature of an environment reaches a preset level. Essentially, it turns on the air conditioning when it gets too warm, or the heating when it gets too chilly. Thermostats control the workings of comfort systems by directing energy to the appropriate system when needed. When selecting a thermostat, property owners can either go for simple manual thermostats or sophisticated electronic thermostats that provide improved functionality and highly efficient operations. Thanks to the easy to understand packaging and universal compatibility, choosing a thermostat is easy. Systems that Use a ThermostatSingle–stage heating systems have one electrical or gas heating device, which may consist of a heater or an AC device as well. Most units that use natural gas provide single–stage heating. Usually, a single–stage thermostat should have room for three wires if the system handles heating only. However, if the system handles heating and cooling, the thermostat will have to accommodate five wires or less. Multi–stage systems have a standard electrical or gas heating device as well as an emergency and/or auxiliary heating device. The emergency or auxiliary heating kicks in when temperatures drop faster than the

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