Are Portable Air Conditioners More Energy Efficient Than Window Units

While some portable acs meet or exceed the governmental minimum requirement for ac energy usage to be 10 seer seasonal energy efficiency ratio many don t.

Are portable air conditioners more energy efficient than window units. Portable air conditioner vs. If noise bothers you aim for an air conditioner with the lowest db number. Window ac unit pros. Air conditioning makes the hottest summer days more enjoyable but rising energy costs and the growing awareness of energy.

That equates to about 20 30 per month to use a window air conditioner for around eight hours per day. Over the long term however it pays you back with the system s remarkable energy efficiency. Pledge to choose an energy star certified room air conditioner. One of the best things about window air conditioners is that they re very energy efficient.

That means you get even more cooling power per btu. Both unit types must be vented to the outside to function properly and are better as a. Here are more alternatives for keeping your home cool this summer. True a mini split costs more up front than a window unit.

Portable air conditioners are independent movable units with exhaust hoses that are easy to install and vent out of a variety of window types. On the other hand a window unit is stored entirely outside of your living space which is attractive to some people who like the idea of reducing clutter. In fact retailers report that many portable air conditioners are returned each season by dissatisfied customers. If all room air conditioners sold in the united states were energy star certified the cost savings would grow to more than 350 million each year preventing more than 6 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually equivalent to the emissions from over 570 000 vehicles.

Window air conditioners are generally less expensive than portable air conditioners but they are more difficult to install and only fit in standard sized windows. That s because window air conditioners are usually much quieter than portable air conditioners. What s more a window air conditioner actually uses energy more efficiently than a portable unit does. Portable ac units hover around 70 db while window ac units tend to be near 50 db which is one eighth quieter.

In fact most window ac units use one eighth the amount of electricity compared to central air systems. Portable units are typically bigger noisier and more expensive and use more energy. However the high upfront cost of purchasing and installing central and split systems work in the favor of window units.