Portable Air Conditioners: Setup Tips for Maximum Efficiency

If you're in a building where the temperature in the server room can't be controlled independently, you've probably already considered portable air conditioners as a viable way to efficiently cool the isolated area without freezing everyone in the office. Portable air conditioners are considered the most cost effective and efficient way to cool a server room when chosen and installed correctly. When purchasing these air conditioner, you have the option of installing it yourself or having a specialist do the installation for you. If you're considering self installation, keep these considerations in mind.

Routing the ventilation hose: While portable air conditioning units are easy to roll from location to location, they do require a ventilation hose. Otherwise, hot air taken in from the unit will blow right out the back while cold air is blowing out the front. Without a way to send the hot air out of the room, the overall temperature of the room won't be reduced, it will only feel colder directly in front of the unit.

The ideal way to route the hot air is through a ceiling panel. False ceiling panels are the easiest to work with. Simply pop out the panel, create a circular hole, add the fitting and hose, and replace. If your ceiling isn't a good adequate for ventilation, this vent hole can be drilled into any inside or outside wall. Because these intake and outtake vents are critical to the operation of the portable air conditioner, make sure that there is never anything near the intake vents that could become pulled up against the vents and cause blockage.

Electricity: Until recently, many larger units suited for server rooms required special electric wiring. The power required to run these larger units just couldn't be harnesses effectively with a standard plug. However, there are now some higher BTU portable air conditioner makes such as the Avenger that can use standard electrical plugs. When using a portable air conditioner, never use and extension cord as this is a serious fire hazard. Measure the length between where you want to place the unit and the nearest outlet and ask about the length of the cord before purchasing your unit.

Maintenance: Your air conditioner should work effortlessly and quietly in the background for years without requiring much maintenance. On occasion, you'll want to check that the vents are free and clear of any debris or blockage and use canned air to spray out any collected dust. Unless you're in a very dusty location, you'll probably only need to replace your air filters 1-2 times per year.

If you do notice a decrease in efficiency, contact an HVAC or portable air conditioner specialist right away. Portable air conditioners offer a solution to server rooms where temperatures can't be controlled independently from the rest of the building floor using the central air system. Property installed and maintained, portable air conditioners are a economical solution for cooling server rooms.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Portable Air Conditioners, visit http://www.Coldair.net