An Introduction
An air conditioner is required to keep a room cool during the hot summer. However, whether you should look at window air conditioners or portable ones is usually less evident. Recent advancements in the portable AC market have brought the finest models much closer to window units in terms of performance. Portables offer a few more distinct advantages that may make them worthwhile to consider. Here's how to pick between a portable and a window air conditioner.
What Is Portable AC?
The name gave it away, and the Portable AC can be carried anywhere. The small and compact size of the AC eliminates the hassle of heavy and permanent installation. However, you will have to duct it to exhaust the air out of the room along with some power cables.
Unlike conventional air conditioner such as the split AC, they need a significant amount of installation and operation and needs a few ducts that you can carry from one to the other depending on your needs.
The portable air conditioner operates by extracting the hot air from the room, and with the help of the evaporating coils, refrigerant, a fan, and compressor, the AC will dehumidify and cool down the air, then spits out the cool air back into the room.
- The window unit cannot be lifted into place.
Most window air conditioners weigh 50 to 80 pounds and may be challenging to install, especially for a single person. Although portable air conditioners are typically the same weight as window units, they also move on rollers, making them simpler to shift from room to room or into and out of storage by a single individual.
- You don't need an air conditioner the size of the Incredible Hulk.
Portable air conditioners have a long history of being underpowered. As a result, people often purchase an undersized portable and replace it with something more significant. We advocate calculating conservatively and maybe oversizing the portable to the area; that way, you'll be more likely to obtain the performance you want on hot days, and on humid days, you can use the portable in the form of non-cooling dehumidifier.
- You wish to use the windows.
Window AC units are tough to install and take up half of your window space, so once they're in, they're likely to stay for the season, obscuring the light and view from that window. While there may be a time when you want to convert your bedroom into a cold, dark cave, you don't want to do so for four months. A portable device makes it easy to open the window and bring in some fresh air. In other words, portable AC will not be a hassle for you to relocate it to anywhere else.
- You have some extra floor space.
Instead of window units, portable air conditioners are installed within the cooled room. While they are generally eyesores that take up precious floor space, in an empty room, this may not matter much. In addition, their design allows for positional flexibility since the air may be directed in several directions rather than constantly flowing straight out the window. However, portable devices must be placed near a window—most expandable exhaust pipes have a maximum length of around six feet, and manufacturers recommend keeping the tube as short and straight as possible.
- You wish to add to a central HVAC system.
If you don't want to blow off your whole home overnight to cool down your bedroom, or if you have a garage workshop, attic area, or sunroom that isn't in sync with the rest of the house's HVAC, a portable might be a good option. (A mini-split system may, too.) With a portable AC on hand as a backup, you're also prepared for a quick repair if your system requires servicing during a heat wave.
- Cut Back On Electricity Costs
Portable AC is smaller than the conventional AC, you may think it is bad, but it is good. Compared to having a cool house, portable AC can be used for cooling the room the AC is in. it allows the portable air conditioner to effectively keep the room cool and comfortable by using less energy. In addition, a portable AC will be 5x more affordable when running it all day. Therefore, this type of AC is the best option when you spend most of your day in a single spot of the house, such as an office or living room.
- Simple Set Up
Transporting, buying, and installing a split or window AC can be a work for multiple days. Some homeowners also have to hire professionals to help prepare the room for installation. But with the portable AC, the installation process will be a walk in the park. All you will have to do is to unpack the AC from the box and turn it on.
- Offers Different Setting
The Portable air conditioners not only offer cool air, but they are also models that provide different functions, such as the dry setting. This setting is better in humid environments. Other models also come with an ionizer to help the AC to remove any harmful air elements.
Summing Up!
Portable air conditioners give efficient cooling to places that do not have access to permanent air conditioning or that need additional cooling. Portable ACs are a popular option for cooling bedrooms, computer rooms, offices, basements, and other spaces due to their effectiveness, simplicity of installation, and portability. When compared to window AC, they are thus in a win-win situation.