1. Why Do I Need One?
Besides helping you create a cool, comfortable environment in your home, the benefits you receive from these units include: energy saving spot cooling, no obstruction of window views, no ugly window units visible to neighbors, cools a home without the cost of central air, easy assembly, and quick set up time. All of these units are on casters and most come with easy grips on the sides to make them portable and easy to move throughout the home.

2. Will It Help With My Allergies?
It not only help keep you cool during hot summer months, they also help allergy sufferers keep their allergies under control by regulating indoor temperatures and humidity levels. Dust mites and mold spores, two of the most potent and prevalent allergens, both of which can aggravate both allergy and asthma symptoms, are particularly affected by fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

Portable air conditioners lower indoor humidity. Controlling humidity levels and keeping allergies under control go hand in hand. Allergy sufferers should monitor humidity levels and use portable air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and humidifiers to keep humidity levels between 40 and 50 percent.

3. How Do They Work?
A portable air conditioner operates the same way as window air conditioner does. They cool your room by cooling the warm air in your home and exhausting the byproducts of heat and moisture out the window. Hot air from the room passes over coils cooled by refrigerant gas. Excess heat and moisture are pushed out through the exhaust hose while the chilled air is emitted back into the room.

The main difference is that they come with an exhaust hose (or two) that directs the hot air from the back of the unit through a window. You could also cut a hole in a wall for a more permanent exhaust option. Window air conditioner units do not have this feature, because the exhaust is outside already. Most also have a water tank to collect excess condensate, or water, that is extracted from the air. This tank needs to be emptied which needs to be emptied occasionally to keep the unit working properly.

4. What Are BTUs?
Almost all portable air conditioners are rated by the number of British Thermal Units (BTUs) of heat they can remove per hour. Yours should be generally, at least 12,000 BTUs for a room size of 300 to 400 square feet. The size of your air conditioning unit also depends on many factors like how much shade there is in the room, how many people are normally in the room, what the room is used for (kitchens will need more BTUs), what other sources of heat are in the room, and how much insulation is in your walls and ceilings. This guide is based on normal room insulation, average number of sun-exposed windows and two-person occupancy. Here are some approximate room sizes and the corresponding BTUs needed to cool these rooms:

* 100-200 = 8,000 – 10,000 BTU
* 200-300 = 10,000 – 12,000 BTU
* 300-400 = 12,000 – 14,000 BTU
* 400+ = 14,000+ BTU

Please remember that the size on the room is only one factor that you need to consider when choosing the correct size for your portable air conditioner.

5. What Features Should I Look For?
After looking at the BTUs for a unit, one of the biggest features to look for in is whether the unit is a dual hose or single hose unit. Dual hose units operate more efficiently in most cases. Dual hose units feature two air intakes and one outtake hose. The air intake pulls air from the room, cools it, and then returns it back into the room. This process causes heat to build up in and around the unit’s motor, so another intake hose takes air from outside to cool this part of the portable air conditioner down. The second hose expels all warm air back outside. Dual hose systems are more efficient in larger settings and do no create negative air pressure like single hose units do.

You might also try to find out what exactly the window kit is like. Some have hard plastic window sliders, while others just have a foam insert for the window.

6. Does The Portable Air Conditioner Need To Be Vented?
Yes, the hot air that is exhausted out the back of these units must be vented to the outside via a window, wall, or your existing duct work. A window kit is included with each unit that is designed for double hung and sliding type windows. The window kits are adjustable. The exhaust from the unit is not harmful. It is just hot air!

7. How Long Will My Portable Air Conditioner Last?
If your unit does not run every day or 24 hours a day, it will inevitably last longer. Most units are durable from 3 to 5 years though most have warranties that are shorter than that time frame.

8. How Do I Clean And Maintain One?
Proper maintenance and cleaning is very important to keeping the unit in working order. The air filter should be cleaned every 2 weeks or every 100 hours of use to maintain proper air flow. Once the filter is removed from the unit, most of the air filters can be cleaned with soft cloth or with a vacuum cleaner attachment. You can use a mild detergent on most filters. Make sure the filter is completely dry before replacing in the unit. Some portable air conditioners use a replaceable filter. These filters, while providing far superior air filtration, cannot be washed and reused.

To clean the outside of your portable AC. Turn the unit off and unplug. Wipe with a soft, damp cloth. You can use a mild detergent, but be sure to allow the unit to dry completely. Do not use harsh chemicals on the surface and avoid splashing water on or into the portable AC unit. This can severely damage the unit and may put you at risk for electrical shock.

9. How Loud And Heavy Are They?
Portable air conditioners are heavy. They can range anywhere from 60-120 pounds. They all have casters and grip handles, but these units are difficult to move up or down stairs. They are fine if you can roll them between rooms.

Portable air conditioners are not too loud. They are not as quiet as central ACs or even some window units. Most do not make excessive noise and generally fall in the 50-59 decibel category.

10. How Will Using A Portable Air Conditioner Impact My Power Bill?
You are definitely going to notice an increase in your power consumption and an increase in your electric bill. Depending on the size of the unit, they will consume a range of power. Look for models with higher EER’s. This number corresponds with how much of the energy consumed it actually turned into cooling power. The higher the EER, the more cooling you are getting for your buck.