Are Portable Air Conditioners More Energy Efficient Than Window Units

Air conditioning makes the hottest summer days more enjoyable but rising energy costs and the growing awareness of energy.

Are portable air conditioners more energy efficient than window units.

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. Pledge to choose an energy star certified room air conditioner. Both unit types must be vented to the outside to function properly and are better as a. Over the long term however it pays you back with the system s remarkable energy efficiency.

That equates to about 20 30 per month to use a window air conditioner for around eight hours per day. If noise bothers you aim for an air conditioner with the lowest db number. Portable ac units hover around 70 db while window ac units tend to be near 50 db which is one eighth quieter. Is running cental air cheaper than running three wall air conditioners.

Portable air conditioner vs. One of the best things about window air conditioners is that they re very energy efficient. In fact most window ac units use one eighth the amount of electricity compared to central air systems. True a mini split costs more up front than a window unit.

Window ac units fall right towards the end of the air conditioner efficiency spectrum being less efficient than central air conditioning systems and split system air conditioners. 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. Portable units are typically bigger noisier and more expensive and use more energy. What s more a window air conditioner actually uses energy more efficiently than a portable unit does.

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. Here are more alternatives for keeping your home cool this summer. 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. That means you get even more cooling power per btu.

And for the ones that do you can expect to pay more. Window ac unit pros. That s because window air conditioners are usually much quieter than portable air conditioners.