If you are thinking about purchasing a portable air conditioner there are some things to consider and some tips to really think about before making that final decision. Obviously style and color will play a part in this decision, but it should not be the main reason for buying it. You will find below some hints and tips that you may not have been aware of, that will hopefully help you in your decision.
Probably the most important thing you are looking for in your portable air conditioner is that the BTU suits the size of the room you are looking to use it in. The BTU, (British Thermal Unit), simply is the amount of energy needed to heat or cool the room. If you get this wrong you will either be spending money on BTU's that are not needed or your room is not being cooled adequately.
Once you know the square footage or even the room measurements, the BTU can easily be calculated. So, for example, if the room has a square foot of 200, you would need a portable air conditioner with a BTU of 8,000. BTU will be displayed clearly on the appliance. The room location and type of room will also play a part in choosing the correct BTU. If the room is in full sun most of the day it would be better to get a higher BTU. Also if you plan on using it in the kitchen, a higher BTU would work better, due to the use of ovens and hobs.
Something else that you need to think of is what is going to happen to the condensation that will invariably be created during the air conditioning process. Generally in portable air conditioners there are 2 different ways to combat this. There is the non-drip and the drip models. Drips models slowly drain the moisture away into a bucket that needs to be emptied periodically, depending on how much you use the unit. The non-drip method evaporates the excess moisture back into the air. The non-drip method provides better cooling because of the recycling of the moisture but they tend to be more expensive.
Now you have thought about how to get rid of the moisture produced by the unit, you need to think about how you are going to get rid of the heat produced. Generally there are 2 different ways of doing this; ducted or remote condenser. Ducted condensers, have a duct built into the rear of the unit in which they can blow out the hot conditioned air. It is important to place this type of unit on or near a window to expel the hot air. Remote condensers have tubing that can be hung out of a window or opening so you do not need the air conditioner that close to the window itself.
Lastly but not least, cost and energy efficiency should play a part when choosing your model. Try and choose a model with a high energy rating efficiency. This will tend to cost more but is much more environmentally sound. It will also save you money on your energy bills. Always check the energy rating label on the unit itself, this will give you a good indication of how energy efficient it is.
Probably the most important thing you are looking for in your portable air conditioner is that the BTU suits the size of the room you are looking to use it in. The BTU, (British Thermal Unit), simply is the amount of energy needed to heat or cool the room. If you get this wrong you will either be spending money on BTU's that are not needed or your room is not being cooled adequately.
Once you know the square footage or even the room measurements, the BTU can easily be calculated. So, for example, if the room has a square foot of 200, you would need a portable air conditioner with a BTU of 8,000. BTU will be displayed clearly on the appliance. The room location and type of room will also play a part in choosing the correct BTU. If the room is in full sun most of the day it would be better to get a higher BTU. Also if you plan on using it in the kitchen, a higher BTU would work better, due to the use of ovens and hobs.
Something else that you need to think of is what is going to happen to the condensation that will invariably be created during the air conditioning process. Generally in portable air conditioners there are 2 different ways to combat this. There is the non-drip and the drip models. Drips models slowly drain the moisture away into a bucket that needs to be emptied periodically, depending on how much you use the unit. The non-drip method evaporates the excess moisture back into the air. The non-drip method provides better cooling because of the recycling of the moisture but they tend to be more expensive.
Now you have thought about how to get rid of the moisture produced by the unit, you need to think about how you are going to get rid of the heat produced. Generally there are 2 different ways of doing this; ducted or remote condenser. Ducted condensers, have a duct built into the rear of the unit in which they can blow out the hot conditioned air. It is important to place this type of unit on or near a window to expel the hot air. Remote condensers have tubing that can be hung out of a window or opening so you do not need the air conditioner that close to the window itself.
Lastly but not least, cost and energy efficiency should play a part when choosing your model. Try and choose a model with a high energy rating efficiency. This will tend to cost more but is much more environmentally sound. It will also save you money on your energy bills. Always check the energy rating label on the unit itself, this will give you a good indication of how energy efficient it is.
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