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Don't know what you want? Learn everything you need to
know with our cooling guide below
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Air Conditioning Fact of the Day
Is Your Portable AC Energy Efficient?
During the warmest days of summer, your portable air conditioner may seem like a
blessing - that is, until you receive your monthly energy bill. Studies have
shown that heating and cooling systems can account for over 50% of a household's
electric bill, and air conditioning can use more energy than any other household
appliance. Thankfully, because portable air conditioners are used for personal
or spot cooling, and do not lower the temperature in entire homes or buildings,
they can be quiet energy efficient if you know what to look for.
A portable air conditioner's EER, or Energy Efficiency Ratio, measures how
energy efficient an air conditioner is at a specific level - usually 95° F.
Thus, the higher the EER, the more energy-efficient the portable air conditioner
is. If you're concerned with energy costs, be sure to calculate a portable AC's
EER and use it as a deciding factor when comparison shopping. EER can easily be
calculated by dividing the unit's BTU rating by its power input in watts:
EER = BTUs / Watts
For Additional Information on Portable Air Conditioners and EER,
Click Here.
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We don't just sell cooling
products, we know them inside and out! Read below
if you would like to learn more or just give us a call!
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How is a portable
air conditioner different than a window AC?
A portable AC is a small mobile air conditioner
unlike a window AC which must be mounted
through-the-wall. Furthermore, portable air
conditioners do not require permanent installation.
All our portable air conditioners are between 29" and
34" tall and weigh between 65 and 80 pounds. Portable
air conditioners also work great in apartment
situations where a window unit is unacceptable.
Portable AC energy ratings can be found
here as well.
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Is a portable swamp
cooler and a portable air conditioner the same thing?
No they are not the same. Swamp coolers use water
and evaporation to cool much the same way a swamp
cooler cools. Only the direct air stream is cooled
(10-15 degrees) and generally swamp coolers cannot cool
the ambient air in a room. Portable Air conditioners
use a compressor/Freon to cool and are much more
effective in cooling rooms and at keeping the humidity
low. Portable air conditioners are also rated using the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER).
Swamp coolers are popular
in the southwest because they are relatively
inexpensive, use a quarter as much electricity as
refrigerated air conditioners, and are easy to maintain by the average
do-it-yourselfer. Our portable swamp coolers are
perfect for room cooling, click to see our
swamp coolers
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Could you explain
why and how portable AC's are vented?
Portable air conditioners extract hot air that
must be vented. If the hot air is not vented, the
portable air conditioner will not be able to cool a
room effectively. Window and venting kits are always
included with our portable air conditioners at no
extra cost. You may also vent the portable AC through
a wall vent, into the attic or drop ceiling, or even
around a door! You are only limited by your
creativity. *** For venting these Portable air
conditioning systems
through casement windows (windows that crank out),
Plexiglas can be used. Simply cut the Plexiglas to the
size of the window, cut out a 5" hole to vent the
hose, and place this over the open window. Not only is
the air conditioner vented, but Plexiglas will allow the
same amount of light to pass through the window as
before.
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How does the
window air conditioner kit work?
The foam window kit simply is cut to fit most any
slider or up-down window in your home up to 4 feet.
The window is then closed against the foam to seal the
air from the outside, the exhaust hose then is fit
through a small cutout in the foam. Portable air
conditioner installation takes
about 5 minutes and this allows for easy portability
from window to window. For windows larger than 4 feet,
simply purchase extra foam at the local hardware
store to fit your portable air conditioner. As mentioned earlier, for unique window
situations ( casement (crank-out) windows), a little
creativity is all that is needed.
>>>See More Portable Air
Conditioner FAQ's
- For related
links or For more questions on how portable air
conditioners work or how they are vented along with
similar swamp cooler questions - please see our
FAQ INFORMATION PAGE
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