Are Portable AC Units Worth the Money?

Spring may have just begun, but summer will be here before you know it. Do you end up battling the heat every time the warm weather rolls around? How do you prepare your living or work space for toasty summer days? Because the temperatures will start rising quickly, and you want to avoid indoor discomfort, now is the time to assess the air conditioning situation in your home or business building. If you’re lucky enough to have a central HVAC system, do a quick inspection, clean the ducts and change the air filter. If you don’t, you need to find another cooling method before the air heats up!

Another option for residential and commercial air conditioning in Fair Oaks, CA is portable AC units. Are they worth the money? Let’s find out!

Portable air conditioners

A portable air conditioner, like a window unit, works similarly to most other kinds of cooling systems, such as central air conditioning systems. Chemical refrigerant flows through coiled tubes and absorbs the heat from indoor air, then the captured heat is released outside through an exhaust hose. With a window AC, heat is released through the section of the unit that hangs out of the window. Portable units, with their kits that are quick and easy to set up, guide warm air outside through one or two hoses that look like flexible dryer vents.

Keep in mind that portable ACs and window units are not easily moved from one room to another like space heaters.

Factors that determine the effectiveness of portable units

Both central air conditioning installations and portable or window air conditioning units require a lot of electricity to keep your space cool—and it’s not free to cool your indoor air. When it comes to a portable AC unit, its usage cost depends on how often it cycles on and how long it runs. This and other factors will determine how effective the unit is:

• Weather: The hotter the outside temperature, the more hot air you’ll have inside your house, and the more energy it’ll take to cool things down. Close blinds and shut exterior doors so the unit doesn’t have to work so hard.
• Size of the space: Be sure to choose the right size portable air conditioning device for your space—otherwise, it won’t have enough cooling power to make a noticeable difference. Most homes will benefit greater from having a portable cooling unit running in each room.
• Energy costs: Portable AC units are not cheap to run like ceiling fans. Ultimately, how much you have to pay for using them will vary based on the price of electricity in the area where you live. It’s typical to see a rise in energy costs during the hottest parts of the summer months, and it may be cheaper to run your portable AC only at night.

If you want more information about residential or commercial air conditioning in Fair Oaks, CA, don’t hesitate to contact the team at Cassel Air Conditioning and Heating Service. Call today to learn more or schedule your next HVAC service!

Categorised in: Home Air Conditioning

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