When the summer sun drains all your energy and turns your bedrooms into hot ovens, you start looking for a comfortable indoor environment that doesn’t spike your energy bills. Well, enter convenient cooling tech, and the first search term that comes up is: portable air conditioners. But the question is: are portable air conditioners any good? Or are they just another expensive trend that lives off marketing?
In this blog post, we will discuss portable air conditioners. We will find the answer to the question, “Are portable air conditioners any good?” This blog will also break down the pros, cons, and real-life results of these mobile aircons.
How Do Portable Air Conditioners Work?
Before we dive into how they work, let’s understand what a portable air conditioner is. Unlike conventional cooling systems with indoor and outdoor units, a portable air conditioning system comes as a single unit that sits inside your room on wheels. However, it works the same way as standard cooling systems.
A fan draws warm air from the room and passes it over cold refrigerant coils. The refrigerant in the coils absorbs heat from the air. The process of compression pressurises the refrigerant and turns it into a high-pressure gas. The gas then passes through a second set of coils—condenser coils. A separate fan blows air over these hot coils to direct hot air out via an exhaust hose. While the heat is being sent out, the cold air is blown back into your room, which is usually 15–20 degrees cooler than the original air.
Pros: Reasons to Love Them
Let’s go through some common benefits that give people a reason to love and purchase them.
Lower Price: One of the reasons people prefer portable air conditioners is their price. These units have a reasonable price tag; hence, they are a cost-effective option compared to wall-mounted systems.
Easier Installation: Portable air conditioners are convenient when your infrastructure does not allow for ducted or standard cooling systems. You only require an electrical outlet and a window for an exhaust hose to draw out hot air. Therefore, the installation itself also requires less labour.
Portability: These units are on wheels, which means you can easily move them from one room to another. Use it in the living room in the afternoon and move it to the bedroom for the night.
Cons: Are There Any Trade-offs?
Noisy: Portable air conditioners are noisier. This is because, unlike a standard system, which has two units, a portable air conditioner’s major components are in a single unit that sits inside the room. Expect a constant hum of around 50–60 decibels.
Lower Efficiency: These cooling units are not energy-efficient because they work harder to reach the desired temperature, causing a spike in energy bills. If your top priority is to have lower energy bills, invest in a model that comes with a programmable thermostat.
Only For Small Spaces: Portable aircons only cool small spaces because of their limited cooling capacity. Therefore, it is advised to look for central air conditioning systems if you have a large space.
Floor Space: They have a footprint. In a small studio apartment, a portable unit can feel bulky.
Real-Life Results: Are Portable Air Conditioners Really Worth It?
What happens when you purchase a 10,000 BTU portable air conditioning system for a 300 sq. ft. space?
A room with 8 ft. ceilings and a well-sized portable aircon will have a temperature drop of 10°F to 15°F in an hour. However, if the outside temperature is more than 90°F, the room will not feel icy cold.
Portable air conditioners will cool people sitting 4 feet away, so they are basically spot coolers. If you are looking to cool large, open spaces, be aware that they are not effective.
You’ll notice that even though there won’t be much difference in the temperature, your sweat will dry faster because of the dry air.
This doesn’t mean that portable units are totally useless—they are much more effective in smaller spaces and moderate climates.
So, Do They Work?
Yes, they do, but there are a few exceptions. Portable air conditioners are not as efficient as standard cooling systems. However, in moderate climates and smaller spaces, they work well. At the end of the day, a portable AC is better than a fan, and a thousand times better than suffering through a heatwave.
If you own a portable air conditioner and require affordable service, call Surrey Air. We provide efficient, reliable, and fast repairs, maintenance, and installation of portable air conditioners.
