People buy portable air conditioners for a variety of reasons. Portable units are used to cool smaller areas of a home or building that are not cooled with central air conditioning. A portable AC unit comes in handy when an addition has been or is being built into a home without enough ventilation. A small unit makes it possible to cool the additional space without adding more to the ventilation system. A small apartment may not require a central AC, or it may even be a waste of energy and money. In this case, a portable unit could be the perfect solution to your cooling needs.
There are a few different issues with which you should be concerned when making a decision on a portable unit. Before you make a purchase, know how much you are prepared to put into it. Once you have an idea of how to fit a portable air conditioner unit into your budget, you can narrow your search by the price. Your next step will be to compare portable air conditioners within your price range. Performing internet searches is the most efficient, convenient way to shorten the list of units that will work for you.
Once you have a budget in mind and have found portable air conditioner units within your price range, you can narrow your list down further by considering the desired features. Portable conditioners come in a variety of makes, appearances, and sizes. The best way to decide on the right size is to measure the area in which you will use the unit. If you purchase an air conditioner that is too small, it won’t do the job you need it to do. Conversely, a portable conditioner that is too large for the area in which it is installed will not do a proper job.
Find a portable unit that is energy efficient. You can learn about energy-efficient air conditioners by reading our reviews on various portable units. Once you know which features to look for, you can make the right decision. The most helpful feature is the BTU power.
Bigger is not always better, and air conditioners are a good example. If you install an AC unit with 8000 BTUs in a room that is only 200 square feet, you will waste energy. However, the same unit in a room that is 450 square feet in the area will be too small to do the work.
In air conditioning, the BTU represents the amount of thermal energy that can be removed from a room or area. You have to know the size of the area in order to make the right choice. The popular belief is that the higher the BTU level is, the better the air conditioner, but that is not how it works. In order to be energy efficient and do the job well, BTU levels of a portable air conditioner should correspond to the size of the room.
If a portable unit with a level of 16,000 BTU is installed in a room that is too small, it will cool the room very quickly, but it will not have time to dehumidify the air in the area. The result will be a room that is colder than you intended or much too humid to be comfortable. A unit that is the correct size will cool the air and dehumidify the air.
BTU levels of portable AC units range from 5,000 to 30,000. Your air conditioner should be as proportional to your living area as any other appliances you have in your home.
The current portable ACs are more functional and have a more pleasing appearance than those in the recent past.
One good example is the AF8000E Portable AC. This unit has a BTU level of 8000 and is made specifically for rooms that are 300 sq ft in size.
A room with windows that allow a great deal of sunlight will require a more powerful air conditioning unit than the same size room without a lot of sun. You can choose an AC with a higher BTU level or invest in light-blocking blinds or curtains. Another important factor is insulation. A room that is well insulated will allow you to get the most energy-efficient cooling. Check the area for air leaks and cracks. Rooms with bad insulation and leaks will never be as cool as they could be, even if you have the right portable air conditioner and the correct BTU level for the size of the room.