Once upon a time, air conditioning and England wouldn’t have shared space in a sentence. But times have changed, the globe is warming, and suddenly, unfortunately, such things need to be considered. During the hazy, hot summer days, the comforting cold air provided by air-conditioning units can be bliss. What’s more, owning a portable air conditioner can be more energy efficient than installing a central system and their dehumidifying capabilities can be useful for those with respiratory issues. The plethora of choice, configuration and specification can be intimidating, however, so with this in mind, here are 6 IDEAL things to consider before buying a portable AC.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION & GREEN CREDENTIALS
First things first. The environmental impact that air conditioning units can have shouldn’t be overlooked. Therefore, it’s imperative that we need to be fiscal when it comes to cooling and consider the effects it has. Naturally, buying an eco-friendly portable AC is essential. Check its Energy Efficiency Ratio to find the most suitable. An AC’s EER tells how much power it consumes from the amount of BTUs required for every power watt. Therefore, high EER equals high energy use. Whenever that can be avoided, it should be.
YOUR ROOM SIZE
Simply put, different portable ACs work for different room sizes. While some can cool large rooms, others only have the power to cool smaller spaces. Most portable ACs, however, cannot reach every corner of your house but rather focus on single, separate rooms. When buying one of these ACs therefore, find one that is appropriate for the size of your room. Those aforementioned BTUs are best used to measure the power of portable ACs and they will guide you in finding the best one. In layman’s terms, a portable AC with high BTUs is ideal for larger rooms. Also, check if the manufacturer has indicated the room size suited for that portable AC and if specified, find one that fits your space.
MAINTENANCE LEVEL
A portable AC with low maintenance requirement is far more hassle free than one requiring bi-annual services, saving you time and money in the process. Cleaning filters and draining out the water collected during the cooling process should be the only maintenance required for such a unit. Some portable ACs even have self-evaporative features that automatically eliminates moisture thus making maintenance even easier.
NOISE
Portable ACs can be very noisy. If you need one for your office or you prefer a less noisy environment, there are various quite models available. Check the decibel levels of these ACs to find one that you are comfortable with. The least intrusive models that exist in the market have, at most, 45dBs.
USABILITY
The good news is; portable ACs are not difficult to operate. However, tasks such as maintenance and settings can be complicated in some models. Before getting a portable AC, know how much of the maintenance and operation work you can handle and find one that works for you. Buy a model that you can comfortably set to perform as you wish and one that you can maintain with ease.
PLACEMENT
Portable ACs should be placed near a window to allow the hot air coming out of it to flow outside. They have a venting kit that releases hot air, and the manual gives instructions on how and where to position it. If you do not want your portable AC near your window, find a model with a flexible window kit that can extend to a much wider width. Some models also have room for an extension hose that will let you place it in a spot you find fit.