Like any other piece of equipment, the portable air conditioning units also require some kind of tender care and handling to be able to deliver the most desirable outcomes. It is not uncommon though for people to make some mistakes while handling and operating these gadgets. We examine some of the mistakes that are more likely to arise and how to possibly mitigate them.
Common Portable Air Conditioner Mistakes
1. Picking the wrong conditioner for the job
Different conditioners are designed to work in different environments. You must match the right appliance for the right environment. If your area is humid, see to it that you choose one whose motor is similarly more efficient. The opposite, of course, holds for those areas that are dry and devoid of any moisture.
2. Disregarding the BTU Ratings
Each piece of equipment bears a BTU rating. The abbreviation BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. It is the measure of the cooling capacity of an air conditioner. Needless to say, the higher rating would be most suited for larger rooms or areas that tend to overheat too much. It is hence to pay keen attention to this consideration.
3. Not Paying Attention to the Size of the Room
Other than the BTU rating, it is also necessary that you factor the size of the room in your search for the most suitable air conditioning unit for the job. The right one has to be able to impact the entire length and breadth of the room. Using a weaker one will last you a shorter length of time.
4 Not Factoring the “Energy Efficiency Ratio”
The term “Energy Efficiency Ratio” is a measure of the efficacy of the conditioner insofar as the task of cooling your interior rooms is concerned. Each appliance is rated appropriately concerning this measure. You must countercheck to find out whether your rating can deliver the necessary satisfaction levels.
5. Ignoring the Venting Requirements
Though these appliances cool and facilitate the circulation off the air, they do not operate in isolation. Instead, they have to work hand in hand with the home’s venting mechanisms. The two systems must blend well to be able to deliver the most satisfactory outcomes
6. Failing to Care for the Power Considerations
These appliances draw their power from a variety of sources. For them to work well, you must draw a connection between the power requirements and sources at your disposal and the kind of appliance you are intent on taking advantage of. All these for your own added peace of mind.
7. Utilizing the wrong unit size
Other than the size of the room, the appliances themselves do come about in varying shapes and sizes. Sometimes, it could that you simply employ the wrong size of equipment for the job. As a possible way forward, you have to ought to match the right size with the right needs for the job.
8. Opening Windows and Doors
Even though the windows and doors similarly contribute to the cooling of the interiors of the rooms, they do not have to be used at the same time when the air conditioning unit is on. That approach is completely uncalled for as it waters down the efficacy of the piece of equipment altogether.
9. Maintaining the unit on throughout
You do not want to spend too much of your money and energy just to keep your interiors cool. One sure way of avoiding this is to switch the unit on if and only if you have to. Otherwise, you should always have it off when it is not needed. The purpose is to expend as little energy as can possible be.
10. Overlooking the change of filters
So that the units perform well, the filters have to be changed periodically. In many cases, people tend to overlook changing these filters. They leave the same for too long duration in such a way as to compromise the overall functioning and efficiency of the items altogether.
11 Forgoing Regular Maintenance
Just as with any other piece of electronics, the air conditioners also have to be repaired and maintained regularly to be able to operate well. Unfortunately, not many users do this. In the end, the appliances do not operate as optimally as they should. To stem this tide, the equipment has to be maintained regularly.
12. Setting the Thermostat Too Low
Air conditioners are generally stop-gap measures when acquainting yourself with a hot and humid environment. Ultimately, the human body does have the ability to adjust to a newer environment sooner. This takes roughly a week or two. You should hence consider setting the thermostats higher after that timeframe. That will cut your energy expenses by 3%.
13. Failing to Leverage the full advantage of the fans
Even when you opt to power the air conditioners, you should never shy away from the use of the fans to complement the unit. Fans indeed reduce the interior temperatures and at the same time scatter the air molecules. In this way, they make it possible for the temperatures to reduce without expending too much energy.
14. Positioning the thermostat and vents poorly
How you position the thermostats and the vents also determine the efficacy of the entire portable unit. In particular, both components have to be kept as far away from the sources of heat and direct sun. That will prevent poorer readings that may not tally with the actual interior temperatures.
15. Cooling Empty Rooms
Lastly, you could be cooling an empty room. While there is nothing mechanically wrong with this, it is simply a waste of time to do so. You will incur huge operational expenses and utility bills that you would otherwise spend pursuing other vital chores.
Conclusion
Well, the next time you contemplate using your portable air conditioner, take care that you stay away from the common portable air conditioner mistakes we have highlighted and explained above. That is the only way you will stay away from the dangers and wastes that ordinarily come along with use.
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