Don’t let the name “portable” fool you. True, they are not a fixed system; however, they cannot be picked up and moved from room to room like a suitcase. When moving your portable A/C unit, you will also be moving its exhaust system. Nonetheless, a portable air conditioner does provide the flexibility that a heavy window unit does not. So, Do Portable Air Conditioners Really Work? Here’s what we found out.
How Does a Portable A/C Unit Work?
A portable air conditioner works like any air conditioner. The refrigerant flows through coiled tubes and absorbs heat from inside the room. The heat is released outdoors through an exhaust hose, similar to a clothes dryer. A portable air conditioning unit will usually come with a kit, including a hose, which will allow you to set up your venting system with little difficulty.
Can a Portable A/C cool a room?
Size your portable air conditioner with the room you plan to cool. To do this, you will need to know the square footage of your room. You will also need to know the BTU rating of the unit you are purchasing. BTU is simply a measurement created to measure energy. Experts at newair.com recommend the following guidelines, “for smaller rooms of 200 square feet, a unit with 8,000 BTUs should suffice. For a large living room of 600 sq. ft., look for a portable air conditioner with 14,000 BTUs.”
Can I install a Portable A/C myself?
Yes, most portable air conditioning units are ready to use as soon as you get it home. There is no heavy lifting involved or tools required. Your window kit with an exhaust duct should be all you need to get your portable A/C working. Just plug it in and start cooling down.
Are Portable A/Cs efficient?
Portable air conditioners are, generally speaking, less efficient than a window unit. Portable A/Cs often use more BTUs than a window unit to cool the same size space. More BTUs translate to more energy, which means you’ll be using more electricity and possibly spending more on energy costs.
What are some benefits of a portable A/C Unit?
Aside from the portability and ease of installation we already mentioned, portable A/C units have other beneficial factors.
- They won’t block your window like a window unit – window units may prohibit all use of your window.
- Your HOA may not allow the installation of a window unit.
- You have that one troublesome room that needs extra help cooling down.
- You have central air but are looking to keep a particular spot in your house even cooler on certain occasions.
- They are great to have as a backup should your central air conk out during a heatwave, as they’ve been known to do.
How much does a Portable A/C cost?
Pricing is based on the unit’s BTUs, and how many square feet it is capable of cooling. Most higher-end portable A/C units will efficiently cool a 550 square foot room and will run you close to $600 at the highest end. Other units able to cool rooms up to 250 square feet cost around $350.