There are two important kinds of stand-alone air conditioners. One is a conveyable unit that sometimes sits on the ground and is supplied with a hose that ventilates sizzling air out of a window or opening, much like a standard window AC. Models of this sort typically additionally operate as dehumidifiers, pulling warmth and moisture from the air, compressing it with the interior motor, after which recirculating cooler, drier air into the house. They’re higher fitted to humid climates, and have a tendency to value round $300-500.
If you happen to’ve ever shopped for an AC unit earlier than, you’re in all probability aware of BTUs (british thermal items), the unit of measure for an air conditioner’s cooling energy. Beginning round 2020, some producers of moveable air conditioners began itemizing two different BTU ratings, one from ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and one called SACC (seasonally adjusted cooling capacity).
Historically, the BTU rating that you simply’d see on the unit’s packaging got here from ASHRAE, and was the results of testing the unit’s efficiency in preferrred environmental circumstances (and extra more likely to lead to peak efficiency). The newer SACC score takes extra variables into consideration to duplicate the real-life surroundings that an AC unit may inhabit, and creates an common efficiency rating based mostly on a wide range of temperature and humidity ranges. (FYI: This up to date score system solely applies to moveable AC items, and we’ve included the SACC score for every machine until in any other case famous.)
The evaporative or “swamp” cooler, then again, is one other sort of moveable cooling machine that features a bit of otherwise. These items are lined with moisture-soaked membranes that add humidity to the encircling air. They use an inner fan and tank of chilly water and ice to ship chilly, moist air right into a room. In keeping with the U.S. Geological Survey, they work finest in dryer areas with decrease humidity and better warmth, specifically the West, Southwest and Pacific Northwest. These are usually cheaper than moveable hose-vented items, usually starting from $40-$120, although costs can differ significantly. Effectivity for these gadgets is normally measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute) though you’ll generally see BTU rankings for these gadgets, too.