The popularity of portable air conditioners.
With summer here, homeowners are looking for the best ways to keep cool in the summer heat. While some homes have central air conditioning, others turn to portable air conditioners as a more energy-efficient way to cool down.
But are these devices really as energy efficient as people are making them out to be?
Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of using portable air conditioners to cool down your home or office.
How do portable air conditioners work?
If we’re going to determine if one of these systems is right for you, we have to understand how portable air conditioners work.
Portable air conditioners have a built-in condenser and evaporator that cools and dehumidifies the air inside the room. The warm air is drawn into the unit and cooled by the evaporator. This process also removes the moisture from the air. This process generates heat, and instead of venting this heat into your home, there’s an exhaust hose that allows the heat to escape outdoors. There are evaporative air coolers, but we’ll cover that later in this article.
Overall, the cooling process for this type of system is similar to other units. Window units and central air conditioning units cool and dehumidify the air similarly; however, they are installed in different locations.
Are portable air conditioners energy efficient?
This is the question that everyone has. Are these smaller standalone units more energy efficient? As with everything, it depends. There are energy-efficient models you can purchase, but they still use a similar amount of energy to other types of units. The actual energy savings, though, is with how you use it. We’ll get into that in just a moment.
Numerous variables come into play when determining the power consumption, such as the filter’s cleanliness, but the biggest one is how many BTUs the unit is rated for. For example, a 9,000 BTU air conditioner uses around 900 watts to operate. Other units that cool larger areas, such as a 14,000 BTU unit, can use 1,600 watts. That’s on par with other larger appliances in your home. If you weren’t aware, keeping a home cooled is not an inexpensive task, no matter how you do it.
Where the energy savings comes in is in the fact that you can cool individual rooms with one of these units. That means you don’t have to use a larger unit to cool your entire home if you’re not using your entire home.
For example, let’s say you have a three-bedroom home, and two of the rooms are for your kids. The kids went to grandma and grandpa’s house for the summer, so their rooms and bathroom aren’t actively used. Why would you want to cool those? You could use a portable unit to cool your main living area and master bedroom instead of cooling the entire home.
Pros and cons of using portable air conditioners.
The most significant benefit is that you can cool only the areas being used. That can save you quite energy and money on your cooling costs. Instead of cooling 2,000 square feet, you only need to cool the area you’re using.
Another significant benefit is that portable air conditioners are easier to install than other units. You don’t have to go through installing window units or cutting holes in your walls for ductwork with central air. A portable unit can be wheeled into the room and plugged into a standard outlet.
The downside of portable air conditioners is that they are less energy efficient than other units. As we’ve already discussed, they use a similar amount of power as other larger appliances in your home.
Tips for choosing the right portable air conditioner.
When determining which type of portable air conditioner is right for you, you have to measure how much space you’re trying to cool. Perhaps you want to cool your entire home or office, in which case you’ll need a larger unit or two. Maybe you only want to cool one room, in which case a smaller unit will suffice. Calculate the square footage of the rooms you use the most by multiplying the width by the length and start shopping. Most models will inform you of how much square footage a unit can handle.
You also need to take into account the climate you live in. If it’s exceptionally humid where you are, then you should look for a unit that also has a dehumidifier function. That will help remove the excess moisture from the air, making it more comfortable.
There are also different types of units, such as evaporative air coolers. These air conditioners don’t require a hose and instead evaporate water to provide cool air in your home. They add moisture and humidity to the atmosphere. In dry areas, they are pretty successful, but in humid regions, they are less so.
Final thoughts on keeping cool.
Overall, portable air conditioners are becoming a more popular way to cool off during the summer months. However, they are not as energy-efficient as other air conditioning units. If you are looking to cool off a specific area in your home or office, then a portable air conditioner is a good option; however, if you are trying to cool an entire space, you may want to consider another air conditioner.
If you want to save on your energy bills in this Texas heat, you’ll have to do some upgrades around the house to make it more efficient. If you ask us, installing Low-E windows is the best way to do that. After all, up to 40% of your home’s heat is transferred through the windows.