Portable Air Conditioners

Not all air conditioners are created equal -- in point of fact, the geographic area you call home has a lot to do with the type of air conditioner unit available in your neck of the woods.

If you are in the market for a portable air conditioner, look below the fold for some pertinent information.

Residential air conditioners may be divided into two major types -- the "refrigerated" type (left) and the "swamp cooler" or "air cooler" kind of machine (right, below). Externally, they are of like appearance, but they don't work the same.

If the unit is refrigerated it will not only cool the air, but also remove moisture in the conditioned space, using essentially the same mechanical process as a refrigerator.

Conversely, if the unit is a swamp or air cooler it cools the air but adds moisture in the cooling process. Water is sprayed on absorbent pads, a fan moves air through the pads, and the air is cooled by evaporative cooling. This kind of air cooler is really useful only in those areas of the country where the humidity is generally lower than about 40%, or in areas of the West and Southwest. Enough about swamp coolers.

If you're looking to cool a relatively small space such as a single room or a small shop area, a portable air conditioner is a good choice. They are convenient to operate, easily portable, and very affordable for the benefit provided.

For a portable air conditioner to operate, you need an electrical outlet, an air source from outside the room (you can't effectively, for instance, air condition a small closet), and the ability to transport the removed moisture through a drain line, or a place to dump the moisture catch pan -- remember, the unit removes moisture from the air. Lastly, the unit will have, depending on the model, one or two attached hoses. These bring in fresh air to be cooled and hot air to be exhausted.

Costs -- an air conditioner will, for approximately the same cooling efficiency, cost about three times as much in initial purchase price, repairs, and power consumption. The great difference is that the air conditioner will remove moisture, and the swamp cooler will not. In high-moisture areas, the air conditioner is by far the optimum choice.

Sizing -- depends on the room size, local moisture levels, and normal room temperatures. Generally speaking, units from 8-10,000 BTU's will cool a room up to about 200 square feet in area. Check with the manufacturer for specifics.

To review -- it's an air conditioner if it refrigerates and dehumidifies the air and will probably cost you upwards of three or four hundred dollars. If the advertised price is $89, it's not an air conditioner.

Don't be confused.