Many individuals are starting to recognize the value of obtaining a portable room air conditioner. While most air conditioning units are basically permanent structures – often having to be fitted in a window of the home, or up against a wall in the home – portable models have the flexibility to be moved from one room to another with ease. Individuals enjoy this range of mobility because they have the capability of cooling only the spaces that they want and need to be cooled and not other areas of the home that are not in use. As a result, hundreds and possibly even thousands of dollars can be saved annually. In this consumer buying guide, I will share the steps involved on how to choose the right portable room air conditioner for your home.

1.      The very first step when trying to discover the right portable room air conditioner for your home is calculating the overall square footage of the room that the unit will be used the most in. Each square foot of a room will require right at about 30 BTUs or “British Thermal Units”. You can acquire the square footage of a room by measuring the width as well as the length of that room. Once the measurements have been obtained, multiply the width and the length. This will provide you with the total square footage of the room.

2.      Once you have acquired the square footage of the room, you will need to multiply that number by 30 in order to determine what the BTU rating should be on the portable room air conditioner for your home. If the room where the unit will be used will be used by more than one person, or if it is in an area that has a wide range of sunlight and lack of shade, then you will need to add at least a few hundred to a thousand on to the total BTUs of the portable room air conditioner to ensure that it has the power required to properly remove heat from the area in which it is implemented.

3.      The next thing that you should consider when purchasing a portable room air conditioner is whether or not the unit requires a window for the exhaust hose. It is important that you consider the size of the window that will be required, as well as the distance that the window should be at from the air conditioner. There are some units that do not require a window for an exhaust hose, but if your air conditioner does, it is absolutely essential to ensure that you know and understand the specifications so that you will know if your room is set up to be compatible with the portable room air conditioner.

There are many advantages to choosing a portable based air conditioning unit for the home. The two most common advantages is that it will assist in saving money on electrical costs and it can be moved to any location that requires cooling in the home. By following the outline contained in this consumer guide, you will be able to select a portable room air conditioner that is appropriate for your needs.