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Simple Living



Portable Floor Air Conditioners

by Nikki Willhite

Not many people have air conditioning in Seattle.  It just doesn't get hot very often.  However, when we do have the occasional heat spell, people suffer.  No one is able to sleep at night, and everyone starts grumbling.

It is sort of funny how things like fans and air conditioning units sit around in the stores untouched until the heat comes.  Then they disappear.  Trying to find a fan during a heat spell in Seattle is a hopeless task.

We keep a portable air conditioner in our closet for these occasions.   I think the question most people want to know is do these air conditioners work?  The answer is a resounding "yes!"

Portable floor air conditioners can be rolled from room to room, which makes them very versatile.  You can use them anywhere in your home, unlike the units that stick out windows.  Many homeowner associations do not allow window air conditioners.

There are only two things you need for a standing air conditioner.  You need an outlet for the plug and you need a way to exhaust the hot air. 

Most people just use a window to vent out the hot air.  Small windows that open upward work best.  You put the exhaust vent on the window sill, and then pull the window down to the top of the exhaust vent.  Then you move the slat that comes with the air conditioner to seal the open space between the vent and the side of the window.

If the slat doesn't fit properly, you can cut a piece of cardboard or another material that fits and use that instead.

These air conditioners work so well you will want to keep them across the room from you so you don't get too cold.  You also need to consider your security if you use them in a lower bedroom while you are sleeping.  Make sure that you brace your window closed so someone from the outside cannot open the window and crawl into your home.

With a few preparations to a couple windows in your home, you should be able to stay cool in the summer without cooling  your whole house.  It is always more frugal to adjust the temperature of the rooms you are using than to spend money heating or cooling rooms you are not using.

Floor standing air conditioners are cheaper to buy and operate than any other type of cooling. We bought ours at Costco, but they also sell them at  Walmart.

With a floor standing unit you will not lose any energy in home ducts either, and you can point the air any direction you want it to go.  A floor air conditioner is a frugal option to stay cool when it gets hot.



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