Portable AC Unit A portable ac unit is what you need if you do not have the space to install a conventional air conditioner. You will need to know what capacity ac unit and the size of the room that you want to cool. A portable ac unit not only cools a room but can also dehumidify the room. They can also be used as space heaters or fans. What functions they offer depend on the ac unit chosen. Before shopping for a portable ac unit make sure that you know the size of the room that you are going to use this unit in. They may be easy to install but they are not trouble-free and mobile. These units are bulky and can weigh fifty to ninety pounds, are thirty inches tall, and take up twelve to eighteen inches of space. How they work The ac unit will need to be kept near the window so the hot hair can be exhausted outside. The water can be drained in two different ways: outside the window using a drainage hose or in a bucket in the room. Sizes A portable ac unit is generally 7,500 to 8,000 BTUs but there are some with higher BTUs. BTU stands for British thermal unit and in reference to air conditioners, this is how many per hour the ac unit can remove or add from the air. With these BTU’s the portable ac unit can cool rooms that are 150 to 200 square feet. This type of air conditioner is the most economical and smallest of all air conditioners. Types of portable ac units When choosing a portable ac unit there are small, medium, and large units, each with different BTUs. Small
7,500 BTU free standing units 9,000 BTU free standing or digital unit 10,000 BTU free standing unit
Medium
12,000 BTU free standing or portable unit with built-in water pump
Large
13,000 BTU free standing unit 14,000 BTU free standing unit with ion and UV light, or heater with ion and UV light, or non-free standing air conditioner