ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

Has anyone recently purchased a portable air conditioner. What criteria did you
look at in making your decision? I believe the first consideration is how many
square feet you're interested in cooling but after that what are other important
considerations. What are your experiences?

ggab Loc: ?

Single vent vs dual vent
BTU
Just an AC or AC/Heater unit
Placement and air flow
Accessibility of the air filter
Is the window kit compatible with the window you intend to use?
I am sure there are more, however these are the criteria I looked at.
I love them, have 2.

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

There will be a chart with every one you look at in the store I'm quite sure, listing size, cooling
capacity per sq. feet..
First other consideration would be that it fits the window! If you go for lowest power for the room you
might have to be in front of it to stay cool in a serious heat wave.
Then if it's for a bedroom, or if a small child's room, you wouldn't want it blowing cold air directly
on a person. So would you be able to rearrange furniture? (There may be other considerations that
other people think of that so let's see what other suggestions they may have....

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

I love them, have 2.[/quote]


What did you buy??

TomC. Loc: Bel Air, MD

I have a window unit in a 14 x 17' bedroom. The most important thing is to size it correctly. It mustn't be too large a capacity for the room size. A large cap'y window unit will cool down too quickly and shut off the air too soon. The room will be cold, but clammy. It's best to be a little under instead of too much cap'y. Also, in a bedroom, remote control is very convenient.

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

Actually, I'm looking for a portable AC not a window unit. I'm trying to cool the entire upstairs from a central location.

TomC. Loc: Bel Air, MD

OK. The same rules apply as to size of area to be cooled. With a portable unit, they have to be vented outside through a window via a round duct similar to what's on your clothes dryer. Not a big selection out there. Don't know if they come powerful enough for multiple rooms.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I am using an 11,000 BTU unit in a 465 sq ft family room on the south side of my house. It is rated for 400 sq ft. On really hot days it cannot keep up due to the sun etc.
Today UPS delivered a new larger unit, part of my Father's Day, paid for by a check from the Los Angeles Unified School District for the interest earned on a fund I had been getting checks from which had a 10 year cycle. June 30 I will have been retired 10 years so the account/fund was closed out and I got a check for the interest it had earned. I had also collected aprx $150 a month since I retired.
The new unit is a Fridgidaire portable heat pump unit. ($599 on Amazon) It is 14,000 BTU cooling rated for 700 square feet and 4100 BTU of heating power. Will install it in the next day or two and move the smaller unit to the dining room which for some reason was built without any AC vents of it's own (1964 house). It depends on the two large vents in the kitchen next to it for its cooling and heating (one of those open designs without a wall between the two rooms). Heating, no problem, it has a south and west wall plus a gas fireplace. But cooling it has problems, we have to run fans to get AC to it and it still gets a bit warm on hot days, esp when the kitchen gets warmed up from cooking.

ggab Loc: ?

What did you buy??[/quote]
Honeywell 15000 BTU and Sharp 11000 BTU.