Tips for Going Portable

You’ve isolated where your cooling needs are and you’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no point in refrigerating the whole house when most of your time spent there is in just one or two areas. Plus, problems with that older, ductless home have you scrambling for a solution to chill down the 100-Degree Home Office.

Whatever your ventilation dilemma, consider the following tips for selecting a portable A/C unit:

1. Calculate Your Needed BTUs – First, calculate the square footage of the space you want to cool. Then, take a look at the various BTUs (British Thermal Units) generated by different cooling devices. More does not always mean better, as those that crank out more BTUs will also necessarily use more power. And what’s the point of wasting power when a chief reason for going portable is to cut back on wasted energy costs?
2. Careful About Multi-Tasking – That combination dehumidifier and A/C unit may have a lot of bullet-pointed bells and whistles, but some combo units – especially ones with both heating and cooling features – aren’t sufficiently one thing or the other. Best to stick to a one-horse A/C unit that can also give you some dehumidifying power, since those functions are more closely related than heat and A/C.
3. Single or Dual Hose – Single-hose exhaust units draw air from the room to be cooled, while directing warmer air and moisture out of doors. The resulting negative air pressure can pull in warmer air through window cracks and gaps, making the unit work harder. Dual-hose systems use two hoses to take in air – one returns air back into the room, while the other empties it outside, making this kind of unit ideal for larger spaces.
4. Monitor Noise Levels – Some units run quieter than others, a consideration that might seem minor – until that important phone meeting on a sweltering day has you choosing between ambient comforts and paying attention to the boss.
5. High or Low Maintenance – All portable units will generate moisture, which either collects in a tank that needs to be emptied, or is expelled through an exhaust hose. Check out the features of prospective units to see which will be more convenient for you.

Portable cooling should be both convenient and cost-effective. Let us know how AC World can help.