The Future of Portable Air Conditioners
With greater emphasis on energy conservation and improving efficiency, more environmental friendly models are being introduced into the market. One of the major concerns is that the coolants or the refrigerant used in most portable air conditioners are not environmental friendly. Two important characteristics of these agents are ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP). The ODP indicates how much effect a given chemical has on the ozone, while the second factor indicates how much effect it will have on the global warming. Efforts are on to reduce the chemical usage in PACs, but eliminating them altogether will not be possible. Newer, more friendly chemicals are being tried and used to reduce the effect on the environment, without compromising, and when possible, improving efficiency.
In general, units with greater Energy Efficient Ratios (EER) have greater efficiency than ones with a lower EER. Though they cost slightly more, the greater ratio will in the long run translate into better efficiency
Choose a unit that best fits the requirements for your room (or the space to be cooled). A large air conditioner in a small room not only gives you a bigger utility bill, it does not spell environmental friendliness either.
Choose a unit that makes less noise, as they consume less energy than the ones that make a lot of noise.
During installation, check that your area is properly sealed. Having gaps between the window wall and your unit will bring in more air to be circulated by the unit, which will cost you more and make your unit work more. You can use Australian copper or foam strips to seal these gaps. This reduces the amount of air that the conditioner has to work on, thereby saving power and improving cooling efficiency.
If you are living in a humid area like Queensland, adding a dehumidifier will not only giving you a better room environment, it will also let your conditioner work better.
A control panel with LED lights compared to standard light bulbs spells greater savings in terms of power.
Regular cleaning of air filters reduces the amount of toxins that get trapped, giving you a cleaner space. The pollen, allergens, dust, and even insects trapped in might only contaminate the air that is circulated in your room. Keep it clean, and you will also end up saving power and improve your air conditioner's cooling efficiency.
Just because you have a portable air conditioner, let it not become the sole source of cooling air in your space. Use natural ways to reduce heat emission in your house like limiting use of clothes dryer, dishwasher, oven, planting trees, judicious use of windows, use of awnings, and any other way you can think of to keep the heat away from coming in. These keep your home naturally cool, so the need for you to turn on your air conditioner is not always present.
Do agree that you loved the air conditioner that you bought when you first moved into your house. But that does not mean it will work forever with the same efficiency. Realize when it is time, and replace it with better, energy efficient ones. It could be that your old machine is releasing large amounts of CO2, which you can change by going for a different model.
People living in the Gold Coast should check for the rust that commonly is a big problem with air conditioners. The exposed metal framework and humid weather form a great combo, and more frequent maintanance would be in order.
Such small steps help you reduce energy consumption, and also contribute to the ecofriendliness of your air conditioner. It is not enough to just stay in a pleasant environment, we should leave it pleasant too.
