Cool Down Any Spot In Your Home! 3 Portable Air Conditioners You Can Buy Online

It’s not easy to stay at home when heat indexes are soaring. Unfortunately, having an air conditioning unit installed isn’t viable while the country is still battling COVID-19, but the good news is that you still have an option other than your trusty electric fan — a portable air conditioner.

A portable air conditioner has the perk of being mobile, so you can bring it into any part of your home. Most units are best used in tiny spaces, but if you wish to place it somewhere wider — like your living room — you may want to double check its horsepower. For a small area (around 14 sqm), half or 0.75 horsepower (hp) is enough.

If the horsepower isn't available, try the British Thermal Unit (BTU) of your unit of choice. The higher the BTU, the larger the area it can easily cool down. (A BTU of 20 is required per square feet.) There are online calculators that can help you out with this.

Your portable air con should be situated in a room with a window and an electrical outlet close to the ground. Do not connect it to a power extension or strip: it has it to have its own outlet (if your outlet has two sockets, avoid plugging anything on the second socket).

Avoid placing it too close to other appliances or furniture pieces. Similar to its bigger cousins, portable air conditioners need space for exhaust. Make sure it’s near a window as you’ll also have to “install” its vent hose. Sliding windows are the best option for a portable air con as the slider provided with the unit (which will keep the hose from wobbling) fits into them perfectly. If you don’t have sliding windows, you may need to do a bit of carpentry.

Portable air cons can go from Php12,000 to Php25,000 depending on the brand and the power. It’s around the price range of a split-type unit, and definitely more expensive than your regular 1 hp unit. Since many places in the Philippines are still under quarantine, however, it may be the easiest way for you to keep your area cool, especially if you have young children and seniors at home who are more susceptible to heat stroke.

Where to buy portable air conditioners

There are several stores that have now opened for delivery. Some deliver only in select areas, so it's best to contact them via social media or their websites. You can look into these available units for reservation and purchase:

Hanabishi Portable Air Conditioner

Price: Php16,840 (1 hp)

Available at myhanabishi.com. Payment and delivery instructions are on their Facebook page (facebook.com/MyHanabishiAppliances)

Carrier Portable Air Conditioner

Price: Php20,500 (1 hp) to Php23,500 (1.5 hp)

You can reserve your unit here at this link. Full specifications and manuals are here.

Dowell Portable Air Conditioner

Price: Php20,527 (1 hp) to Php24,530 (1.5 hp)

 

 

 

Available at Lazada

This story originally appeared on Realliving.com.ph.

*Minor edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors.

Click here for ways to lower your electricity bill even when you're always using your air con this summer.