Making the Most of Your Portable Room Air Conditioners
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In the middle of the summer, there is nothing better than walking into an air conditioned room that is cool and inviting rather than sitting in a hot, sticky room that feels as if there is no air flow whatsoever. What happens though if that room has tiny windows such as a finished basement? What about the room that has so many windows that no amount of air conditioning works such as a sunroom? For those rooms, you may need to look at one of the latest advances in air conditioning technology known as portable room air conditioners.
Portable room air conditioners are wonderful for rooms that do not or cannot have a window unit or do not cool down as well even with central air conditioners. Made with casters on the bottom for easy movement, a portable cooling unit not only works as an air conditioner but as a dehumidifier as well as a regular fan. They are extremely easy to use because there is barely any installation needed. A simple exhaust tube through the window along with the foam insert around the tube to keep out warm air and you are ready to go.
Appropriate BTU's and Room Size for Portable Room Air Conditioners
The amounts of BTU's that are needed for each individual room vary as compared to typical window units. For example, if you have a 300 square foot room, you would usually need an 8,000 BTU window unit, but if you are looking at portable room air conditioners you should purchase one that is about 10,000 BTU's because they do not cool off the same size room with the same power. The rule of thumb is that you should go between 2,000 and 3,000 BTU's higher than an average window unit air conditioner. So for a 150 sq ft room you would need 7,500 BTU's, a 200 sq ft room would need 9,000 BTU's and a 350 to 400 sq ft room would require about 12,000 BTU's.
What do Portable Room Air Conditioners Cost To Run?
Most people when they consider getting a portable room air conditioner are more concerned with how much it costs to run, rather than how much it costs to buy. They often think that it costs more than a standard window unit air conditioner when it fact, it is exactly the same. If you are running a 12,000 BTU window unit, you are using almost exactly the same amount of wattage to run a 12,000 BTU portable room air conditioner. That of course is not to say that all air conditioners run the same, but your concern should be with the amps and volts that are used rather than whether it is portable or window. Your best bet with any air conditioning unit is to buy one that is Energy Star rated which means it takes less energy to run and therefore will keep the cost of your electric bill down.
How to Save Money with Mobile Room Air Conditioning Units
There are ways to cut down your overall costs with portable room air conditioners. Because they are mobile and able to move around, you are able to buy just one unit rather than having one in each room. If you know you are only going to be using it in the room that you are in, it is easy enough to just roll it into the next room rather than having a window unit in your bedroom, your living room, your dining room and any other room. Another tip to save money is to just turn it off when you are not in the house. By leaving it running you are just adding to your electric bill and considering they can cool down a room quickly, it just isn't necessary.
Tips for Portable Room Air Conditioners
When buying any portable room air conditioners make sure you always match your BTU size to the room size. With any air conditioners, bigger is not better, although remember that you will need to get more BTU's than if you were to buy a window unit. Make sure any portable unit you buy has sturdy casters or wheels on it to make for easy movement of the unit. An important tip is to look for units that have oscillating louvers or what is known as a multidirectional airflow so that the room cools down quicker. Since they don't produce as much volume as a typical window unit they should also be combined with a traditional ceiling or floor fan to help the cool air move amount easier which will save you money. Lastly, always keep some duct tape on hand for sealing the gaps around the exhaust hose that is needed for the portable room air conditioners. That may happen if you keep it in one room consistently.
Portable Room Air Conditioners
Portable Air Conditioners is meant for cooling a particular area and is not set permanently. They come with hoses for outlet of air. Humidity is also controlled. These appliances are in demand as they are easy to carry, compact in size, and can be installed almost everywhere in a concrete structure. These ACs work best in winters or when the outside temperature is not so hot; they are used as a stop gap solution for periodic cooling mostly in factories or commercial outlets. There must be proper space for ventilation of air as the warm air has to escape into the atmosphere.
