Sometimes, a window or central air conditioning unit just might not get certain rooms in your home cool enough for your preferences or needs. The solution is to invest in a portable air conditioner. Portable is the key word. You can move this type of air conditioner from room to room, even taking it with you when you move. It is definitely a great choice if you have a pop-up camper for traveling or perhaps a workshop in the garage you want to keep cool when you are occupying it.

So how do you determine what the best portable air conditioners are that might suit your needs? Here are a few things to watch for:

1. Look at the power rating – Air conditioners are rated by BTUs or British Thermal Units. Basically, the higher the BTU rating, the quicker an air conditioner can cool a space. The key thing is you do not want to choose a portable unit based on the highest BTU alone as the air conditioner could freeze up, even though some have automatic shut-off switches. On the opposite side, you do not want to choose a portable air conditioner with too low of a BTU because then it cannot cool a space properly.

2. Determine square footage that needs cooling – Choosing one of the best portable air conditioners on the market means determining the square footage of space that needs cooling. The basic rule of thumb in the air conditioning industry is one square foot of space equals about 25 to 30 BTUs. Therefore, if your room is 500 square feet, the BTUs for your portable air conditioner should be around 12,500 to 15,000.

3. Consider room environment variables – When it comes to choosing one of the best portable air conditioners for you, consider the environment you are placing the unit in. If the space you plan to cool is always shaded by trees or something else, you can probably get away with a unit that has fewer BTUs than what your square footage dictates. However, if you plan to cool a sun room that gets a lot of sunlight (and therefore heat transference) you will want to choose a portable air conditioner with BTUs slightly higher than what square footage dictates.

One of the things you have to keep in mind when shopping for the best portable air conditioners for your needs is how you plan to ventilate the unit. Most of them have a flexible hose which requires venting out of a window as well as access to a grounded wall electrical receptacle. In addition, you will have different extra features to choose from such as timer controls, dehumidifier options, built-in air filters and more. Once you have the BTU requirements, square footage and environment variables nailed down, the rest boils down to the extras you are willing to pay for.

Portable air conditioners that carry the label, “Energy Star” must meet much stricter standards than normal air conditioners. These standards are set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and they include minimum performance requirements, standby power requirements, and UL safety requirements. All this adds up to save you sixteen dollars per year on your Energy Star portable air conditioner or one hundred and fifty dollars over the lifetime of the appliance.

There are several differences between the available Energy Star air conditioners that are currently on the market such as features, functions, and price. In this article you will learn what the differences between various air conditioners are so that you can choose one that will work best for you.

The first and most important thing to keep in mind while choosing an air conditioner is the British Thermal Unit (BTU). This number will tell you the cooling capacity of the air conditioner in which you are looking at. For portable air conditioners, this number will typically be below six thousand, although you may find one that exceeds this number. Make sure that you buy an air conditioner that’s maximum cooling capacity matches the size of the room that you plan to cool.

Since All Energy Star compliant portable air conditioners are required to save you at least ten percent over a normal air conditioner, you will not need to place a lot of emphasis on this. But, if you are interested in squeezing every ounce of energy savings from your new air conditioner, you should know that some Energy Star units will exceed ten percent.

The price of the unit that you buy will depend on a number of factors such as brand name, model, special features, BTU, and energy saving percentages. Because there are so many brand names available, which all feature the Energy Star label; it is far beyond the scope of this article to review each one. Sound advice would be to contact your local vendor, and ask for a consultation concerning the difference between brand names.

The model refers to the year in which the air conditioner was manufactured. You can save money by purchasing the previous year’s model, although you may not enjoy cutting edge features included in newer models. Some special features are reverse cycle, directional vents, timers, digital displays, and remote controls. All of these special features will typically add to the price that you will pay for your new air conditioner.

After reading this short article, I hope that you will be better suited to select an appropriate Energy Star portable air conditioner, which will meet the needs that you have, and save you money on your energy bill too.

If you live in a small space, like a small apartment or even a small room, in a home, just having the window open will not always cool down your room. When a person, or family, lives in a small space, they might not want to purchase a large air conditioner either. This is when portable room air conditioners come into the picture. Portable room air conditioners are being come and more popular these days. In fact, office workers who work in cramped spaces bring these portable air conditioners into their office as well.

The best thing about portable air conditioners are, they move around with ease and are not heavy either. If you are concerned about height or size, many portable air conditioners range in sizes to fit your personal space. They can be purchased at around 30 inches in height and only take up 12 to 18 inches of space. If a renter or office worker uses a space ranging in 150 to 250 square feet, then a portable air conditioner would be a great investment to stay cool, and fit in that space without taking up too much room. The portable air conditioners made today can be purchased with 8,000 to 13,000 BTU power as well. This will all depend on what type of room(s) you want to cool down which have something called a self-evaporating technology.

Another good thing about owning a portable air conditioner is they do not take a lot to maintain. That is, there is no need to always have a traditional air conditioner maintenance person come to your home to fix it or keep it good running order. Don’t get me wrong, even though this is not a traditional air conditioner, it is still an air conditioner nonetheless and still needs to be maintained if you want this to last for a while. If you are one who likes to fix things around the home, then small repairs can probably be done by you. There are sure to be maintenance directions in the box the portable air conditioner came in.

Also, if you are one who is looking to conserve energy, a portable air conditioner is what you want. Since these air conditioners are small and easily movable, they also do not require a lot of energy consumption either. As the summer months begin to roll around, there is no need for anyone to live through the awful heat coming our way. Portable air conditioners are less expensive and in the long run, will take up less energy. The cost of energy is on the rise, with the purchase of a portable air conditioner, which can be moved from room to room, it will be the best purchase any apartment dweller or office worker ever made. Nobody needs to live with extreme heat and high energy bills anymore.

Nearly everyone appreciates an air conditioned room when summer heat and humidity are at full blast. But if there is no central air, or a window or through the wall unit is impractical or impossible, then a portable air conditioner might be a consideration. But there are several things to know before purchasing one.
The major advantage of a portable air conditioner is the ability to take it from room to room. But units tend to be large, usually weighing 50 – 85 lb., and may not be so easy to move. Portable air conditioners also need to be vented, and come with one or two flexible hoses attached for that purpose. Therefore, a unit would always need to be placed near a window, as well as re set up everytime it’s moved, which may also limit actual portability. Window vent brackets are usually included, and usually don’t require any additional tools.
Another issue is what happens to the water that collects when air is cooled. In some units this water is used to cool the condenser coil and is mostly evaporated. In other units it would have to be emptied either by hose or by hand. Like all air conditioners, noise is also potential concern. Some (but not most) portables advertised on the web are specifically noted to be quiet. However, some of them cost considerably more; most were stated to be ‘quieter than others’ without any specific decibels or other noise comparisons.
One of the most important things to know is that portable Btu’s come at a higher price. For example, in one big box store, a window unit of 15,100 BTU’s (approx. 900 sq. ft room) cost $399, but an 11,000 Btu portable unit in the same store cost $100 more. In general, the least expensive portable units cost around $300, and most range from about $400 – $650. Additionally portable air conditioners tend to be less energy efficient, and cool less area than a similarly sized window unit. So to effectively cool a room, more Btu’s per square foot would be needed, and energy costs may be higher.
The web sites of Consumer Reports and Consumer Search suggest the following about portable air conditioners:
- Choose a portable over window units if less than maximal cooling is needed or if other types of air conditioners are not an option
- Make sure a unit has casters for rolling.
-Buy more Btus than would be needed in a window or through the wall unit.
-Purchase a unit with a drainage hose, or auto evaporation.
-Look for a unit with two hoses, since these tend to cool slightly better than one hose models.

When the summer heat seems to be melting everything in its path, a portable air conditioner may be the perfect solution to bring cooling comfort to a home or business. Portable air conditioners have many advantages that make them appropriate for places where other forms of air conditioning are not feasible. Students might find a portable air conditioner just right for a dorm room or small apartment. These units could also be perfect for sun rooms or pool houses.

If window air conditioning units are not allowed because of building restrictions, a portable air conditioner is a great alternative. A portable air conditioner is easy to move from one room to another and does not require any major reconstruction to install. These units may be vented through an already existing window using a flexible hose, or the hoses may be vented through a hanging ceiling or wall.

The cooling power of a portable air conditioner is measured in British Thermal Units or BTU’s. The compact units may be as small as 5000 BTU’s for cooling of tiny areas, or more powerful units can be purchased with as many as 30,000 BTU’s. By choosing the level of cooling necessary to fit the floor space, consumers can be sure that these portable air conditioners are energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Inexpensive portable air conditioners provide for simple cooling needs, but more expensive models provide additional features. Some units also dehumidify the air. Some have variable speed options for the fan. Others even have a convenient remote control included. Although some portable air conditioners require that the condensation collect in a pan which must be emptied daily, other units are self-evaporating or contain a pump which eliminates the need for a pan.

While many window air conditioners are excessively noisy, many portable air conditioners function with only a slight hum, no louder than the sound of a computer modem. These units may also be attached to a generator in case of a power outage. They can even be less expensive to operate than some of the other methods of cooling a room.

Portable air conditioners are an excellent source of emergency cooling, particularly for rooms that contain sensitive electronic equipment. Some of the models even provide heat as well as cooling. These would be especially useful in emergency situations. Because installation is quick and easy and these units can be stored away when not in use, portable air conditioners can be the ideal solution for many homes and businesses.