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Air Conditioner Advice
Blarghy
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I've been thinking about the air conditioning situation in my apartment for the upcoming summer and I am considering laying out some money for a supplemental a/c, but would like to get some advice before I plunk down the money.
I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.
Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?
I have a ~600 sq ft suite with a wall mounted 7,800 BTU a/c as is. The current a/c is effective at making things comfortable up to around an outside temperature of 28 C or so. However, beyond that, the place tends to get a little uncomfortable (though not unliveable), particularly the bedroom. I'm thinking about a portable a/c unit, and I'm willing to spend up to $500 or so.
Anyone here have any advice to share on any particular brands or units, and any pitfalls that I should be aware of before going out to buy one?
Blarghy on
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Why portable? Why not just buy a small window-unit for your bedroom? Or any other room other than where your current wall unit is?
Any portable A/C unit is going to need a window as an exhaust outlet anyway. I've never really understood the point of them for that reason. For the price you pay and the noise, you're better off getting multiple window units. Even if your windows aren't the exact perfect size for one, you can fashion a mount yourself and make it perfectly safe.
Because quite a few buildings won't allow you to install window units as they're unsightly.
I see. They might not allow portable units either, then. You're still going to have something in your window.
No, it's just a small air vent thing that you could easily disguise to look like nothing. It's not a giant box hanging out the window. It's no more obtrusive than a screen. You'd have to be the most anal of anal to disallow one of those.
But, it can't hurt to call management first.
Before investing in one I'd look at weatherproofing doors and windows, shading windows, and fans as portable AC's are loud and expensive to run.
This.
Plus you can usually keep the screen on so you'd have to look really hard to notice it. They're handy if you're only ever in a single room instead of running central air.
I think their ballpark is around $500. The only thing I know of is to be diligent with removing the water.
(1) shading your external unit if it's not already, that should improve efficiency
(2) since you're already running fans you might want to make an evaporative cooler. big bowl of ice water with a towel draped over it in front of the fan.
Then if you do need an AC to drop it more, you will be using less energy to do so.