Using Portable AC Units to Save Energy and Lower Your Monthly Bills

Depending on where you live, you may have to deal with extremely high temperatures and high humidity during the summer months. In this season, it is very common to see temperatures between 90-110 degrees. Through these times, it's only natural for us to seek refuge near an air conditioner. Our body temperatures are already 98 degrees. Additional heat can be unbearable and harmful in some cases. Staying cool is not just an option, it is a must during this time of year.

If you live in a home that has central heating and air, you are dealing with a dilemma. You need and love your AC during the summer months. However, when the bill arrives, reality hits, and you realize that comfort comes at a price. The alternative would be to not use the AC, open the windows, and live with the thick, hot air. Your bill would be lower but your life would not be pleasant.

Obviously, this would not be an option. However, you can do something that will help you lower your bill and it doesn't involve suffering. You can use a Portable AC along with your central AC. This seems like an expensive option because you would be using another device that uses energy. Not necessarily. Since it is portable, you can carry it with you from room to room and use it as needed. The other rooms can be cooled with the central AC at a temperature that is slightly above room cooling temperature.

For example, the suggested thermostat settings from the U.S. Department of Energy is 78 degrees. If it is 90-100 degrees outside, you may feel compelled to lower your thermostat setting to 75-76 degrees. Instead of setting your thermostat this low, try setting it at 83 degrees. This may seem a little high but it is still a comfortable temperature. Your unit will not have to work very hard to keep your home at this temperature. And if your thermostat is on "auto", it will shut off a lot sooner, which means less energy will be used.

With your home being at 83 degrees, You would be slightly above room cooling temperature. This is bearable but when it is extremely hot outside, bearable may not be enough.

This is where the Portable AC unit comes in handy. The unit is convenient but it is also small. It has a limited amount of cooling power. You would not be able to use it to cool your entire house. What you can do is use it to cool the rooms that you are occupying at the time.

You can set your Portable AC to 75 degrees on a timer. If you are watching TV in the living room, you can use it in there. If you are in your basement, you can use it there. If you are in your room or home office, you can carry it with you in there. This way, you get to stay as cool as you want to be without wasting the energy throughout the entire house.

You can also cut down on your maintenance costs. Portable AC units are not maintenance free but you can clean and maintain them yourself. Central AC units need to be cleaned by companies that specialize in air duct cleaning. Lots of dust and debris can build up in the vents and it is usually not something you can tackle alone unless you have the equipment and the expertise to do the job.

Portable units work great but everyone will not use this option. Some people are not concerned with saving money and energy and they find it much easier to just set their thermostat at 75 degrees and live with the bill. Even if they are concerned, the unbearable heat can make them forget about being conservative.

If you happen to be one of these individuals, just know that Portable AC units are an option and they can help you lower your bill. They also come in handy and they are worth having especially if you live in a large home that requires a lot of energy to cool. You never know when you may need one.