What is a Portable Air Conditioner?

A portable air conditioner is an appliance that takes in the room air and then redirects it into the room after cooling it. The warm air from the outside is vented via an exhaust pipe that you would have to install in your window. The unit has in built controls that allow you to access settings such as temperature and fan speed.

This is very versatile and simple alternative to window air-conditioners and central HVAC units. A portable air conditioner is specifically designed to cool individual rooms; it has a small footprint and is an excellent option for rooms you don’t need to be cool all the time, or those that don’t have a cooling system. In fact, they can also be used to complement any larger air-conditioning systems you have on your property.

If you live in a rental apartment and are unable to install permanent units, a portable air-conditioner is the ideal option for you. These units also have wheels and a compact design, which makes it easy for you to move to unit from one room to another if necessary; and it can be reinstalled with minimal effort.

The Money Saving Aspect

As mentioned at the outset, these units can either supplement your existing HVAC system or used as an AC replacement. Most property owners are very conscious about the manner in which they use electricity in their homes or commercial establishments. In the warmer months, the air-conditioning unit is run for a longer period of time and you find your utility bills soaring during this time.

Fortunately, you can use a portable air-conditioning unit to cool individual rooms in your house and will notice a significant reduction in your energy bills. Here is a detailed look at how you benefit

Portable Air-Conditioning Units are Money Savers

1. Cools One Single Room at a Time

Regardless of whether you live in a large home or studio apartment, installing a portable air conditioner can help reduce cooling costs, as it targets one room at a time, rather than maintaining the temperature of your entire house at a standard level. In smaller apartments, these units can be used in place of central HVAC units as well.

In larger structures, the unit can be moved from one room to another as required. For instance, if you want air-conditioning in your bedroom, on particularly warm summer days, you can use this unit in that area at night; in the day time, the unit can be moved into your home office or any other space as required. When you cool only one room at a time, you end up using far less energy which helps reduce your energy bills.

2. Supplement Your Existing Unit

There are 2 primary reasons why you may want to consider operating a portable air conditioner in addition to your existing central HVAC system. It helps you keep your costs at manageable levels right round the year and you can cool one room in a more effective manner when the weather is too hot.

If you run the central unit on your property all year round, you aren’t going to be too happy with the way your utility bills look at the end of every month.  However, when you have a portable unit, you can operate the central system at a higher temperature and then use the former to maintain a cooler temperature in a specific area or room.

You may sometimes find that you want your bedroom to be cooler than the rest of the house, but don’t want to lower the temperature of the central unit just to accommodate that single room. You should consider placing a portable air conditioner in the bedroom, so you won’t have to pay to cool the entire house to that lower temperature.

3. Interesting Features

Most modern and advanced portable units come with various interesting features that help reduce costs. For instance, many of these systems have programmable timers that allow you to operate the units in the manner you want, right through the day. You can set the timers to run the unit at lower temperatures when you’re at home, and then raise the temperature when you are out. You can program these units to power on just an hour before you get back home and will have a very cool and comfortable space to return too, instead of a claustrophobic and stifling one.

4. Dual Functionality

While most people need these units only for cooling their homes, portable air-conditioning units are able to do much more. You can also find models that serve as heaters in the colder months, have a dehumidifier function for rainy weather and a fan function for days on which you only want some ventilation in the room. If you live in a region that experiences temperature swings across the seasons, you may want to consider investing in a portable air conditioner to accommodate these climatic changes.

5. Use It To Replace Your HVAC Unit

A portable air conditioner runs far more efficiently than a standard central unit; which means you don’t have to burn a hole in your pocket to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature in your home. A central HVAC system can significantly up your utility bills. So even if you have this installation in your home, investing in a portable unit can prove to be major cost saving. In some apartments, a central AC isn’t an option and a portable or window unit is the only solution. A portable unit is far more convenient and cheaper than a window unit and doesn’t require any special installations, so you save on those costs as well.

In Closing

Regardless of which way you look at it, opting for a portable air-conditioner can save you a significant amount of money, trouble of installation and maintenance. You can use it to complement an existing system or to replace it altogether. Look for wholesale air conditioner units that have features such as a programmable thermostat as that too saves you a considerable amount of money. If you feel you may need the room dehumidifying/heating functions, choose models that offer those.

Note- Before purchasing a portable air-conditioning unit, check whether your window’s structure would be able to accommodate it. These Units fit varying window sizes and the ones designed specifically for single/double-hung as well as sliding windows won’t be compatible with casement windows that open by swinging outward.