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[P535]Portable Air Conditioner And Heater

by Peter Pantora, Pet

The best thing about portable air conditioner is the fact that you can move the unit from room to room and there is no need for permanent installation. Take note that you still need to vent your portable air conditioner through a wall or a window at least. And once you have placed your AC to the desired location the exhaust hose must be setup and positioned before you can start using the unit. Don't worry about this part because portable air conditioners are very easy to maintain.

Some of the usual maintenance requirements in many portable air conditioners are initial venting, water drainage, cleaning as well as replacing the filters.

The first thing that should be maintained is the venting. Although setting up a portable air conditioner is very simple however, the exhaust hose is still required to be vented out together with a venting kit. These kits are already included when you purchased the portable unit and these slide effortlessly into a window. On the other hand, the exhaust hose should be fitted into the correct space in the window kit then you can start using the air conditioner.

Second, you should regularly maintain the water drainage. Once your air conditioner starts cooling the air, moisture or water is removed. Actually, it is this same moisture that is also used to cool the actual unit leading to a more effective way of cooling. But for humid climates, you will find that there is some water collected. Various portable air conditioners are designed differently hence they also deal with condensate water in varying ways. Some portable air conditioners require that you regularly empty the water buckets while with the other type of air conditioners you don't need to bother with emptying the cup every now and then. Remember this will all depend on how the portable air conditioner was designed.

Third, just like the standard air conditioner, cleaning as well as replacing air filters are needed to maintain the good condition of portable units. Most portable air conditioners will include a kind of washable air filter. It is this filter that removes the dust or particulates from the air inside a room. There are other more advanced units which have a built-in air purifier together with ionizers for certain particles and carbon filters to remove the odor or for gas control.

Since it is the filter that keeps the particles off the cooled air inside a room, it is important that you regularly clean or change the air filter in the portable air conditioner. This way you will get a healthier, allergy-free and a better breathable room. The same thing with the unit through regular cleaning or replacement of the filter, you maintain the proper functionality of the portable air conditioner. You can schedule the cleaning of your air filter on a weekly or monthly basis depending on how often you use your unit.

These are just some of the ways on how you can take better care of your portable air conditioner. If you can follow these tips regularly, the longer you can use your air conditioner.

A portable air conditioner is a self contained unit, usually about 30 inches tall and about 80 pounds in weight. The best thing is that it doesn't require any installation: it stands on the floor and you don't have to fit it in your window or your wall. Most mobile A/C units have little wheels, so you can easily move them around.

Portable A/C pros:

- you can move your portable unit from room to room, so there is no need to buy a window-mounted air conditioner for each room
- you don't have to block your window or make holes in your wall - a portable air conditioner is ready to use as soon as you unpack it
- using a mobile air conditioner to cool only one room instead of switching on a central system saves you a lot on energy bills

Parable air conditioner cons:

- a portable unit costs slightly more than a window air conditioner with a similar cooling capacity
- comparable to central air conditioning and mini-split systems (where the compressor is outside), portable A/C is loud. If noise is an issue, look at the reviews of several portable units and select the one that makes the least noise.

Is portable A/C effective in cooling large rooms?

That depends on the size of your unit. Small portable units with cooling capacities of about 8000 BTU are perfect for a 300 sq. foot room, while larger 24000 BTU air conditioners can effectively cool a 1000 sq. foot room. So, as you can see, a properly sized mobile air conditioner can do a good job even in a very large room. However, you should know that larger doesn't necessarily mean better. An air conditioner that is too large will consume more energy and won't cool your room effectively, because it will stop and start constantly.

Portable air conditioner energy efficiency.

Everybody knows that air conditioners chew a lot of energy, so energy efficiency is a big issue. However, recent developments in technology allow manufacturers to produce very efficient air conditioners. A few years ago an EER (energy efficiency ratio) of 6 or 7 was considered good. Now the standard is 12 or higher.

Modern portable air conditioners are as energy efficient as window or mini split units. To select the most efficient air conditioner, look at its EER - the higher, the better. Also choose a unit with an Energy Star. The Energy Star means that an air conditioner meets energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

How affordable is a mobile air conditioner?

You might be surprised to learn that portable A/C is not too expensive. The prices have gone down significantly, in recent years, and now you can buy a good unit from around $300. Of course, air conditioners with a larger cooling capacity cost more, and so do those with higher energy efficiency ratings. However, when it comes to paying more for a more efficient unit, you actually save money because your energy bill will be lower.

To conclude, if you don't have air conditioning and don't feel like investing in a central system, a portable air conditioner can be a great alternative. And if you have a central A/C, it's still a good idea to have a portable unit for cooling just the room you are in, instead of the entire house. It can significantly reduce your bills.

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Both Peter Pantora & Tatyana Turner are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Peter Pantora has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Home Management and Finances. Find more information about by visiting. Peter Pantora's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.

Tatyana Turner has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Acne Treatment and Home. Find consumer information about and. Tatyana Turner's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.