How To Buy Portable Air Conditioners

How does a portable air conditioner work?

Portable air conditioners operate just like conventional window air conditioner units. The difference is portable ACs come with an exhaust hose that directs the hot air from the back of the unit through a window or a cut out in a wall.  The window air conditioner units don't have this feature because they are mounted on the outside window. Most portable air conditioning units have a water reservoir that collects the condensation from the air. These types of units will need to be emptied once or twice a day depending on your humidity. We recommend purchasing an air conditioning unit that has a built in water pump to minimize the need to empty the reservoir daily. We recommend the following brands:  Danby, Sunpentown and Alen™ portable air conditioners.

How do you size a Portable Air Conditioner?

Portable air conditioners are rated by BTUs (British Thermal Units) of heat they can remove per hour. Another common rating term for air conditioning size is the "ton," which is 12,000 Btu per hour. We recommend choosing an air conditioner that is at least 12,000 BTUs for a room size of 300 to 400 square feet. It is always best to purchase a unit that is higher than what is rated for your room in case you have a really hot day.  If you had purchased a unit that is just right for your room, the unit may not be sufficient during high temperature extremes.  The size of your air conditioning unit also depends on many factors such as how much shade you receive, how much insulation is in your home's ceiling and walls and size of the room to be cooled.  For more information, visit the air conditioner buying guide.

What does a mini-split air conditioner do?

Mini-Split air conditioners are extremely quiet and do an excellent job in providing heating and cooling to rooms where the central air system is not sufficient or is not practical to install such as for a room addition.  Mini-Split ACs function exactly like your HVAC system at home.  It is designed to operate efficiently and quietly while providing adequate cooling for your room.  Main drawback is the cost of installation.

For more information, please visit our sister site for portable air conditioners and mini-split air conditioners.