Photo: billh18 / Flickr

‘Summertime, and the living’s easy’ – or so the song says. It’s the season of school holidays, family trips, barbecues, and best of all, mind-numbing heat. You might not able to get to the pool or to the beach everyday, but at least you have air conditioning at work and in your car. But what do you do on those days off when you’re left at home to melt?

Go portable

If installing an elaborate central air conditioning system is not feasible in your home, consider a portable air conditioner to solve your cooling needs. Portable air conditioners are ideal cooling solutions, as they have most of the advantages of fixed systems but without the hassles of complicated installations. They fit into standard sockets and can be used immediately. For larger areas, portable units can be combined to cool quickly and effectively.

There are two main types of portable air conditioners; single units and split units.

Keep it together

At the most basic level, air conditioners work by drawing in warm air, removing heat from that air by using a refrigerant, and then passing the cooled air back into the room using a fan. The three main components within an air conditioner are the compressor (which moves the refrigerant through the machine), the evaporator (which contains refrigerant and cools the air, and the condenser (which expels hot air).

Single units house all main components in one casing, and usually have an exhaust tube, similar to that of a tumble dryer, to expel hot air. Single units can either be air cooled or use a system of air and water cooling (which requires users to refill the device with water periodically).

Breaking it up

Photo: billh18 / Flickr

For larger areas or rooms that demand higher levels of cooling, split portable systems are ideal. These systems separate the condenser and compressor from the evaporator and primary fan, and usually the condenser box needs to be placed outside the room. The condenser is connected to the main device with refrigerant lines. For added convenience, the indoor unit can be wall mounted.

What’s right for you?

Most units will come with an explanation of the size of the room for which they are most appropriate. Typically, air conditioners are rated according to BTUs. An easy-to-use online calculator can help you determine what kind of unit will adequately cool your room. Also consider the number of occupants in a room, as well as what equipment (computers, etc.) is being used and the number of windows in the room.

A final tip: if a particularly hot day is forecast, cool your home the night before. This will help reduce energy consumption during the day, as the air conditioner will only have to maintain the set temperature and will have less work to do as the temperature rises.