September 25, 2019

A portable AC works just like the air conditioner in your home. The air cools as it runs over coils containing a chilled refrigerant. Just like your home AC needs proper tender loving care, so does your portable AC. There is so much you can do to keep these units running optimally in the best possible condition.

Location, location, location

Location matters. Where you put your spot cooler will dictate how efficiently it operates. While our portable air conditioners are very efficient and versatile, there is a lot you can do regarding the placement to optimize efficiency. Don’t place the unit in direct sunlight next to a hot window. This will cause the machine to work on overtime and use more energy. Try not to place the unit next to large electronics that give off heat. However, we do deploy many of these units to cool expensive equipment in jeopardy of overheating. The energy cost you pay pales in comparison to your replacement cost for the other equipment.

Optimally, these units need to be placed in a shaded area away from large electronics. Ideally, they need to be in a clean, dry area free of debris in the air and near an area where they can be vented to the outside.

The units all pull moisture out of the air, but ideally, you want to use them in as low a humidity environment as possible. The higher the humidity level, the more condensation the unit will create which in turn increases the frequency at which the condensation receptacle must be drained.

Fortunately, all of our units are easy to maintain, portable and easy to move. They roll right into place and plug into a standard electrical outlet. All of our coolers have digital controls that make it easy to set the temperature and blower speed, and most units come with remote control.

Proper setup and maintenance

It is very important to ensure that your spot cooler will have access to a 120VAC power source for optimal operation of the compressor and motor fans. Without the proper electrical settings, the unit could blow a fuse or short out, so plan ahead.

All AC units have filters that collect dirt and debris to keep it out of the unit. Our sports coolers are easy to maintain. Filters are accessible on the outside of the units. Once a month, you need to wipe it down with a cloth. There is no soap required. It’s easy and will keep the unit humming along. Failure to clean the filters means that dirt starts to mix with moisture inside the unit. This can then cake onto the coils and prevent heat from venting. The unit will eventually overheat.

Keep in mind that a portable AC runs just like your home AC. The refrigerant is then run to a compressor, which compresses it to a hot liquid inside a coil. A fan blows over the hot coil to exhaust warm air. The refrigerant is then decompressed, which chills its temperature again and allows it to cool your room. In your home, the compressor is placed outside the house. In a spot cooler, the compressor is inside the spot cooler itself and the warm air is discharged through a tube or duct. The duct can be run outside of the building, or in many cases, it can vent into a drop ceiling to get the warm air out of your room. As the spot cooler chills the air, it will also remove moisture from it.

Many units also have carbon filters which reduce odors caused by mold and mildew. We recommend the carbon filter be changed at least twice per year. Preferred Climate Solutions offers full maintenance of all of our units. We will come out and service your rental AC to ensure proper operation.

Ventilation

Regardless of the type of portable AC unit you use, ventilation is key to ensuring optimal cooling. With these units, the hot air generated from the compressor needs to be vented out of the room to prevent the unit from overheating. You also don’t want that extra heat building up inside the room you are trying to cool. Our units come with a window ventilation kit that fits standard-sized windows.

Our team will deliver the unit and get the exhaust hose and window kit properly installed to keep your portable AC properly ventilated.

Proper storage 

Many of our customers only use portable spot coolers in the hot Texas months. During the offseason, we properly store and service our units so they are ready for you whenever you need them, 24/7 anywhere in Texas.

We ensure that all of the moisture in the units is drained and the unit is dried. We actually run the units on the high-speed fan-only option for several hours before storage, to ensure all moisture is gone, thus eliminating any mold or mildew growth while the unit is sitting idle. We store all our units in our cool, dry climate-controlled facility and we cover them with a protective cover to ensure they remain dust and debris-free during storage. They’ll be ready when you need them, and we offer fast delivery and on-site setup.

Rent a spot cooler today, and let us take on this responsibility for you. You won’t have to worry about any of these maintenance tips or about making repairs. You can focus on your business while we keep your portable AC running smoothly and efficiently. You will always have a working and well-maintained spot cooler when you need it and where you need it. When you are finished with it, we will come get it and properly store it until you need it next.

Perhaps you need a larger unit. We will come swap out your units as your needs change. Give at Preferred Climate Solutions a call today. We will help you identify the best spot cooler for your situation and provide you one (or more) from our large selection.

A portable air conditioner may be just the ticket for delivering that jet of cold air where you need it the most, but there are many misconceptions regarding what these units do and where they can be used. Let’s explore the top myths about portable air conditioners.

Myth #1: Turning a thermostat down to a lower temperature cools the room faster.

Nope. Gradually lowering the temperature on your central AC unit is the best way to go. That way, the AC unit doesn’t have to work as hard. If you lower the thermostat too fast, humidity increases, and that can be a problem in commercial facilities.

Still, every building or office generally has a “hot spot”, a place that just doesn’t get cooled by the central unit. Our spot coolers are portable air conditioners that can be used to cool office or factory hot spots. Many factories use them to cool equipment that often overheats. We’ve also installed units in hospitals that need to keep medical supplies at optimal storage temperature, labs, and many other commercial facilities. Perhaps you need additional cooling for a computer data center to cool server racks; if so, our spot coolers are a perfect solution. Finally, we install them in regular offices during the summer months when the building AC is just not doing the job. And of course, we’ve delivered many of these units in emergency situations when the building’s primary AC unit failed and fast cooling was needed.

These units direct a jet of cool air where you need it the most. Perhaps you are in a situation where you don’t need to cool the entire room or building. With spot cooling, you avoid the cost and discomfort involved and just cool the space you need. The units are easy to set up. They are self-contained and simply roll into place wherever you need them. We offer various sizes and all of them run on a 120V electrical supply.

Myth #2: To be more efficient, run your portable AC at a high temperature when you are not in the office. 

It actually will waste energy if you turn your AC up to a higher temperature while you are gone. Gradual temperature changes are best. We can set a timer on the portable AC to ramp up before you come into the office. This way, your space will be cooled and you will save on energy costs at the same time.

Myth #3: A portable AC will perform optimally no matter where it is placed. 

While our portable air conditioners are very efficient and versatile, there is a lot you can do regarding the placement to optimize efficiency. Don’t place the unit in direct sunlight next to a hot window. This will cause the machine to work on overtime and use more energy. Try not to place the unit next to large electronics that give off heat. However, we do deploy many of these units to cool expensive equipment in jeopardy of overheating. The energy cost you pay pales in comparison to your replacement cost for the other equipment.

Optimally, these units need to be placed in a shaded area away from large electronics. These portable coolers work just like the air conditioner in your home by cooling air as it runs over coils containing a chilled refrigerant. The refrigerant is then run to a compressor, which compresses it to a hot liquid inside a coil. A fan blows over the hot coil to exhaust warm air. The refrigerant is then decompressed, which chills its temperature again and allows it to cool your room. In your home, the compressor is placed outside the house. In a spot cooler, the compressor is inside the spot cooler itself and the warm air is discharged through a tube or duct. The duct can be run outside of the building, or in many cases, it can vent into a drop ceiling to get the warm air out of your room. As the spot cooler chills the air, it will also remove moisture from it.

Our portable air conditioners are very easy to use and maintain. They roll right into place and plug into a standard electrical outlet. The units all pull moisture out of the air, and you will periodically have to drain a condensation tank, but that is easy to do. All of our coolers have digital controls that make it easy to set the temperature and blower speed, and most units come with remote control.

Myth #4: Only large spot coolers are available, and I have a small space to cool. 

At Preferred Climate Solutions, we offer a wide range of energy-efficient, easy to use portable air conditioner units. All are world-class compact and reliable coolers that cool areas as small as 250 square feet to areas as large as 2,100 square feet. Our units range from 10,000 to 83,000 BTU units that we can deliver 24/7 to fit your needs. We offer on-site delivery, set up and pick up when you’re done, and quite often, a single spot cooler can do the job for the client. If you’re not sure what you need, we will come out and do a no-cost assessment to get you the optimal cooling solution for your unique space.

Myth #5: There’s no cooling solution for my outdoor event.

Much of what we do is rental of outside portable A/C units that duct cool air into an event space. These units are stackable and can be configured to any special event. Our units range from 5-ton to 25-ton AC units that we can deliver anywhere in Texas with onsite delivery and setup.

We have rented these units for every type of event ranging from corporate retreats to wedding receptions. Many athletic facilities also use these units because they have no permanent climate control system, so they use our units during training season and in the hot summer months.

These units can be used in any outdoor or partially enclosed area. They’re quiet, unobtrusive and they bring temperatures down fast.

Call Us Today

If you know you need cooling but are not sure what the right equipment for the job is, give us a call today at Preferred Climate Solutions and we will help you choose.

Shut that door! Are you trying to cool the entire neighborhood? You likely grew up hearing your parents repeatedly say this about your home air conditioner. Now it’s your turn. You are the homeowner and you are probably yelling the same thing to your own kids.

Our Texas summers are brutal. With temperatures in the triple digits and the humidity added to that, you can feel as if you are swimming in a soup bowl. Air conditioning is a necessity; you can’t survive the heat without it, but that can come with a steep energy bill. Don’t sweat it. There are ways to save energy and save your voice at the same time. Let’s jump in.

The Lights Are On, But…

If people are not in your home during the day, turn your AC up and close the blinds and drapes. If you have a programmable thermostat, set the temp to cool about 20 minutes before you get home. It might be hot for a few minutes when you get home, but the extra savings will be worth it. Don’t keep your unit working overtime if no one is at home.

Also be sure to close off vents in rooms you are not using. If you have a basement, this is traditionally the coolest room in the home naturally, so close all the vents. Remember that heat rises, so cool air will naturally creep down to your lower floors anyway.

You can also turn your AC up at night. Sure, you still want to sleep comfortably but during sleeping hours, you don’t need the same level of “conscious cool” that you need during the day. Many programmable thermostats have a sleep mode that runs your AC less during sleeping hours.

And Speaking of Lighting…

Turn as many lights off as you can to significantly reduce heat during the day in your home. You also might be letting a lot of light and heat in through windows, so it is worth the time to close your blinds every day during the intense sunlit hours.  Do it for a while and you will notice a huge difference in your AC bill.

Service With A Smile

One of the best things you can do is service your unit. Every spring, before it gets too hot, do some basic maintenance to keep your AC unit running efficiently. First hose out your unit to remove dead leaves, pine cones and sticks to keep the filters clear.  Call your AC professional to do a health check on the units to make sure they are in tip-top shape before the heat descends on Texas.

While you’re at it, check your ducts to make sure they are properly insulated to keep the air as cool as it can be. 

Furniture Feng Shui

Rearranging furniture doesn’t usually come to mind when you think about air

conditioning efficiency, but it can make a real difference. Furniture that is blocking a vent can really obstruct airflow. You might be cooling the back of a chair and that’s it! If rearranging the sofa is not an option, you can still redirect airflow. Most home improvement stores sell plastic vent clips that attach to force air in the right direction.

Optimal Temperature

A good rule of thumb is to run your AC at 78 degrees. At this temperature, the AC runs at optimal performance. Think of it like your car’s cruise control. You want your AC on cruise control and not working to struggle going uphill, so you can do that if you set your thermostat to a few degrees higher.

Smarter Thermostat

Seriously consider upgrading to a smart thermostat like Nest or others. They regulate heating and cooling when you’re not home. You can even adjust the settings using an app on your phone, and many of the smart thermostats are designed to work with Amazon Alexa or Google Home.

While there is an up-front investment, these units quickly pay for themselves and you will save money in the long run.

Even if you don’t have a smart thermostat, did you know that correct wall placement of a thermostat plays a big role in how well your AC works? Many homeowners do not know this, but if you place your thermostat on a wall right next to a window, the AC will kick on much more often because the thermostat will read the room to be hotter than it actually is.

Quit Cooling The Neighborhood!

When your parents said this, they basically meant for you to shut the back door. Today, you might be cooling the neighborhood with cool air that is seeping out of your home through door and windows that are improperly sealed. Even worse, your attic may be very poorly insulated. This is particularly true of older homes, and in fact can happen to any home unless it is basically brand new.

Get a home energy audit from Preferred Climate Solutions. We will send a certified home energy auditor to check your home for air leaks, then we will make recommendations on the best way to make your home more energy-efficient. You can do a small audit yourself by standing outside your home and running your hands along with windows and doors. If you feel cold air escaping, you need to seal up those leaky windows with caulk and add insulation around your doors.

Fans and Portable Units

So many people have ceiling fans but don’t use them. The help of a good fan to redistribute and circulate cool air means that you don’t have to generate as much cool air coming into the room. Fans use much less energy than the air conditioner, so make sure to use them if you have them. Don’t have ceiling fans? Use a portable fan to accomplish the same thing.

If you have a central AC unit but don’t need to cool your whole space, consider a portable unit to cool the area you need to cool. These units use half the energy that a large central AC unit does.

Call us at Preferred Climate Solutions. We are your portable cooling specialists in the Dallas area and we are ready to keep you cool under the collar in this Texas weather.