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Portable air conditioners are not the only energy-saving solution for the warmer months. In fact, swamp coolers (also known as evaporative coolers) use much less energy than most air conditioners (portable as well as central), and their initial cost is about half the price! Swamp coolers are great for cooling larger areas because they offer high CFMs and various water tanks sizes. Additionally, they're compact, lightweight, and easily portable, so you can take it with you from room to room!

The NewAir AF-350 is one of the most highly rated and most energy efficient swamp coolers on Air Conditioner Home. Like many NewAir products, the AF-350 is not only for one type of use. This swamp cooler comes with an air purifier, so it also leaves your home smelling fresh, too!

Winter's Coming to an End Already

Now that the winter season is nearing its end, it's the perfect time for you to take out your portable air conditioner! If you don't have one, there is still time to get one. In fact, spring doesn't come this year until March 20. However, it isn't a good idea to wait until the last minute to purchase one, because that's usually when the PAC-craze starts and everyone is lining up to get one.

Portable air conditioners are normally used when central air conditioning isn't strong enough, or when it doesn't hit the right spots. There are also many other reasons why portable air conditioners are THE units to use, especially during spring, summer, and even fall. Here are a few:

• Some have more than one function - such as dehumidifiers, heaters, or air purifiers.
• They save you a lot of energy compared to using central ACs
• They don't require permanent installation, unlike window units
• Most are easily portable and come with a set of wheels
• They are extremely easy to install

Attention Singers!

During the winter, many people become congested and get sore throats. The main reason for this is that the air is too dry and humidity levels are too low. This condition is often worse for singers who have to perform or record during the cold weather, as they continue to sing despite the fact that their throats are oftentimes as dry as a desert.

Research shows that one way to keep singers' vocals in good shape is to make sure their throats don't suffer from dry air. The main way to fix this is, of course, to use humidifiers. Humidifiers increase the moisture levels in the room and keep singers feeling refreshed and ready to use their voices.

Of course, this doesn't only affect singers; everyone else usually feels the same way once the weather becomes dry. It's just that singers are more prone to making the symptoms worse because they constantly have to use their vocal chords even when they're not feeling well.

Garage Heaters

My favorite thing to do during the winter is to take out my garage heater and just wait for the temperature to drop so that I can use it. It seems a little weird, but it's a tradition that I always follow because then I don't have to worry about not being able to find it when the weather gets too cold!

Garage heaters, in my opinion, are the best type of heaters out there. They provide enough heat to keep a garage warm - how many heaters can do that? Plus, they don't use a lot of energy and they function as spot heaters. As long as I direct my garage heater toward the person I want to warm up (that would probably be me), that person feels warm and comfortable. I also love that my garage heater is small and cube shaped - it doesn't take up a lot of room. In fact, I'd say that it's almost like a more powerful space heater!

It has been so warm the last couple of days that I had to bust out an industrial fan to cool down! If that's not crazy, I don't know what is. Industrial fans are usually used in larger areas like warehouses and workshops, not living rooms and backyards! Either way, I used the utility fan and about 10 minutes later, my entire house was cool and comfortable. Honestly, something like this has never happened before - to me, anyway. I'm still really amazed about it.

Has anyone else been keeping up with the Winter Olympics this year? I haven't really, but I did see a little bit of the ice skating. I've always been pretty interested in the sport since Michelle Kwan appeared in the Olympics for it. Oh! I also heard about the weather in Vancouver - about the lack of snow and how it's not cold enough over there either; my friend called it the "curse of the Winter Olympics."

Introducing: The Ice Maker

Ice makers are one of the best inventions, ever.

If you own one of these amazing units, you probably understand exactly what I mean. Instead of using a freezer, you can use a compact icemaker to get ice - they're amazingly fast and extremely portable! I've had one of the NewAir icemakers for as long as I can remember, and it never disappoints. I make sure I have it with me whenever I host a party, or even if there's just a small get-together. Some ice makers can make up to 35 pounds of ice per day, and each cycle only takes about 10 minutes! What amazes me most is how great it works compared to a freezer. When my freezer runs out of ice, I have to wait about two hours before I can get any more. Before, all I could do was run to my nearest Ralph's and buy a bag of ice. Now, I can simply turn on my ice maker and get fresh, FREE ice.

Crazy Winter

How much longer is winter going to stay? I haven't even checked up on whether or not Punxatawney Phil saw his shadow - though I heard he's only accurate 40% of the time anyway! Yesterday, it was raining and freezing - today, it's sunny and warm. You know that the weather is going crazy when you have to use a space heater one day, and then an electric fan the next. Good thing we had the Air King 9550 commercial fan blower today! Otherwise, I'm sure I would have been sweating through my clothes. This utility fan was super quiet and didn't distract me from any work that I had to do at all!

Don't forget - Air Conditioner Home has an excellent library full of articles that can provide you with tips about choosing the right humidifier, dehumidier, portable air conditioner, and even air purifiers! We even have tips on saving money and being green - topics everyone should be interested in (especially with the weather changes going on they way they do).