How Much A/C Capacity Are You Wasting?

Everyone likes to save money, but sometimes it is not always apparent where that savings can possibly even come from. Most people are actually paying more on their air conditioning bill than they should be, and that's because it isn't being use to its full capacity. The air conditioning system includes more than just the unit itself. The filter and ducts that rung throughout your home are also part of the system. So are you really doing everything you can to use as much of your air conditioner's capacity as you can? Probably not. Even if you have a system that is 97 percent efficient, there are probably other things you could be doing to save money as well.

For example, as much as 60 percent of your system's operating capacity could be lost simply because the ducts in your home are poorly designed. If the ducts are not designed properly, then even the most efficient air conditioner will not run efficiently. Often an air conditioning system is only as efficient as the ductwork that is connected to it.

So what does it mean if your air conditioning system has unused capacity? The percentage of capacity that goes unused is essentially the amount of cooling the system is potentially able to do because of the type and size of the system it is. However, for some other reason, it isn't living up to its potential. So how do you go about figuring out what is causing your loss in air conditioning capacity? It's always best to call in a professional to determine what is causing the problem. Here are some common causes for lost capacity:

• Poorly designed ducts - As we've already mentioned, ducts that have been poorly designed are probably one of the leading causes for loss of capacity in an air conditioner. There can be any number of design flaws in a system, and only a professional air conditioner technician can spot these flaws.

• Leaking ducts - It may seem like a leak in the ductwork isn't that big of a deal. After all, it's still cold air getting into your home, right? But that air is likely leaking into a part of the home that doesn't actually need it, like the attic or basement. Even if it is leaking into a functioning part of the home, it still means that that area of the house will be cooler than other parts of the house, which will cause your air conditioner to run more, thus losing capacity.

• A unit that is too large or too small for the space. Another big problem for air conditioning systems is having a unit that is not the right size for the space that it serves. Bigger is definitely not better in spaces that are smaller. Check with an air conditioning specialist to find out what size you actually need for your home. It isn't a bad idea to get several opinions either because some salesmen will try to sell you one that is larger than what you actually need. Systems that are too small won't cool properly, and those that are too large will cycle constantly, causing moisture problems inside your home. So do what you can to get a unit that is the right size.

• Lack of insulation - Insulation is meant to keep temperatures in (or out). While most people think of insulation on the exterior walls of their home, there are internal places it can be helpful too, like around the hot water heater and around certain ducts in your home.

Every homeowner can recover some of their air conditioner capacity if they just know what to do.

Time to Have Your Furnace Maintained for Winter   Your Air Conditioning and What You Should Know   Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product   

Geothermal Heating Shows Improved Potential As Capacity Increases

There is great potential for geothermal heating as a clean energy source; however it still appears to be unrealized. Industrial development of large scale Geothermal heating appears to be increasingly supported by global financial markets. An increasing number of countries, including China, Japan, Germany, Italy, Iceland and the US, are assisting in the progress of geothermal development activities around the world. Support is provided in the form of financing, training, sharing of technologies, and geological surveys.

The technology has been around for more than 60 years, but has yet to gain full traction, although it has been proven to be efficient. Heat pumps are the most important components of the geo-exchange system. They are responsible for transferring heat from hot areas to colder areas. In the winter the region about 10 meters below earth`s surface is usually warmer than the ground, and heat is transferred through ethanol filled coils that are buried underground, to heat sinks in the building where they can be used for heating water or other purposes. In the summer the system works in reverse and heat is transferred from the buildings to the ground surfaces.

The increase in geothermal heating projects that are currently being considered or are being developed is in part attributable to the multi-lateral and international support received in new areas. The important question is whether support will continue. In regions such as East Africa, resources for geothermal heating is readily abundant, and support for assessing the feasibility of the resources has helped to develop interest in several other countries. But, there are associated risks and higher costs associate with new projects. Sustained support is needed at the crucial stages of development.

Some electricity is needed to operate a geo-exchange system, but, in the instances of heat transfer, more than 60% of the heat supplied comes from the earth`s surface. This is the main reason why the most effective ground heat exchange systems are almost 50 per cent more productive than natural gas furnaces and greater than 75 per cent better than oil furnaces.

Development appears to be moving faster with hydrothermal reserves that are available along the Ring of Fire. A growing group of European countries are actively enacting new policies to spur the development at the consumer and local levels. In countries such as France, Latvia, Germany and the UK, there are rebate programmes available for the installation of geo-thermal systems.

As a renewable energy source, ground-source-heating can help protect the environment, as less fossil fuel is consumed. The carbon footprint left by maintaining and operating both commercial and residential buildings is greatly reduced. These systems can save homeowners up to 70 per cent in heating costs and they can also save up to 50% in cooling costs when they are used as exchangers in warmer climates. The American Environmental Protection Agency classifies geothermal energy as representing an underused and enormous energy source of power that provides renewable energy in a clean and virtually unlimited supply.

It is now up to industry, and perhaps government or the private sector to pursue development of the potential.

Time to Have Your Furnace Maintained for Winter   Your Air Conditioning and What You Should Know   Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product