The middle weeks of August are some of the hottest weeks of the yearsummer. The entire week can bring high temperatures and can increase the use of air conditioners. ENEA, the National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development, offers 14 quality indicators for air conditioning.
According to an Istat study, it has a summer ventilation system that during the hot months the air conditioners are turned on for an average of six hours and 17 minutes a day. Families living in small towns are the main users and use it every day with many family members. In 56% of cases, the system consists of heat pump mono-splits, 24% instead of using old air conditioners that only provide cold, 20% centralized and autonomous systems.
“Not all used for cooling are the same: thanks to their high quality, high-efficiency heat pump air conditioners require less energy than traditional air conditioners, reducing bills and helping to reduce CO2 emissions and environmental impact”, explains Nicolandrea Calabrese, responsible for the ENEA Energy Efficiency Laboratory in buildings and urban development. “We have to think about the need to be able to use the same system for heating and cooling. If combined with photovoltaic systems for the production of electricity, they show a good solution Technology for the construction of zero-emission buildings required by the new EU EPBD Directive and to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal”.
The 14 tips for the efficient use of air conditioners are what ENEA technicians recommend to use when using heat pumps for summer air conditioning, in order to increase environmental benefits and energy conservation.
Keep safe
Like any other home appliance, an air conditioner needs to be cleaned and maintained to function properly. Also, it is important to check the stability of the gas circuit. If the air conditioner is not properly maintained, it works under pressure, consuming electricity up to 30% more than the limits of the factory.
The law provides for the responsibility of the system book and periodic reviews for systems with a power greater than 12 kW for summers and 10 kW for winters. In addition to the energy aspect, it is important to draw out the waste and bacteria that damage the environment that are often found in air filters and fans. Physical healthincluding the deadly legionella bacteria.
Listen to the energy table
The choice of air conditioning shows a great demand for reducing the use and reducing the cost of the bill. Apart from the technology, for low consumption and CO2 emissions, the features in the energy class are better than A. added energy consumption in other ways such as standby. For example, class A+++ consumes 40% more electricity than class B.
Choose inverter technology
In an air conditioner with an inverter control system, the speed of the compressor is constantly adjusted and this can work best in the conditions of use, changing the cooling power and the heat provided. real needs. These models, especially if you plan to keep the air on for many hours at a time, are more expensive than those equipped with on-off technology, but they have low usage. in energy, noise is reduced and ensures greater comfort in the environments served.
Be aware of incentives
For purchases made by 31 December 2024, the “bonus air conditioning” allows you to benefit from a tax reduction of 50% or 65%, depending on the work done and the type of items sold:
Discounts
50%: Purchase of air conditioners manufactured as part of construction works for renovation or special maintenance, At 65% purchase of hot air conditioners to replace a basement .
Check the area carefully
During the installation it is important to place the air on the upper side of the wall: the cold air falls and mixes easily with the hot air that rises. Avoid placing the air behind sofas or curtains: the protective effect prevents the spread of fresh air.
Close the doors during the hottest hours
It is common to leave the shutters open when you are not at home, allowing heat to enter through the windows. Turning on the air conditioner when he gets home, he realizes the need for high energy to cool the rooms. Closing the windows, lowering the shutters or protecting the windows with curtains during the middle hours of hot summer days will allow you to reduce the amount of sunlight in the home and, for then, the energy needed by the air.
Don’t make the room too cold and be careful with the water
According to the law, the indoor temperature should not fall below 24-26 degrees centigrade, but most of the time, it is two or three degrees lower than the outside temperature. Often, to prevent the feeling of heat stress, it may be enough to activate the “dehumidification” function, because the humidity of the air is found to be higher than the real thing.
One air conditioner per room
Installing a more powerful air conditioner in the hallway thinking that it will cool the whole house is pointless: the only result is getting cold every time you go to the way to go from one room to another, that’s all. environment make it cool.
Close doors and windows
Air conditioning cools and cools the installed environment by transferring heat and humidity to the outside. The entry of fresh hot air into the room forces the equipment to work a Work accessory to return temperature and humidity to desired levels, including energy consumption. Windows should be opened during the cool hours of the night if the air conditioner is not running.
Connect refrigerant circuit pipes outside the home
To prevent unnecessary losses, it is necessary to isolate the refrigerant circuit pipes outside the home. It is also necessary to make sure that the outside of the air conditioner is not seen Day and the atmosphere.
Use programmable thermostats
Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature and use cooling programs to maximize energy use when you’re away at night. Thanks to these actions, it is possible to reduce the time the device is turned on and increase comfort. Also, they allow you to turn the air conditioner on and off remotely and keep it running only for the time you need it. The nocturnal or sleep function adjusts the temperature of the room at night in order to respond to changes in body temperature.
Reduce heat inputs from appliances
During the hottest hours, limit the use of appliances (computertelevision, appliances, lights) to increase the temperature inside the home.
Evaluate the combination of heat pump and photovoltaic
A high benefit can be obtained by combining the heating system with a photovoltaic system that can cover the electricity consumption necessary for the operation of the machine. It is important to combine the operation of the air conditioner with the product of the system, especially during the middle hours of the day.
Look at your home
Applying a technique to achieve the energy efficiency of the building is the first step to assess the condition of the thermal insulation of the walls and windows and the efficiency of the ventilation systems. The indicator will show the actions to be implemented, evaluating the cost-benefit ratio. In addition to reducing the costs for the air conditioning of the rooms up to 40%, the tasks are much easier if you use the tax credits to improve the energy of the buildings.
Know your system
In fact, in order to improve performance and prevent energy loss, it is necessary to know how the heat pumps work, which can be well-rested and sustainable. Heat pumps can transfer heat from a low temperature source (ambient air, waterfall, soil) in a high temperature environment (for this reason they are called “pumps”) with an unlimited supply of energy provided in the form of electricity. Variable machines, thanks to the ability to turn the circle, can work in cooling mode, moving the heat from inside the house to outside. It works like a refrigerator that doesn’t “create” cold, but transfers heat from the inside to the outside.
To understand if the heat equation is good, two values must be considered: the COP (Coefficient of Performance) for winter operation and the EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) for summer operation. These statistics show the relationship between the energy supplied and the electrical energy consumed: for example, if the heat pump has a COP equal to 4 (high efficiency), that is, for that this unit of electricity is consumed to transfer four units of heat. So it is clear, the higher the COP and the EER value, the better the air quality and, therefore, the lower the consumption on the bill, when the right conditions are left and accuracy of use.