6
votes
How much temperature reduction will I get from a green grass-covered roof?
Green roofs help reduce heat significantly. For example in this study
Mean daily temperature reductions achieved were 18.0 °C at the soil surface and 27.5 °C below the module
and this EPA study ...
- 14.5k
5
votes
Choice between Expanded or Extruded Polystyrene Insulation Boards
This article describes the difference:
EPS is formed as beads (as used in cushions) then heated and pressed together
XPS is formed as a sheet or whatever final shape is desired.
So EPS will break up ...
- 3,875
5
votes
Accepted
Why refrigerant cooler is more popular than evaporative cooler?
You have to also consider the climate where each type of cooler will be used and how each type of cooler works.
Refrigeration coolers transfer heat from inside a building to the outside. However, the ...
- 3,517
5
votes
What is an easy way to cool off during the summer without electricity?
I developed a simple strategy suitable for living in a flat that is not on the top floor:
When you wake up, close all windows and put the blindfolds down. This allows to prevent sun rays and hot air ...
- 237
5
votes
What is an easy way to cool off during the summer without electricity?
I am in Thailand now, it is the hottest time of year, relentless 40C and sun every day. No air conditioning.
I survive by staying indoors during the hottest time of day, getting my clothes wet. ...
- 279
5
votes
Accepted
Flying vs heating and cooling
Firstly, you have to notice that heating is not optional, it's mandatory. If you leave a home unheated, the water pipes will freeze.
So you could perhaps reduce half of the heating bill.
Where I live, ...
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4
votes
What is an easy way to cool off during the summer without electricity?
To keep body cool on hottest summer days, I use wet tee-shirt so as to mimic body's natural cooling system e.g. transpiration. Vaporisation of water really helps to feel good even under full sun. For ...
- 141
4
votes
Accepted
Most sustainable way to cool a dorm-room
The best eco-friendly energy is the one you do not use.
So one of the solution I propose is you heat your dorm room as little possible in order to avoid having to cool it down:
Do not cook in there....
- 1,407
4
votes
Accepted
What techniques or solutions are available for reducing heat absorption by walls?
A solution is to grow vegetation along your wall. Here in Europe we see some mansions with huge vines or ivy.
It can be beautiful. Not sure what kind of vines you can grow in your place, but it's ...
- 1,407
4
votes
Accepted
Can I use a "normal" thermometer in a refrigerator?
A properly made normal thermometer will function perfectly well in a refrigerator, as you describe.
As with all mercury based thermometers be careful not to break it. Cleaning up and then dealing with ...
- 3,517
4
votes
Accepted
Efficiently freezing an ice pack once per 48 hours
Some years ago I read of an off-grid farmstead in Australia that used a conventional chest freezer as a refrigerator. The way he did it was to use a probe and temperature controlled relay to turn the ...
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3
votes
Accepted
How can I stop using HFC refrigerants?
Background
Legislation mandating alternatives
To control emissions of HFCs and other fluorinated gases (F-gases), Europe has two pieces of legislation: the F-gas regulation and the Mobile Air-...
- 11.8k
3
votes
Accepted
What will happen if I leave my freezer off most of the time?
Having shut off many fridges and freezers for storage, I can tell you exactly what happens and why.
It will quickly become contaminated with mold
The interior of a freezer has some plastic "skin&...
3
votes
Accepted
How to get a small volume of freezer capacity with high efficiency and low cost?
One way to increase the efficiency of an upright refrigerator or freezer is to fill up all of the "unused" airspace with something that won't flow out of the unit every time your open the ...
- 1,603
3
votes
How do I keep my room on the first floor cool all day and night?
If you can't re-insulate the whole house it might be possible to insulate just your room. Since you're already using an air conditioner the lack of effective thermal mass once you do that shouldn't ...
- 3,875
3
votes
Notifications for outside temperature negating need for air conditioning
Be aware it is not temperature only. If you fill the house up with water saturated air then you use electricity to condense the water out of the air when you turn the AC back on. Nominally you want ...
- 384
3
votes
Notifications for outside temperature negating need for air conditioning
This doesn't use a notifiction service, it just replaces a dumb system with a slightly smarter one.
Ebay has lots of 20 buck gadgets that have a remote sensor and have a relay to control 5 to 15 A of ...
- 7,207
3
votes
Accepted
Effects of refrigerating vegetables that I'm supposed to freeze
Bacteria grow well at temperatures between 4 C and 60 C, generally, the warmer the better for the bacteria.
Generally refrigerators are set to operate at temperatures around 4 C. Freezers operate at ...
- 3,517
2
votes
How do I get airflow through my building
When I was living in France a lot of the houses had a similar sort of look and layout to yours, but the doors were a lot larger, which allowed a lot more airflow to get through one we'd opened them, ...
- 71
2
votes
Why do similar buildings use different types of cooling methods and which one is more environment friendly?
I am not sure whether any of it could be considered environment friendly since they both use electricity. You may choose one over other in terms of efficiency but at the end how does the energy is ...
- 121
2
votes
Excavating holes for cooling during summer nights
You may wish to research "dew ponds" and "air wells" — they all rely on the same fundamental physics.
The phenomenon works primarily because the large diameter, relatively shallow depth, and lack of ...
- 2,804
2
votes
How to get a small volume of freezer capacity with high efficiency and low cost?
So if you only need a small capacity and high energy efficiency, one model that is popular in the sailing community is https://engelcoolers.com/
They have a reputation for efficiency. Can be used with ...
- 246
2
votes
Accepted
How does the EPA estimate annual power consumption for refrigerators?
10 CFR 430.32 - Energy and water conservation standards and their effective dates is the U.S. government standard defining (among other things) how energy consumption of refrigerators is to be tested. ...
- 11.8k
2
votes
Accepted
Why do the best energy star freezers have higher capacity and lower rated power consumption than the best refrigerators?
Although it seems logical that a refrigerator would be more efficient since it doesn't have to keep things as cold, there are a few different factors affecting real-world performance.
Freezers are ...
- 11.8k
2
votes
Accepted
Where in the US water system does most chilling occur?
Nutshell answer: Residential use: nil.
Commercial use: Significant. Any reasonably large building has a larger problem getting rid of extra heat compared to heating. All those lights and photo-...
- 7,207
2
votes
Accepted
Can window films be fully removed from a window?
Window film can be removed, but it takes some effort.
The film needs to be softened with ammonia, heated with a blow dryer & carefully peeled from the one of the corners. A razor blade could be ...
- 3,517
2
votes
Accepted
What kind of refrigerant should I look for in a residential air conditioner?
When I bought a portable air conditioner unit, I was happy to see some genuine progress made in the refrigerants.
Long time ago, I bought my older portable air conditioner unit and it used R410a as ...
- 4,786
2
votes
Why not use condensate from a split-unit air conditioner to improve cooling efficiency?
Yes, indeed, all AC units have condensing water on the evaporator. One way to get rid of it is simply a pipe where it is discarded to a sewer or discarded outdoors.
In units that are not designed to ...
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