Free standing portable air conditioners are designed to be quiet and efficient with no permanent installation. They should have a full thermostatic control with a remote control, vents with 2 or 4 way to distribute the air evenly. The dual hose (1 hose for air intake and 1 hose for air exhaust)so no negative pressure builds in the room. Also the standing air conditioner unit should include an independent humidifier this allows the moisture from the air to be removed without turning on the air conditioner mode.
The major benefit of the portable air conditioner unit to the window unit is that it can be easily moved from room to room. It is important to choose the right strength AC unit by buying a bigger unit will not automatically be better. They use extra power and cool to fast leaving humidity in the air and a smaller unit will not be effective(check the Btu recommended below).
For the most efficient results you can use an interior fan together with the air conditioning unit to increase effectiveness. Avoid placing near computers ,tv’s ,lamps, etc as the thermostat senses heat and will operate longer assuming the rest of the room is the same temperature. Also place the portable air conditioner in the shade away from direct sunlight as this can result in 10% less electricity cost.
5000-5200 Btu —> 100-150 sq ft room
6000-8000 Btu —-> 151-350 sq ft room
10000-12000 Btu —> 351-550 sq ft room
15000 Btu ———–> 551-700 sq ft room
18000 Btu ———–> 701-1000 sq ft room
24000 Btu ———> 1001-1500 sq ft room
