Home Air Conditioning

[BeretRaspberry]

Hi, does anyone have a portable a/c unit that they can recommend please? I’m looking for one for the living room but don’t know where to start. I’m in the UK.

We’ve had a quote to install ‘proper’ air con but my husband doesn’t want to spend that much.

In case it comes up, I really, really struggle in the summer due to illness, even if it’s not red hot. This would be to help make it bearable.

I have a portable unit. Can't recall the make offhand but there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

The room needs to be as sealed as it can be, and the exhaust needs to vent to the outside. I dangle a hose out of the window, however as warm air exits the room, it needs to be replaced, and the air coming in will need cooling.

Additionally, the air in the room will be humid, so a large amount of the capacity of the until will be spent dehumidifying before it cools.

The split units don't suffer with this as they don't vent to the outside and don't need to replace air into the room.

It is worth getting a separate dehumidifier to lessen the load on the air con unit thus enabling it to cool more.

@HappiestSleeping thank you. I do already have a dehumidifier that is used for laundry in the winter so that can be repurposed. I’m looking at the window sealing kits as well because we only have top opening windows in the room we’d want it in. This also means I’d have to find something sturdy to stand it on as the hose won’t reach otherwise.

I’m still so tempted to get the ‘fixed’ one. Though that brings with it a permanent eyesore on the wall in the form of the unit!

The split ones with the compressor outside are way more efficient. You don't have to have the compressor immediately outside, you could put it at ground level.

They are also very quiet.

I would absolutely not bother with a portable unit again.

We’ve got a Princess portable one from Argos. Bit noisy but no more so than the 2 pedestal fans we used to have. Wouldn’t be without it

DH found it very difficult to get to sleep in the recent hot summers. We started to sleep in the conservatory with the doors and windows open but he still struggled. Then in desperation he set up a camp!bed in the cellar which/is always cool. At this stage I refused to join him.
He suggested air con. I refused to have it in our bedroom in case it looked unsightly and spoiled the look.
So we compromised and had it fitted in a spare bedroom. He found it a welcome refuge during hot nights. I slept peacefully on my own.
I found it much less intrusive than I had expected, the trunking is outside and goes down to ground level and the outside unit is barely visible. It was a good move. Not perfect but it makes him happy.

After all that, the unit got chopped off when I inserted it into my post. It’s above the wardrobe. Tap the photo to see it.

@TrickyD I’ve only just seen your posts. Thank you for sharing your pictures.

We got A/C installed in three rooms for about 3.5k last year, better off just doing that.

My neighbour has a big powerful portable one. We go round to play when it’s unbearable here! I think getting a built in one is worth The money and I’m looking at it here.