Portable air conditioners have become popular due to their small size, low cost, and installation convenience.
These self-contained cooling systems will benefit tiny homes, flats, dorm rooms, offices, and storage facilities.
Many portable air conditioners are plug-and-play, requiring no permanent installation. These devices can usually chill these similar spaces while allowing you to transfer it from room to room with ease.
This guide will boost your cooling capacity while saving you money by ensuring your air conditioner performs efficiently throughout the seasons.
Your Portable Air Conditioner can work better by adequately installing it and paying attention to a few factors like – considering where it will be placed, ensuring the power source is enough, and keeping the filters clean regularly.
Tips for Making Your Portable AC Work Better
Like any new equipment you bring into your home, a portable air conditioner takes some getting used to and routine cleaning and maintenance to keep it running at its best.
Knowing your indoor portable conditioner and how it operates within each room, it is installed in, regardless of where or how often you use it, will go a long way toward servicing you to get the most out of it.
1. Strategic Positioning
Keep in mind where you’re going to put your portable air conditioner. While it’s not always possible to prevent, you should try to avoid installing your unit in particular areas of your home.
Sunny Spots
If possible, avoid installing the portable air conditioner in an area with a lot of afternoon sun.
If the sun is glazing down on your air conditioner, it must work more to maintain the proper temperature. This extra labor could contribute to a lower lifespan in the long run.
Humid Spots
Installing and using your air conditioning equipment in rooms with low humidity is also a good idea.
The higher the relative humidity inside and directly around the AC unit, the more condensation will form.
2. Amount of Room Available Between Walls
This sort of portable air conditioner is one of its key advantages. In addition, it allows you a lot of versatility regarding where it can be positioned in your home.
You must leave enough space between the walls and the appliance, regardless of where you install it.
If you don’t provide adequate room, the ventilation will be restricted. In addition, the output of your device is diminished when it cannot pull in enough air while in use.
Finally, your portable air conditioner will have a more challenging time cooling the space to the appropriate temperature due to the lower work.
3. Ventilation
Ventilation will always be one of the most critical components for guaranteeing efficient performance and the long life of your room air conditioner, no matter what type you have in your home.
It’s impossible to emphasize the importance of ventilation, but it’s especially critical for portable air conditioners.
The hot air from the compressor will be sent out of the room through proper ventilation.
Therefore, it can assist in protecting your air conditioner from overheating and the temperature in your room from rising.
4. Straighten The Exhaust Hose
Check the exhaust hose now that we’ve ensured the portable air conditioner is ventilated correctly.
The number of twists, kinks, or coils in the hose traveling from the unit to the window should be minimal. In addition, the exhaust hose should be kept as straight as possible.
Any kinks in the exhaust hose that restrict airflow or impair ventilation should be avoided.
Portable Air Conditioner Universal Exhaust Hose
It may necessitate a shorter exhaust hose or simply paying attention to where and how it is fitted.
5. Filter Should Be Cleaned And Replaced Regularly
The filter in your portable air conditioner should be maintained regularly, evident to all homeowners. It is necessary for good operation, cooling, and maintaining interior air quality.
How frequently you clean or replace your filter determines how often you use your air conditioner.
It’s good to check it every 6 to 8 weeks to ensure it’s still in good shape. If your home is dusty or someone in your family suffers from allergies, you should clean or replace your filter more frequently.
6. Always Keep It Clean
Cleaning your portable air conditioner is one of the simplest ways to keep it in good operating order, and it doesn’t take much effort.
Easy Clean
Use a wet and moist cloth to wipe off the unit’s outside. Use caution when using too hot water or cleaning products that could harm the outside.
How frequently should you do it? It should be done every 4-6 weeks.
Deep Cleaning
To improve the efficiency of your unit, unplug it and clean the condenser coils. You can buy a coil cleaner or clean your solution using lemon juice and water. Spray the solution on the coils and wait a few minutes before removing them.
Professional Cleaning
Even if you clean the unit regularly, expert service may be required to improve its functionality.
For example, if you’re having problems with your air conditioner that you can’t fix on your own, call a professional air conditioning service to clean and inspect the machine.
7. When Not In Use, Store It Properly
When you aren’t going to use your portable air conditioner, it’s best to put it away to keep it safe for the following season.
Avoid storing your air conditioner in a hot or cold environment, such as a garage or a patio.
- The unit has been completely drained of any water.
- To help the inside of the unit dry thoroughly, turn on the fan setting.
- To prevent damage while in storage, compress the exhaust hose.
- Cover the unit with a sheet to prevent dust or debris from gathering.
- Keep your portable air conditioner indoors in a climate-controlled environment.
How Can I Increase The Cooling Capacity Of My Portable Air Conditioner?
While you can put up a portable air conditioner and forget about it, there are some things you can do to increase its cooling capacity.
1) As Much As Possible, Keep The Exhaust Hose Straight
The exhaust hose transports warm air from the room through a window, door, or drop ceiling. It should be aligned and free of kinks and bends for best performance.
Warm air will not be evacuated adequately if the hose is twisted, and the unit will have to work harder to deliver more significant cooling.
Moisture in the evacuated air will also collect in the hose, causing damage to the machine and reducing its service life.
2) Shut All Windows and Doors
All doors and windows should be closed to ensure your portable air conditioner runs efficiently. It will keep warm air from the outside and cool air from leaving.
If you leave doors and windows open, your mobile unit will have to work much more complexly.
It would also assist if you covered windows with available curtains and shades. It is done for two reasons: to protect the air conditioner from direct sunlight and prevent heat from entering the room.
3. Better Circulation And Pre-Cooling
You should turn on your portable AC unit immediately before the room becomes too hot or unpleasant to assist it in cooling you down efficiently.
Waiting until the sun is shining brightly and the temperature is at its highest will require the air conditioner to work more and take longer to achieve your desired temperature.
4) Turn Off Any Heat Sources That Aren’t Needed
The effectiveness of your portable air conditioner will be harmed if you use a lot of electrical devices in space.
For example, the heat generated by lightbulbs, laptops, and televisions may appear insignificant, but it prevents an air conditioner from quickly chilling a room.
5. Requirements For Electricity
It is an essential feature because moving the AC unit from room to room would be difficult if it required a different receptacle.
A surge protector, which can offer protection against short power outages, maybe a good option.
It’s also good to track how many appliances are plugged into the outlet so the circuit isn’t overloaded.
Is it OK to run a portable air conditioner continuously?
The quick answer is that you shouldn’t have any problems running your portable air conditioner continually.
You can run your air conditioner all season long if you clean the air filters and empty the condensate tank.
Keep in mind that you should leave your air conditioner on. On the contrary, giving your portable AC occasional breaks is good, like other mechanical equipment.
Turning off your portable air conditioner allows it to cool and prevents damage to its components.
Whether you turn your air conditioner off, it should always turn off after cooling a room.
A properly sized air conditioner will run in 10-20 minute intervals as your room cools to the temperature setpoint.
People Also Ask
How long does a portable air conditioner take to cool a room?
A portable air conditioner takes at least 20 minutes to reduce the temperature in the test chamber from 90 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
The most significant window air conditioners can cool a room by 10 degrees in 15 minutes or less.
What temperature should I set for my portable air conditioner?
When you’re away, put your thermostat higher than usual, and when you’re at home, adjust it to 78 degrees.
When you need cooling but want to save electricity, the Department of Energy recommends this setting.
If your home is too hot for comfort, try lowering the temperature by a degree or two to see if you feel any better.
Then, reduce the temperature by one or two degrees until everyone is comfortable.
Do portable air conditioners need water?
No, water does not belong in a portable air conditioner with an exhaust hose.
These portable air conditioners function by sucking moisture from the air and evaporating it outside, collecting it in a bucket (also known as a tank), or trickling it out through a hose into a drain.
These air conditioners’ tanks should not be filled with water. A Ventless Air Conditioner is a different portable air conditioner requiring you to fill it with water.
