One of the most versatile cooling tools you can purchase is a portable air conditioner. They can be moved from room to room with ease, set up within minutes, and cool your space without expensive installation fees.
However, there are some rooms where a portable AC works better than others. Some rooms are ideal for portable air conditioners. Some rooms will cause your unit to work overtime.
Let’s go over which rooms are ideal for portable air conditioners so you can stay cool and efficient while getting the maximum performance from your unit.
Bedrooms Air Con
The bedroom is one of the most common rooms to use a portable air conditioner in. Sleeping in a hot bedroom is miserable and will leave you dragging all day long. A portable air conditioner allows you to cool down just your bedroom without needing to keep your central air running all night long.
Bedrooms tend to be on the smaller or medium-scale side, which makes them perfect for portable AC units. Something with 8,000 to 10,000 BTUs will usually suffice for bedrooms up to 350 square feet. Place your AC near a window so the exhaust hose can vent outside through the window. Keep your door shut to trap cool air inside and enjoy how fast it drops the temperature.
Pro Tip: hang blackout curtains in your bedroom windows. Sunlight beaming through windows can quickly heat up a room. By blocking that sunlight out, your AC won’t need to work quite as hard.
Living Rooms Air Con
Your living room is where you probably spend most of your time indoors. It also tends to be difficult to cool due to size and openness. Despite that, a portable air conditioner can work wonders in your living room if you get the size right.
Try to find a unit that covers 12,000 BTUs if you are looking to cool down a medium-sized living room or den. This should allow enough cool air to push through the room and keep the entire space at a comfortable temperature. Position the AC unit toward the center of the room if you can. Otherwise, angle it in a corner toward the middle of the room to allow the cool air to spread further.
If you have a large or open floor plan living room, try adding a fan to push the cool air around. Set up a fan next to your AC unit to push that cold air further into the room. This helps distribute the cooler air and can make a big difference on the hottest days.
Home Offices Air Con
Now more than ever people are working from home. Nothing is worse than trying to work in a hot office. If you spend most of your day at a desk it can be tough to stay focused. A portable air conditioner can turn that into the coolest office around.
Since home offices tend to be small, even a lower-powered AC unit should blast out enough cold air to get the job done. Something around 7,000 to 8,000 BTUs should be enough cooling power for most home offices. Place it near a window and keep your office door shut for maximum efficiency.
Did you know that having a portable air conditioner in your home office can also help cool down your electronics? Computers, monitors, and more all give off a lot of heat. Excess heat can shorten the lifespan of your tech. Keep them cool with the help of a portable air conditioner.
Sunrooms/Enclosed Patios Air Con
Sunrooms are great. There is one downfall to sunrooms: they can get hot extremely fast. Glass walls and ceilings allow sunlight to flood the room and heat it up quickly. Central air also does not always work well in these rooms since they may not hook right into your ductwork.
A portable air conditioner is an excellent solution to sunroom cooling. Since portable AC units don’t need to hook into your ducts, you can just set them up in the room itself and vent them out a window or sliding glass door. Go with a higher BTU rating when shopping for your sunroom since sunrooms tend to heat up more than your average room.
You can also go with blackout shades or solar film on your windows to help reduce heat gain. This will keep your room cooler for longer and take some of the load off your unit.
Garages and Workshops Air Con
OK, so this next example isn’t really a room in your house. But bear with us here. Garages and workshops can get INSANELY hot in the summer. If you spend any time out there working on cars, crafting, or running a business, you know how bad it can be. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it can also actually be dangerous to work out there in the heat.
Portable air conditioners are great for these spaces. Since most garages and workshops have windows and outside doors to vent out of, setting up a portable air conditioner is simple. Keep in mind that garages are usually not insulated like the inside of your home. Make sure to keep your garage door closed as much as possible while the unit is running.
You will also want something with higher output for your garage. Look for at least 12,000 to 14,000+ BTUs to keep your space cool. Some people will run two units at once for extra-large garages.
Guest Rooms Air Con
Guest rooms, like office spaces, tend to sit dormant most of the time. Using your central air to cool a room that isn’t being used is pointless. An air conditioner is the perfect inexpensive way to cool down your guest room when your guests are in town.
You can easily store away the unit when not in use and bring it back when guests arrive. Also, most portable air conditioners can go from packed up to ready to cool in under 10 minutes. Win-win!
Tips for Any Room
There are some tips that apply to every room:
- Window – You should always place your portable air conditioner near a window. This makes the exhaust hose as short as possible while also upping efficiency.
- Clear Space. – Make sure you leave at least 8 inches of clearance on all sides of your unit. This allows for proper airflow.
- Don’t Be Hot. – Avoid placing your portable air conditioner near heat sources like ovens, or sunlight.
- Close Doors. – Always close doors/windows to the room you are cooling. This keeps all of the cool air where you want it.
- BTUs. – Match the BTUs to the square footage of the room for optimal cooling.
If you have the right rooms and setup, a portable air conditioner can keep you cool all summer long. They won’t break the bank and can be super effective if you follow these tips.
Case Study: Using One Portable AC in Multiple Rooms
Client: Working from home in their two-bedroom house
Problem: Client had purchased one portable air conditioner but wasn’t seeing the results they wanted. The room wasn’t cooling down during the day, and the bedroom was always hot at night. They were also spending more money on electricity bills by using it too often.
Solution:
We determined they primarily needed cooling in two rooms at different times of the day
- Home office during the day
- Bedroom at night
- Purchased a correctly sized unit for the smaller rooms (8,000 BTU)
- Moved unit from room to room as needed throughout the day
- Installed blackout curtains in bedroom to prevent sunlight
- Put a fan in living room to help circulate air
- Closed all doors and windows when running the unit
Results:
- Kept office and bedroom at ideal temperature range of 22–24°C
- Prevented wasting energy cooling empty rooms
- Stayed cool while working during the day and sleeping at night
- Used significantly less energy than their HVAC central air system
MORAL OF THE STORY: Move your portable air conditioner around to the rooms you need it most! Larger homes will benefit from doing this instead of buying a unit for every room. Just make sure you buy the right size and follow these tips for maximum efficiency.
Study: https://www.oxfordairconditioning.com/news/split-system-air-conditioning/
FAQs
Which rooms benefit most from portable air conditioners?
Bedrooms, home offices, living rooms, sunrooms, garage rooms, and guest rooms are all suitable for portable air conditioners. Keep in mind factors like room size and follow these helpful tips to set yours up for success.
Are portable air conditioners effective for bedrooms?
Yes! A bedroom is actually one of the ideal spaces to use a portable air conditioner. Since bedrooms are typically smaller and you don’t leave them open very often, portable units can easily trap cool air inside.
Can I use a portable air conditioner in my living room?
Definitely. Larger rooms will require a higher BTU rating but should cool down just fine. You may want to add a fan to help distribute the air flow if your living room is particularly spacious.
Will a portable air conditioner work in my home office?
Yes! Offices, dens, and any smaller room will cool without issue. In fact, these types of rooms cool so quickly you can get away with a lower BTU unit.
Can I run a portable air conditioner in my sunroom?
Certainly. Sunrooms just require a few extra steps due to the large amount of sunlight they receive. You’ll likely need to buy a higher BTU unit than you would for a room of similar size that doesn’t get as much sunlight.
Is it possible to run a portable air conditioner in my garage?
Yes, but there are a few extra things you’ll need to do first. Garages aren’t naturally insulated like other rooms. You’ll likely need a higher BTU unit (something around 12,000–14,000+ BTUs) and will need to make sure the garage is properly sealed.
Do I need to have a window in every room I want to use my portable AC in?
Portable AC units aren’t truly portable unless there is a way to vent the hot air outside. You’ll need to have a window or another venting point in every room you plan to use your portable air conditioner in.
Does the size of the room matter when purchasing a portable air conditioner?
Yes and no. Technically you can use any size unit in any room but expect things to work less efficiently if the BTU isn’t matched with the room size. Larger units will cool a small room faster but shorten the unit’s overall lifespan.
Can I use my portable air conditioner in two rooms at once?
Yes! In fact, that’s one of the most convenient parts about owning a portable air conditioner. You just have to move it from room to room and reinstall the venting kit each time.
How can I get my portable AC to work better in any room?
Make sure you close any doors and windows to trap the cool air inside, cover windows to block sunlight, check your unit is correctly cleared, and use a fan for air distribution.