How Portable AC Units Work:
Do you live in a building where you are not able to use a standard window air conditioner? Or perhaps you need additional cooling in a separate room. Then portable AC units may solve your cooling challenges. Portable AC Units do not require permanent installation. Portable AC units have caster wheels which makes it very easy to move the unit from room to room.
Warm air, from the room, is drawn in and is cooled by the evaporator coils that contain refrigerant in them. The air circulates around these coils and then is emitted through the front to cool the room. All portable AC units have hoses or tubes to vent the hot air. Most portable air conditioners units come with a window venting kit.
Some portable AC units produce water from condensation. Most units have an internal drain bucket that may need to be emptied every day or so. Some units automatically expel the water, via a pump,outside through a drain hose or tube.
Different Available Features of Portable AC Units:
- Humidifier
- Heater
- Drip models: less expensive because they have small trays that need to be emptied out every 24-48 hours.
- Single Hosed Units: for smaller rooms about 350 – 400 square feet.
- Dual Hosed Units: for larger rooms – one hose exhausts the hot air and the other hose intakes additional air from outside.
- Split Configuration: separate compressor and evaporator
Different Sizes of Portable AC Units:
Portable AC units are made in different BTU (British Thermal Units) sizes. You should know the size of the room that you need to cool.
- Smaller Rooms: up to 100 sq. ft. – 8,000 to 10,000 BTUs
- Large Rooms: Up to 350 sq. ft. - 10,000 to 14,000 BTUs
Make sure you check out ratings and reviews before you buy. Learn what other people think about a certain you may be considering of purchasing. Some portable AC units are quieter than others, if you are sensitive to noise, this is something that you want to know before you purchase.