Window AC vs Portable AC?
Question:I have a one bedroom apt...and was wondering if I should get an ac for the living room and one for the bedroom or just get a portable for the place or 1 10,000 BTU window ac? Thx.
Answers:
If it is possible you want to go with the window unit :
1. If there is electricity in motion there will always be heat generated. In a window unit this is sent to the outside.
2. The window unit pulls fresh air from the outside to cool the inside.
3. If you turn off the AC and use only the fan you are still getting fresh ourside air that has been filtered into your home / apt.
When deciding on the size to get, figure out your cubic feet for the room you intend to cool. Your AC window unit should be able to handle 200 more cubic than the room's cubic.
If the room is 680 cubic feet, then get an AC that is able to handle 880 cubic feet. It will last you a lot longer and provide better cooling than an identicle match would.
If you got one, in my example above, that can handle 680 cubic feet that might take an hour and a half to bring the room to the temperature you set.
However, an 880 cubic foot unit would be able to bring that same room to the same temperature in about 20 - 40 minutes ( depending on the temperature outside).
Since it is running less time it will last longer.
If ever deciding between two different sized units you should always go bigger, smaller will have to work more to produce the same effect.
A window AC is far more efficient. Without getting into how refreigeration works, just realize that the process also generates heat. A window AC will expel said heat to the outside. A portable cannot and therefore has that much more to cool.
Your apt manager may not dig having the unit sticking out the window though, you should check with him/her before throwing down your dough.
You definately want a window unit. A portable unit has to be emptied of water fairly often. No big deal you think until you have to do it a 3 am in the sweltering heat because it shut off. It also has a large footprint that will get in the way.You will also save a lot of money on electricity. If you want, you can use a fan inside to improve the circulation, but that is not ususally a problem
You have to find out if you can use a window ac first of all.
I have had both in a small bedroom. The vinyl window frame created a real situation, so this year, I bought a portable ac. I preferred the window one. The portable has to be vented to the window, not a big deal, it came with everything I needed, but it takes up a lot of space. The water tank fills and you have to empty it and, in the middle of the night, that's a pain. If you live in the south, where it's very humid, go with a window unit. The portables act as dehumidifiers and unless you want to empty 10 times a day/night, not a good idea.
window
It would depend on how the apartment is laid out. Portable AC is for when you need to cool a room which does not have or support a window AC. Portable AC is fairly large but can be moved readily if you need to button up for the winter. Large window AC's need to be installed and supported properly. Consider the window you would use and the number of rooms you want to cool.
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