10 Common Questions About Portable Air Conditioners

Portable air conditioners can often seem confusing to someone who has never used one before. We believe everyone should understand what they’re buying, how it works, and any running or maintenance concerns before making a purchase. To help with this, we’ve answered 10 questions that are frequently asked by prospective buyers.

What is a Portable Air Conditioner and How Do They Work?

A portable air conditioner is an air conditioner that is able to move around your home/office with ease. Usually, these units have caster wheels for easy portability, are relatively lightweight and are generally about 63cm to 85cm tall.

Do I Need to Install a Portable Air Conditioner?

In short, no. They do, however, need to be placed near a window or outlet with sufficient space around the unit so it can cool efficiently. You may also need to install a window seal kit (if applicable to your model) and a drainage hose if you wish to make use of continuous drainage.

Where Should I Keep my Portable Air Conditioner?

A portable air conditioner should ideally be placed on a hard level floor at least 30 to 40 centimetres away from obstructions such as furniture. An ideal position is close to a window and a power socket, so the hose and power cable don’t overstretch. The hose should be as short and straight as possible.

Install portable units in rooms with low humidity. High humidity can increase the frequency of water draining if you don’t have an automated condensate pump. Keep your portable unit away from sunny spots as it will have to work harder to keep the room cool and may not provide the cooling comfort you desire.

Will a Portable Air Conditioner Cool My Whole House?

No, portable air conditioners are designed to cool one room. The cold air will not pass through doors. If you have an open plan living arrangement, and your air conditioner BTU is large enough, it is possible to cool down both areas but as a general rule, an AC unit will only cool the room that it is in.

Do Portable Air Conditioners Need to be Vented?

The short answer is yes. Much like any air conditioning system, all portable air conditioners need to be vented in some way to expel the hot air.

Portable air conditioners pull in warm air, cool it, and expel the cooled air out of the front of the unit with the remaining warm air and moisture being expelled out of the back of the unit. It is the warm air and moisture that needs to be vented out of the room you are currently cooling. The easiest and most popular way to vent your portable AC unit is through a nearby window.

Can I lengthen The Exhaust Hose?

As general rule, you should not lengthen the exhaust hose of a portable AC. The shorter your exhaust hose, the more efficient your air conditioner will be. Extending the exhaust hose means your AC will have to use more energy to expel the hot air and could possibly result in your air conditioner overheating.

What Size Air Conditioner (BTU) Do I Need?

This will depend on the size of your room. If the square footage is between 100-150 a 5000BTU model should be sufficient, if between 300-350 then go for an 8000BTU model and if the square footage is between 450-550, opt for a 12000BTU model.

In most living rooms, a BTU rating between 5000 and 8000 should do the job. For larger rooms, opt for something around 12,000BTU. If you are using your portable air conditioner to cool down a larger office space, you may need to purchase multiple units to cool down the room to the desired level.

Are Portable Air Conditioners Energy Efficient?

This depends on your air cooling needs. Typically, portable air conditioners are less energy efficient than window-mounted AC units and central air conditioning units. However, as portable air conditioners only cool the room that you’re in, it can be argued that there is less wasted cold air in the rooms you’re not occupying.

AllAir portable air conditioning units all have an energy rating of ‘A’ and have an energy efficiency ratio of 2.6. Our 5000BTU model uses 0.6KWh/60 mins, 8000BTU model uses 0.9KWh/60 mins and our 12000BTU model uses 1.4KWh/60 mins.

How Loud are Portable Air Conditioners?

Portable air conditioner noise levels range from 44 dB to 64 dB. Portable air conditioner noise levels are equivalent to being as low as a whisper, to as high as a normal conversation. The noise omitted will depend on your fan speed settings. With AllAir models, you can expect a noise level of between 48dB to 51dB when in sleep mode, rising up to 63dB when on the highest fan setting.

What Maintenance is Needed?

Simple maintenance is required to keep your AC unit running for as long as possible. Cleaning air filters, draining the water tank, wiping down the exterior and storing it well when not in use are the main requirements for good maintenance practise. Check out our other blogpost which gives tips on how to clean and maintain your portable air conditioner.