Air conditioners are handy during very warm weather, especially hot summer months. Most air conditioners have three ‘systems’ – one for air circulation, another for air cleaning, and another for heat transfer or cooling. A typical air conditioner has a compressor-condenser and a cooking coil (or evaporator).
Portable Air Conditioners are movable air conditioning units that can stand alone or supplement the room’s existing air conditioner. They usually have wheels that make them easy to roll from one room to the next. The latest models of Portable Air Conditioners use water extracted from the air to make the cooling coils run more effectively.
Room Air Conditioners are of the most common (and cheaper) type. They usually just have enough power to cool an average-size room and can be installed through a wall or fit through a window. Both the cooler and compressor are put into one compact unit.
Split Air Conditioners are central air conditioning units with separate coolers and compressors. They are more expensive than Room Air Conditioners, but are usually more efficient and quieter.
Air Coolers
Air coolers support central air conditioning units as they can reach (a) areas that central air conditioners cannot and (b) areas heavily-penetrated by sunlight. Air coolers do not blow hot air (as fans do) and also do not use Freon, so they are environmentally friendly.
Space. Consider the space where you will use the air conditioning unit. A smaller space can be serviced by a room air conditioner while a bigger one would likely require a central air conditioner.
Climate and Ventilation. Also consider the general temperature of the room (affected by climate and sunlight coming in). A room air conditioner may no be enough even for a small room if the ventilation is poor and sunlight floods it.
