What To Look For In A Portable Air Conditioner

A portable air conditioner is a tool that you can't afford to be without. These units allow you to take air conditioning benefits with you, no mater where you want to go. In fact, you can use them to help you to stabilize the air that you are breathing in temporarily or they can be used continuously. Unlike a large, household air conditioning unit, these are much more affordable to purchase as well as to run. You can condition the air in the areas that you live effectively, without having to worry about the overall cost of the rest of the home being conditioned (even when you aren't in those areas.)

There are many different models of portable air conditioners on the market that you can take full advantage of. You'll be able to purchase based on your own specific needs as well as your budget. What you should do, though, is to compare what each has to offer to you so that you can ultimately see improvements in your overall healthy and wellness.

For one thing, take the time to consider the area that the unit provides conditioning for. Getting a unit that provides for conditioning for that area only will save you time and money. You should also look at the warranty on the product, insuring it is as long as possible. Consider how often the unit will need to be emptied. Since most of the portable air conditioner options on the market will pull water from the air and then store it in a tank to keep the unit cool. But, these units will require the emptying of these tanks to keep them running.

Purchasing a portable air conditioner is an ideal tool to have. The best route to take is to insure that you provide for a high quality product that will offer you the ultimate benefits. Comparing the products that are available help you to make the right decision.

Kerry Rodden is an expert on air purifiers, and has written many articles on air purifiers, fans, vacuum cleaners, air fresheners and a lot more.

You can read more of Kerry's articles about air purifiers at http://www.lowplaces.net

Air Conditioners: Increase Efficiency And Reduce Electricity Bills

The SEER Rating

An abbreviation for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio it is unit which helps you understand how efficient your air conditioning unit will be. What the SEER actually provides is a ratio of the cooling output and the power required for that. Of course other variables like climate are also factored in while measuring the SEER ratings for a particular model.

The higher the SEER rating for you air conditioner the better it is for you. O f course, if you want a unit with higher SEER rating you will have to pay extra, but in the long run it is you who stand to gain. And this is because you will be saving much more on your electricity bills than you had been previously. In fact it takes about three to four years for you to appreciate the extra dollars you had paid. Since investing in an air conditioner is a long term thing, you can give yourself three to four years.

So, if you are planning to repair your old air conditioner, our advice would be to get a new one, one with a SEER rating of 12 or more. There is just no point in wasting time and money on an air conditioner with a SEER rating of 7 or 8 in today?s time.

Installation of the Central Air Conditioning System

If you plan to install a central air conditioning system, make sure that the outdoor compressor is installed under a shelter where the compressor will have enough shade. Believe it or not, this alone can reduce the energy consumption of the unit by 10 percent. Also ensure that there is a one-foot airflow all around the unit.

Get a Programmable Thermostat

This is another thing that can cut your energy bills significantly. This would allow you to have the temperature in the room to rise steadily, thus helping the air conditioner to consume less power. And since the temperature change will be gradual, you will also hardly sense it.

Maintenance

Of course, you have to maintain your air conditioner to see that it can perform at its best. Regularly clean the filters and see that the air flow is maintained. It is best to clean the filter once every month. Since it is not much of a hassle, all you got to do is just make a habit of it. It would hardly take any time.

Also clean the coils inside the air conditioner once every year. This will also go a long way in ensuring that the energy efficiency of your air conditioner is maintained at its prime level.

Jason Uvios writes about "Air Conditioners: Increase Efficiency and Reduce Electricity Bills" to visit it:airpurifier,aircondition and airpurify.

Effective Air conditioners - 9 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill by Half

Do you know that, in summer, the average American family pays about 40% of their energy bill for air conditioning of the house? But it doesn't have to be this way, Use these simple tips to help you keep your house cool and significantly reduce your energy bills during the hot months. 1. If you need to cool only one room, don't use your central air conditioning. Invest in a portable air conditioner, instead. Modern portable units have a very high energy efficiency rating, so it will cool your room effectively and save you a lot. 2. Install mini-blinds or white window shades. Mini-blinds can be very effective and can reduce heat gain from direct sunlight by 40-50 percent. You can also hang bamboo shades or tightly woven screens outside your windows. This will stop up to 80 percent of the sun's heat from getting through your windows. 3. Keep all windows closed during the day. At night you can open them for ventilation and switch on a fan instead of an air conditioner. 4. If you are using a mini split air conditioner, make sure that the outside compressor is well shaded. However, trees and shrubs shouldn't be planted right next to it; it needs some room for air flow.

5. It is best to clean your air conditioner filter at least once a month. Dust build-ups can significantly reduce air flow.

6. When buying an air conditioner unit, make sure that it is the right size for your room. A unit that is too small will not cool your room effectively, and an A/C that is too large will consume much more energy than necessary. See recommendations for proper air conditioner sizes for your room.

7. If you use central air conditioning, seal all A/C ducts. Insulate ducts that run through rooms that don't need cooling, like the basement or the attic.

8. If your air conditioner is old, consider replacing it with a modern high efficiency unit. Older A/C systems have a SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) of only 6 or 7, while the best air conditioners on the market today offer SEER as high as 13. That means that it will consume almost 50% less energy.

9. Cooking, drying cloth or dishwashing generates a lot of heat. Try to delay these activities until the evening, when it gets cooler.

Most people just switch their air conditioners on and set the desired temperature. This will cool your room, of course, but it will cost you, too. Furthermore, excessive energy consumption is not environmentally friendly, so by following our simple advice you could not only save on your bills, but you could also help to reduce pollution in your area.

Visit 100 Air Conditioner Reviews for tips on getting the best room air conditioner, price comparison and customer reviews of air conditioners

Window and Portable Air Conditioners

Window Air Conditioners - How To Reduce The Noise Level

Perhaps the most widely used air conditioners are the window air conditioners. They are quite popular for heating and cooling in both domestic and commercial premises. The basic advantage of a window air conditioner is that unlike the central air conditioners and the split air conditioners, it fits well in the window giving a good look and it does not occupy any space of the room at all.

Moreover, window air conditioners do not need to be shifted every now and then from one place to the other. However, like any other air conditioning equipment, it produces noise, the intensity of which differs with the type and size of the window air conditioners. Constant noise can indeed be very disturbing and distressing to the home and surrounding residents.

It is, therefore, advisable for the consumer to compare window air conditioners by checking the sound power level labels on the unit or in the literature specifications. The noise levels are often given in decibel ratings and the higher the decibel level, the louder the unit will be. The sound pressure increases by a factor of ten for every 10-decibel increase. For example, 60 Decibels is 10 times louder than 50 Decibels and 100 times louder than 40 Decibels.

The compressor and the fan are combined in a single unit and mounted in the window air conditioners and this is the source of all the noise in the air conditioner. The other causes of noise could be worn bearings, cabinet rattles, dirty or rusty fan blades, worn rubber mountings and compressor wear. Regular maintenance can reduce the noise to some extent but with the passing of time, there is bound to be an increase in the level of the noise.

You should check whether your window air conditioner is vibrating or producing a rattling noise and if so, then it is not a normal situation. The reason for this can be improper installation or loose side panels. If, however, you hear a scraping noise, you should either take the help of an authorized service provider or you can also try to find out the cause and repair it yourself.

The following steps can help you in tracking the fault and repairing it:

You should tighten the screws holding the front panel onto the unit. You should check carefully the window all round the unit. You should then turn the window air conditioner on and press your hand against the sash. If you find that as you press your hand against the sash, the sound changes in pitch, then you should put some wooden shims in the gap between the window air conditioners frame and the sash. If, however, the pitch of the noise changes when you press your hand on the glass, you should use some insulating cellophane tape between the glass and the frame. You might have to use putty if that does not reduce the noise.

If you feel that the sound is originating from within the unit, you should take the unit out of the window and check to see if the fan blades are bent. If so, just bend them back so that they match the others.

Portable Air Conditioners Ensure Economy And Convenience

With the onset of the damp weather, it becomes difficult to survive without constant central air conditioning but that can prove to be quite expensive. The answer to this problem is a portable air conditioner as it has many advantages. It is easy to shift from one place in the home to another and that makes a portable air conditioner the ideal cooling system solution for your home, office or industrial site.

The portable air conditioners are easy and quick to install, as they do not involve any lifting or tearing up of windowsills. Moreover it can be shifted very easily from one place in the home to the other. For taking care of the hot spots in the central air conditioning, the portable air conditioners are far more convenient than window air conditioners. It is also ideal for window shapes, which present problems for installation. There is nothing like portable air conditioners for use as a spot cooler in the home.

A portable air conditioner is an excellent choice for saving money as just one unit needs to be purchased and it can be shifted easily to where you need it as it is mounted on castors and some can weigh only about 36 pounds. Moreover, as only one room is cooled at a time instead of the whole house, the total energy consumption is very low as compared to other air conditioning systems.

Another advantage of portable air conditioners is the energy efficiency that they provide. The average efficiency is in the 8 to 10 range although some are as high as 15, which is 50 percent better than most older central air conditioners. The small size of the portable air conditioners is very advantageous and as such it can fit in a corner or against a wall. It functions like an effective dehumidifier if you do not vent the warm exhaust air out through a window and its size is also the same as that of a room dehumidifier.

In order to reduce humidity and allergies, even the small ones remove 35 pints of moisture per day from the room air. The portable air conditioners also use the heat-exchange principle as the other air conditioners to cool and dehumidify the air. The operating principle is also similar to a window air conditioner as the room air circulates over cold evaporator coils to cool and dehumidify it inside the unit. The room air is exhausted outdoor after flowing over the hot condenser. There is no chance of already-cooled indoor air escaping outside as two ducts are now used.

Nowadays, you have electronic controls in most models and you can set the desired room temperature, blower speed, start and stop timer, and operation mode (cool, dehumidify, heat). The portable air conditioners also have hand-held remote control with which you can conveniently change all the settings as per your need.

The other features of portable air conditioners include a built-in air cleaner with an optional charcoal filter and oscillating louvers to distribute the cool air throughout the room. You can also switch off the louvers to direct the flow of air towards yourself, if you so desire.

Air Conditioners

Air conditioning

Air Conditioners, What Could Be More Important Than A Good Brand Name

A common misconception about air conditioning equipment is that Brand Name is the best indicator of quality. While it is true

that some brands are better than others, this is not the main criterion you should use when making your buying decision. You

may do yourself a great disservice if you overlook this. The most important factor regarding central air conditioners and heat pumps, without exception, is the quality of the

installation.

A high-end air conditioning system installed in an unprofessional manor, without regard for quality of installation or proper

sizing will not perform any better than a low-end system installed with emphasis on the quality of the installation. Furthermore, using the above example, the operating and maintenance costs associated with the high-end system may very well

exceed that of the low-end system by a large amount over the life of the equipment.

These expenses will show in increased monthly energy costs, maintenance costs, and equipment breakdowns. There are also

concerns about indoor air quality, and noise.

One of the benefits of a properly sized air conditioning system is humidity control. The operating characteristics of air

conditioners is similar to dehumidifiers. The evaporator coil temperature is below the dew point temperature when in

operation. This results in moisture condensing on the evaporator and reduces the moisture content in the air. This results

in lower humidity. The run cycles of an over sized air conditioner will be too short for this dehumidification process to

occur.

The run cycles of an undersized system will be too long and may keep humidity levels too low. This system will loose a lot

of its capacity to the dehumidification process and only cool effectively when humidity is very low.

Maintenance and repair costs can be higher than normal on an over sized air conditioner. There are components in air

conditioners that require replacement from time to time because they wear out. For example the compressor contactor. The

contactor is the device that operates the compressor. Each time the compressor starts, the contactor closes. The more often

the compressor starts and stops the faster this part will wear out. The compressor is another example. It is common knowledge the greatest amount of wear on a car engine is at start up. The

same is true of an air conditioner compressor. There is oil in the compressor and each time it cycles off the oil drains

from the bearings and gets picked up again at startup. Because there is less oil for lubrication at startup, this is when

the greatest amount of compressor wear happens. If your air conditioner cycles on and off 4 or 5 times per hour instead of

the normal 2 or 3 times per hour it only makes sense that this causes more wear on the compressor.

These are only some of problems associated with over sized and undersized air conditioning equipment. There are other

complications that add to these problems and cost you more money. So when shopping for a new air conditioning system get

more than one or two prices and make sure the contractor does proper load calculations so you can avoid these problems.

When selectinghome air conditioners it is very important to consider all of your options. Maintaining this equipment is equally important. A good first step in air conditioner maintenance is choosing qualityfurnace filters and air conditioner filters

How to Choose the Right Air Conditioner Filter

The air filter in an air conditioning system keeps the cooling coils and air inside the room clean and free from all pollutants, pet dander, ozone emissions and airborne particles.

There are many different kinds of air filters available today, such as HEPA, standard, pleated, electrostatic and electronic filters. Of these, standard, pleated and electrostatic filters are the most common types of filters that are used in air conditioners. Generally these filters are located in walls, ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself.

Standard Air Filters, having the capacity of removing 10 percent of the airborne pollutants, are made of spun fiberglass with cardboard frames. They should be changed once a month.

Pleated Air Filters catch around 35% to 40% of the particles in the air. Owing to their greater surface area with filter material folded back and forth like a paper fan, manufacturers claim that they can last from two to four months. The cost of these filters ranges from $5 to $20 which is slightly more than that of standard filters.

Electrostatic filters use filter media, which use an electric charge to attract the dirt particles in the air. These filters may have electric charge built-in, or else the air moving through the layers of the system creates electric charge. They may cost from around $20 to over $100 each. These filters only need to be changed once a year.

Sometimes people with allergies may consider the usage of an electronic air cleaner in the air conditioner, which works on the same principle as that of electrostatic filter. However, it is far more effective than electrostatic filter and does not hinder the flow of air inside the air conditioning system. Whatever type of air conditioner filter you use, it is advisable to check the cleanliness of the coils of the filter by a contractor at least once in a month.

Perhaps the most important measure that will ensure the efficiency of an air conditioner is frequent replace of its filters. One should change the air conditioner's filter regularly, as clogged, dirty filters block normal air flow and reduce the system's efficiency significantly by impairing the coils' heat-absorbing capacity.

Air Filters Info provides detailed information on home, car, electronic, and HEPA air filters, as well as air conditioner filters and air filter manufacturers. Air Filters Info is the sister site of Air Purifiers Web.

Do You Know How Important Your Air Conditioner Filter Is?

When most people think about an air conditioner filter, it is in terms of how efficient they are and how much dust they will stop. These are important things and should be considered when replacing or upgrading your air conditioner filter.

There is another very important job that your air conditioner filter does. It helps to keep dust from collecting on the evaporator coil of your air conditioning system. The evaporator is located inside the air handler and is one of the four main components of any air conditioning system. The air filter is usually located somewhere just before the evaporator coil.

Everyone knows that any dust that passes through the filter ends up back in your living space and can be very irritating to allergy sufferers and anyone else who is sensitive to dust and airborne contaminants.

What most people dont realize is that your air conditioner filter also serves another important purpose. It also prevents the evaporator coil from becoming plugged with dust and reducing the efficiency of the equipment.

This evaporator coil is constructed very similar to the radiator in a car. Like your car radiator, it will not be able to do its job without proper airflow. I am comparing the evaporator coil to a car radiator because most of us know what a radiator looks like, but an evaporator coil works to cool air as it passes through.

Over time dust collects between the fins of the evaporator coil and can even form a layer on the surface of the evaporator coil fins (like a blanket). This happens over a period of time and can take months and even years to happen.

If your air conditioner develops a problem with ice build up and it was never a problem in the past, there are two probable causes. The evaporator coil is becoming dirty and causing low operating pressures, or you are not changing your air filter often enough.

If you have your air conditioner serviced regularly, the technician should check the coil condition and advise you when it needs to be cleaned. As airflow through the evaporator coil becomes more and more restricted the equipment efficiency begins to decline. This can even cause equipment failure and lead to expensive repairs.

So, cleaner air is not the only benefit you will get from using an efficient air conditioner filter. You will also save money because your air conditioning equipment will perform at a higher efficiency and you will reduce service calls.

Donald Munn has been in the air conditioning, ventilation and heating industry for twenty years and shares his experience and insight into furnace filter selection, performance and care at www.furnacefiltercare.com
 

HVAC Training

With strengthening modern technology, HVAC training is more necessary today than ever! While many will train for a career in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) while on the job, more and more employers are now searching for graduates who have successfully completed their post secondary HVAC training to fill the ever-increasing demand for skilled technicians.

In an HVAC training program, students commonly learn to read blueprints; they also learn about safety issues, tools of the trade, designs, equipment construction, electronics, and the installation, maintenance and repair of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as heating and refrigeration systems. Additional coursework may include applied physics, chemistry, computer applications, electronics, and mechanical drawing.

A suitable HVAC training program is usually administered at a vocational or trade school, but there are some online HVAC schools, as well. Students are taught how to troubleshoot, repair and maintain heating, ventilation and air conditioning mechanisms and entire systems. Future HVAC technicians may evaluate settings and adjust system controls, test equipment, install fuel or water lines, and install air ducts, pumps, vent systems and other associated parts. In addition, prospective technicians learn how to connect electrical wiring and other components necessary for optimum HVAC operation.

Students who complete in HVAC training may earn a certificate or college credits. Furthermore, those who have fulfilled requirements for becoming an HVAC technician can expect a promising career outlook as the projected rate of available jobs is increasing more rapidly than many other occupations. While earnings vary, the top ten percent of HVAC technicians make more than $27 per hour.

If you would like to learn more about HVAC Training and HVAC Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find HVAC Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.