HVAC Systems



             


Wednesday, March 19, 2008

How To Cut Costs With Your Air Conditioner

Majority of households nowadays in one way or another have air conditioners. Many houses especially in tropical countries have air conditioners. Types may range from window types, split types and the centralized ones for big establishments or for those who could afford. Having an air conditioner is indeed an advantage especially if we need to cool ourselves from the hot humid weather during summer. But, the thing is having an air conditioner can shoot up electricity costs as compared to utilizing only an electric fan.

There are a lot of factors that you have to consider that would affect your air conditioning electric bill. The first obvious factor would be your location. The type of weather you have in your country would greatly affect how hard your air conditioner is expected to work. If you live in a place with a naturally hot climate, your air conditioner is expected to work twice as hard compared to one that is being utilized in a home with a mild climate because it has to maintain coolness and comfort.

The energy efficiency ratio of your air conditioner is also another important consideration. Manufacturers of appliances worldwide are now expected to include with the appliance a tag indicating the appliance?s energy efficiency and electric usage. Look for an air conditioner that would use minimal electricity to help you save on your electrical bill. Having an old model of an air conditioner that is like a decade old should call for you to changing it with a new one.

It is also important that you buy an air conditioner in the size proportionate to the room size where you will be installing the unit. The tendency would be that if you were to utilize a small air conditioner in a very big room, it wouldn?t be able to give the adequate coolness and comfort it is suppose to provide. In addition, the unit will have to exert double the effort to make the room cool which means higher electrical usage. It is true that larger units cost more but it would definitely save you on usage costs in the long run.

Of course there is one factor that you cannot control and that is your local cost of electricity. Saving on energy is really up to you. You can do other things as well like having your air conditioner filter regularly cleaned or replaced when necessary which could also help you in minimizing your cost for electrical usage.

Mary Lorainne writes about HomeAnnex coupons, Homeclick code, homedepot sale

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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Portable Air Conditioners: Setup Tips for Maximum Efficiency

If you're in a building where the temperature in the server room can't be controlled independently, you've probably already considered portable air conditioners as a viable way to efficiently cool the isolated area without freezing everyone in the office. Portable air conditioners are considered the most cost effective and efficient way to cool a server room when chosen and installed correctly. When purchasing these air conditioner, you have the option of installing it yourself or having a specialist do the installation for you. If you're considering self installation, keep these considerations in mind.

Routing the ventilation hose: While portable air conditioning units are easy to roll from location to location, they do require a ventilation hose. Otherwise, hot air taken in from the unit will blow right out the back while cold air is blowing out the front. Without a way to send the hot air out of the room, the overall temperature of the room won't be reduced, it will only feel colder directly in front of the unit.

The ideal way to route the hot air is through a ceiling panel. False ceiling panels are the easiest to work with. Simply pop out the panel, create a circular hole, add the fitting and hose, and replace. If your ceiling isn't a good adequate for ventilation, this vent hole can be drilled into any inside or outside wall. Because these intake and outtake vents are critical to the operation of the portable air conditioner, make sure that there is never anything near the intake vents that could become pulled up against the vents and cause blockage.

Electricity: Until recently, many larger units suited for server rooms required special electric wiring. The power required to run these larger units just couldn't be harnesses effectively with a standard plug. However, there are now some higher BTU portable air conditioner makes such as the Avenger that can use standard electrical plugs. When using a portable air conditioner, never use and extension cord as this is a serious fire hazard. Measure the length between where you want to place the unit and the nearest outlet and ask about the length of the cord before purchasing your unit.

Maintenance: Your air conditioner should work effortlessly and quietly in the background for years without requiring much maintenance. On occasion, you'll want to check that the vents are free and clear of any debris or blockage and use canned air to spray out any collected dust. Unless you're in a very dusty location, you'll probably only need to replace your air filters 1-2 times per year.

If you do notice a decrease in efficiency, contact an HVAC or portable air conditioner specialist right away. Portable air conditioners offer a solution to server rooms where temperatures can't be controlled independently from the rest of the building floor using the central air system. Property installed and maintained, portable air conditioners are a economical solution for cooling server rooms.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Portable Air Conditioners, visit http://www.Coldair.net

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Thursday, March 6, 2008

A Few Words On Central Air Conditioners

Although there are quite a few variants of air conditioners available in the market today, it is being observed that the central air conditioners are increasingly gaining popularity even for domestic purposes. It is a fact, that the central air conditioners have ruled the roost as far as commercial air conditioning goes. Now that they are making inroads in the domestic market also is significant.

Besides the general effects of air conditioners of keeping you cool and comfortable, central air conditioners have also been positioned by their manufacturers as partial air filters and dehumidifiers. Now if someone in your family has minor problems of allergy or asthma, then installing a central air conditioner can be of help.

Before you get yourself a central air conditioner installed in your house, you need to know exactly what capacity of air conditioner you will require. With other kinds of room air conditioners, knowing the dimensions of the rooms can be good enough. However, since the central air conditioner will be for the entire house, calculating the capacity of air conditioner you will require should be best left to an expert. You can call a contractor and take inputs from him. Any contractor would use , what we call the ?manual j? method to determine the size of the air conditioner you will require for your house.

When you actually shop for a central air conditioner you should consider two ratios, the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) and the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). These ratios will tell you how efficient your air conditioner really is. Since most modern air conditioners come with SEER ratio higher than 13, you should settle nothing less than that. Even the EER ratio should be around 12.

There are still a few negatives to the central air conditioning system. First of the installation is costly and it is also a lot of hassle. There need to be provision for installing a central air conditioner, the network of ducts has to be perfect so that all the areas in the different rooms are evenly cooled. The central air conditioner is also much less energy efficient than the room air conditioners. It cools the entire house even though all the residents of the house are in a single room.

So think before investing on a central air conditioner and weigh your options. If you find it is a worthwhile investment then go ahead and get yourself one.

Jason Uvios writes about "A Few Words on Central Air Conditioners" to visit it:- air purifier, air ozonators and air conditioner.

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Friday, February 8, 2008

EER and Air Conditioners

When considering what kind of air conditioner to purchase for your home or for a single room of your house, you will want to pay close attention to the Energy Efficiency Rating (or EER) of the different units. What is this EER that is so frequently spoken of for air conditioners and refrigerators, you ask? Such a good question should be addressed so that you can make the best possible decision for your next air conditioner.

As stated earlier, EER stands for Energy Efficiency Rating. Standardized by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, this rating reports central air conditioning efficiency at 95 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors and 80 degrees F indoors. EER is a measure of the amount of electricity needed by an air conditioner to cool a room or house to a desired level of BTU (British Thermal Units). Moreover, EER applies primarily to commercial air conditioning systems and measures the "steady-state" efficiency of air conditioners. This means that EER tells the efficiency of the air conditioner once it has already been running for a period of time (due to the fact that more energy is required to get the air conditioner started). The rating system consists a ratio of desired BTU level to wattage usage to cool to that level. For example, an air conditioner that can cool 10,000 BTU using 1000 watts would have an EER of 10. Generally speaking, a EER of 10 is the minimum of new units.

In relation to EER, another rating used by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (or SEER). SEER is only applicable to residential or consumer cooling units and is often considered to be a more correct and reliable indicator of the overall energy efficiency than the standard EER. Currently, air conditioners must have an SEER of at least 13 to be sold in the U.S. Some air conditioning units have an SEER of up to 21. Though SEER is often criticized for not taking into account the air conditioner's efficiency while under partial load, even though there is no widely available rating of residential air conditioner efficiency under partial load.

One rating system that does address the issue of partial load efficiency is the Integrated Part Load Value (or IPLV). Also developed by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, IPLV measures partial load efficiency only in commercial cooling units. Contrary to the EER, which measures commercial air conditioners at their "steady-rate", IPLV measures commercial air conditioner efficiency in a variety of conditions - namely, at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% capacity and at different temperatures.

Another rating to take into consideration is the "fleet efficiency" or "air conditioner rating". The fleet efficiency measures the aggregate efficiency of all cooling systems built by a particular brand. The fleet efficiency tells nothing about the air conditioner quality or the durability of a certain brand's air conditioners, but it will give you an idea of how much it will cost you to run an air conditioner of different air conditioners. Because it only measures efficiency, it doesn't necessarily indicate that a particular model from one brand of air conditioner outperforms any other model of air conditioner built by a different company.

When purchasing an air conditioner, whether it is a commercial, residential, or portable air conditioner, be sure to look at the yellow tags that are required by federal law to be displayed by the manufacturer. These tags show the EER of the air conditioner as well as an estimated annual operating cost for the given unit. Probably the most convenient element of the yellow EnergyGuide tag is a sliding scale which helps you compare different units easily as its EER is plainly displayed on a scale from 10 to 16.9. Consult with a qualified air conditioner technician to determine the correct capacity that you will need to cool the desired area. Also, look at many different models and brands of air conditioners to make sure you find the best possible unit for your needs.

Shawn Hart is an Internet marketing professional for Air-Conditioner-Home. For more information about portable air conditioners and refrigeration visit Air-Conditioner-Home.com.

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Sunday, December 9, 2007

HVAC Training

With strengthening modern technology, HVAC training is more necessary today than ever! While many will train for a career in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) while on the job, more and more employers are now searching for graduates who have successfully completed their post secondary HVAC training to fill the ever-increasing demand for skilled technicians.

In an HVAC training program, students commonly learn to read blueprints; they also learn about safety issues, tools of the trade, designs, equipment construction, electronics, and the installation, maintenance and repair of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as heating and refrigeration systems. Additional coursework may include applied physics, chemistry, computer applications, electronics, and mechanical drawing.

A suitable HVAC training program is usually administered at a vocational or trade school, but there are some online HVAC schools, as well. Students are taught how to troubleshoot, repair and maintain heating, ventilation and air conditioning mechanisms and entire systems. Future HVAC technicians may evaluate settings and adjust system controls, test equipment, install fuel or water lines, and install air ducts, pumps, vent systems and other associated parts. In addition, prospective technicians learn how to connect electrical wiring and other components necessary for optimum HVAC operation.

Students who complete in HVAC training may earn a certificate or college credits. Furthermore, those who have fulfilled requirements for becoming an HVAC technician can expect a promising career outlook as the projected rate of available jobs is increasing more rapidly than many other occupations. While earnings vary, the top ten percent of HVAC technicians make more than $27 per hour.

If you would like to learn more about HVAC Training and HVAC Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find HVAC Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

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