Environmentally Friendly Air Conditioners

Portable Air Conditioners — By Jonathan on February 22, 2010 at 5:12 am

Whether you are looking to reduce your own carbon footprint and effect on the environment or merely aiming to cut costs in the way of your home utility bill, you may be interested in learning that the leading culprit for home energy consumption comes in the way of your heating and cooling methods. When the temperatures outside list to one side of the spectrum or the other we are then more inclined to compensate for that inside. This means that when it gets hot and humid outdoors we are apt to crank up the air conditioning so that we aren’t left sweaty and uncomfortable.

Portable Air Conditioners: More Efficient

A standard central air condition unit is going to supply your entire house will a steady stream of cold air through a network of vents, which means that even if you are not currently using all of the rooms in your home your air conditioner will be working to keep them just as cool as the ones you are in. This means that you are unnecessarily wasting energy to cool these places and in turn increasing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted and inflating your bills. Portable air conditioners then can limit the amount of energy you need by only cooling the areas you are currently using, passing that reward on to you in the form of savings as well as being easier on one Mother Nature.

There are many different models of portable air conditioners you can choose from depending on your own specific needs, but generally they are all between 60 and 100 centimeters (28 and 34 inches) tall. They are set upon rolling wheels that allow you to easily shift them from room to room. What’s more is that because they vary in size you can make a selection based on the amount of space you need to cool; you can limit the necessary amount of electricity consumed by pairing a smaller portable unit with a similarly smaller room.

As a rule of thumb, for each square meter of space in a bedroom you need 80 watts; for one square meter of space in an open living area you need 125 watts. Portable air conditioning units can then cut back on the amount of wasted energy you use and in turn make your home all the more green.

Go for the Greener Air Cons

Another concern regarding air conditioners is the fact that they contain refrigerants that have chemicals that are damaging to the environment. While it is not yet possible to remove all chemicals from the air conditioning unit, there are more eco-friendly refrigerant options. Not all chemicals are created equal and if you are looking to outfit yourself with a unit that is less polluting you can opt for one with R410a refrigerant and still other that don’t produce any ozone.

There are still other ways you can make your portable air conditioner more eco-friendly:

Compare the Energy Rating between the different models. This is a star rating from 1-6, and the higher the rating the more efficiently they will use the supplied electricity and in turn use less energy overall.
Look for models that contain a light up control panel with LED lights. They are exponentially more efficient than standard light bulbs.
Keep the air filter properly cleaned and maintained. As well as increasing the lifespan of your air conditioner dramatically, this will reduce the amount of toxins that are trapped in your house from everyday cleaners, dust, and household products which will in turn make for a cleaner, healthier, living space. This is especially beneficial to anyone with allergies, asthma, or a weakened immune system.

Air conditioners are our friends, not our enemies – but we should pay careful attention to the way in which they are used and relied on. By limiting the amount of energy used with a portable unit you can lessen your carbon footprint and help the environment. The added benefit of a smaller electricity bill shouldn’t go unnoticed either!