Small Portable Air Conditioners
One of the best way to cool single rooms during the warmer months without having to utilize your home's central air conditioner is with portable air conditioners. They are also the perfect solution for cooling rooms that are not connected to your central air conditioner. Small portable air conditioners are not only efficient and affordable, they are a snap to install and move easily from one room to the next as needed.
How Do They Work?
A portable air conditioner works by sucking in the warm air from a room and releasing most of it through an exhaust hose that leads outside. It also acts as a dehumidifier, pulling moisture out of the air that can make the temperature feel warmer than it actually is. The unit reserves a portion of the warm air intake and passes it over and through a series of cooled coils and blows it back out through a fan device. This process replaces warm air in the room with cooler air and, therefore, decreases the overall room temperature.
What To Look For?
Unlike standard window units, small portable air conditioners are only designed to cool rooms up to 350 square feet. This is accomplished with a unit rated for 12,000 BTUs, or British Thermal Units. Smaller units can range from 7,500 BTU to 10,000 BTU, appropriate for rooms between 150 and 250 square feet. While these numbers are fairly accurate, there are also a few exceptions that can effect which size unit you need to purchase. If a room is particularly shaded, you may be able to decrease the BTUs needed. On the other hand, if the room is exposed to a great deal of direct sunlight or frequently occupied by more than one person, a higher BTU unit would be needed.
When shopping for a small portable sir conditioner, there are several other factors to take into account aside from power. For example, a unit on wheels or casters is ideal if you plan to move the unit from room to room on a regular basis. If you live in a humid area, you should look for a unit that can run its dehumidifier separate from the cooling operation. Likewise, many units allow you to run the fan portion of the unit on its own, ideal for when you need to move air through a room but don't necessarily need to have it cooled. The more functions your small unit can handle, the more cost effective the unit becomes.
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