Air conditioning can be a conundrum, especially these days when increasing numbers of people are doing their best to reduce energy consumption and adopt greener, more sustainable lifestyles. The ideal choice is of course is to simply adjust ones self to the local climate. Thats not a good option for everyone, however especially if one is from a cool damp climate and is forced for whatever reason to relocate to a hot, dry one.



The fact is that effective climate control is a necessary ingredient not only when it comes to comfort, but productivity as well. After all, trying to keep ones focus on a hot afternoon is challenging to say the least! One advantage of portable air conditioners as opposed to central air conditioning is efficiency; one is cooling only the room one is occupying. Another advantage is control. Peoples individual comfort levels when it comes to temperature vary a great deal; while some actually prefer the heat, others are more at home in an Arctic climate. 72 degrees may be deliciously cool for one person, unbearably hot for another. With a personal portable air conditioner, climate control is available where, when and as needed.

One of the ecological problems with air conditioning units of all kinds (including kitchen refrigerators) has been the fluorocarbon refrigerant often used. Not only is it toxic, but has been connected with the deterioration of ozone in the atmosphere, which furnishes protection from solar ultra-violet rays. The good news is that fluorocarbon refrigerants are being replaced with R290, a far more environmentally friendly substance made with liquid propane. Although not quite as efficient at cooling as fluorocarbon-based refrigerants such as Freon, the low environmental impact makes R290 a less costly alternative.

Its important to choose a room air conditioner that is right for the rooms in which youre planning to you it. The number to consider here is the cooling capacity measured in terms of British Thermal Units, or BTUs. Obviously, the larger the room, the more cooling capacity youll need in order to cool it effectively. One the other hand, bigger isnt better when it comes to portable air conditioners; a unit that is too large for the space will cause the air to be damp and clammy feeling; it can also compromise air quality and cause respiratory problems. Finally, they can be very expensive to operate. If youre considering a personal portable air conditioner for your home and most rooms are 250-300 square feet, a unit with a BTU rating of no more than 7,000 will server your needs quite admirably. Add or subtract 1,000 BTUs for every 100 square feet of difference or so.