General

Air conditioners are becoming more and more common in homes where the summers are seeing hotter and hotter days. There are a few weeks in the summer that are so uncomfortable that some form of air conditioning is needed, as fans just do not do enough. The expense of a permanent AC unit can be a costly investment for an appliance that lays sitting dormant for much of the year, which is why many people go for a portable air conditioner instead.
 

Knowing the best places to put a portable air conditioning unit is key to getting the most out of them. Here we look at how to install a portable air conditioner sliding window so that the hot air and water that is taken out of your home’s atmosphere can escape properly, without the need for having a window propped open unsafely all of the time.

Why install a portable air conditioner into a sliding window

Installing a portable air conditioner into a sliding window is key for ventilation. Ventilation means that all the hot air and humidity from your room or home can leave without being recirculated back into the house. Once it’s left through the window, only cool air will remain, which helps keep the room at a lower temperature and also helps reduce the amount of energy the air conditioner needs to expend to keep the room below a certain temperature.

Installing a portable air conditioner into a sliding window is also one of the best locations you can put your unit. This is for a couple of reasons: firstly, it’s safer and ensures that the vent hose will stay out of users’ ways throughout usage. It also means you can direct the air away from your home more consistently without fear of damaging the pipe in any way. Vent hoses need to be kept as straight and as short as possible, so it helps if it’s installed properly to a sliding window.

How to install a portable air conditioner into a sliding window

Before you start, you need to ensure that you have the right equipment to help you install your unit to your sliding window. You will need your unit’s vent hose, a connector that fits your sliding window, and vent hose adapters. Additionally, you need to ensure that your window is near an electrical outlet to plug in your unit to. Ensure that the plug wire is not pulled too tight or taught to cause a trip hazard.
 

Once you have your kit ready, you need to install the connector window kit first. Most should work, regardless of whether your windows slide top to bottom or left to right. Turn your kit specific to the type of window you have and trim to size if needed. If your kit is too small for your window, you can use folded up cardboard or plywood to make the ends meet the sides of the window.
 

Next, connect the vent hose that comes from the back of your unit. Window kit connectors will slot in place into locks which you will need to turn so it’s secure. Ensure that when you have connected your vent hose to the window kit that it is as straight as possible.

Finally, plug in the unit, switch it on, and watch your handiwork at play!

Conclusion

Installing a portable air conditioner into a sliding window does not need to be complicated — but it is essential that you get it right. Buy a window kit that fits your frame and your vent hose and you’re well on your way to getting it right from the outset.

A Haier portable air conditioner can be one of the best purchases you ever make — particularly on those excruciatingly hot summer days. They can also be an affordable way to cool your home without the hassle and expense of installing a permanent unit.

However, they do need regular maintenance checks and a little intervention from owners to keep them running to the best of their abilities. Here, we look at how to empty water from a Haier portable air conditioner so that you ensure it will keep running to its full potential for as long as possible. First, we’ll look at the advantages of a Haier portable air conditioner so you know that it’s the right purchase for you.

Pros of a Haier Portable Air Conditioner

Dehumidifier

One of the reasons that heat can be so difficult to get comfortable in is the humidity. If your home is hot as well as sticky, the Haier portable air conditioner can help solve your problems as it will remove the humidity from the room the unit is located in.

Efficiency

A Haier portable air conditioner can really pack a punch in terms of its power, as it’s able to cool down large rooms quickly and easily. Plus, it can be relied on to do so even after weeks or months of being in storage. Just ensure you have checked that there isn’t any water in the unit already before you put it away. 

Cons of a Haier Portable Air Conditioner

Sound

While Haier portable air conditioner units are one of the quietest around, they do still make noise that can be heard if the rest of the room is silent. This can be minimized, however, with a couple of tactics. Firstly, place the unit on a soft surface so that it absorbs any vibrations. Secondly, ensure that you check the unit over regularly for any necessary repairs or maintenance, like emptying the water tank. It can make a big difference to the noise it makes, especially if you find that a part needs replacing or tightening up.

How to Empty Water From A Haier Portable Air Conditioner

If you have the air conditioner unit on its cooling function, the water tank should not need to be emptied too much as the unit should ensure that any water evaporates when cooling the room. However, if the air is very humid, the tank can fill up which is when it needs to be emptied. Check before you put the unit on or if you find that the unit is not cooling the room as quickly as you would like.

To empty a water tank in a Haier portable air conditioner:

1. Turn it off at the mains.
2. Put a small container under the back of the unit where the drain flows to and tilt the appliance a little.
3. Take out the drain plug and watch the water flow into your container until it stops.
4. Put back the drain plug and turn the unit back on.

Key Takeaways

Knowing how to keep your portable AC unit working at its best is key to ensuring that you prolong its lifespan. Constantly running it in humid rooms when the water tank is full will make it work twice as hard with little result. Instead, give it a once over each time you turn it on and also before you put it back into storage for winter.

Air conditioners are so useful in hotter climates or during hotter temperatures. However, not everyone has a permanent unit installed in their house or office. In fact, for many a permanent AC unit is an unaffordable luxury that they can not afford to purchase, install, or run.

The good news is that portable air conditioners are a solid alternative to permanent AC units. Here, we look at how much it costs and how many watts to run a portable air conditioner. Firstly, we’ll determine the advantages and disadvantages of buying a portable unit so you can understand whether it’s a suitable purchase for you in the first place.

Advantages to Portable Air Conditioners

Cost

The immediate advantage to a portable unit, in comparison to a permanent one, is the fact that it is so much cheaper. Portable units can vary a lot in price, but a decent one should only set you back a few hundred dollars. Permanent unit installations can cost three times that at least.

Ease

One of the main advantages of a portable unit is just how easy and hassle-free they are to install. Permanent installation takes a lot of building work and mess in your home, whereas a portable unit can be set up in a room in a matter of minutes once it’s taken out of the packaging.

Disadvantages to Portable Air Conditioners

Noise

Portable air conditioning units come with a couple of notable drawbacks. One of the main issues users complain about is how noisy they can be. However, this can often be diminished by purchasing the best quality you can afford, putting the unit on a soft surface, and regular maintenance checks.

Efficiency

Some portable air conditioner users complain that the units they use do not make a room as cool as they would like. However, this can often be resolved by buying the correct size or powered unit for the space you want to cool.

Amount of Watts Needed To Run A Portable Air Conditioner

One of the factors that many prospective portable air conditioner owners consider when buying a unit is the cost it takes to run them. To calculate this, it’s first necessary to know how many watts it takes to run a portable air conditioning unit in the first place.

On average, it takes around 1000 to 1100 watts to run a standard portable air conditioner. That means you need to see how much your own local electricity costs per kilowatt hour and take that as how much it will be to run your unit for an hour.

However, bear in mind a couple of things when using these figures to calculate the cost of running a unit. Model designs are constantly developing to become more energy efficient. Factor in the energy efficiency of your unit before buying it; while it may be a more expensive model at first, over the life of the portable air conditoner’s usage it may end up being cheaper overall.
 

Secondly, bear in mind how likely our electricity cost per unit is going to change. Some areas find that their providers are often increasing their charges, while others are more stable.

Conclusion

Buying an air conditioner unit that you can afford to run is important, otherwise you may not use it all. Units are becoming more and more economical to use thanks to developments in technology and a global want to improve efficiency to save energy. Buying an air conditioner does not necessarily have to be as expensive as you once would have thought, particularly if you do the research to buy the right unit for you.

When the hot weather arrives and the temperatures soar, many people reach for their air conditioner to help them stay cool. For those that are not able to have a full HVAC system, there are portable air conditioners that can do a similar job. They also have the benefit of being able to move from room to room as needed. However, having these units running constantly can come at a cost to your energy bill. Does a portable air conditioner use a lot of energy?

How Efficient is Your Air Conditioner?

One of the first things you need to consider is how efficient your unit is. This doesn’t just mean the energy consumption, but also the condition of the unit itself. Older air conditioners will be less efficient than the newer versions, not only because of changing technology but also because appliances such as these lose efficiency over time.

When you buy a new portable air conditioner, you should check the rating to see if it will be suitable for the size of the room you need to cool. The rating for these appliances is called BTU (British Thermal Unit). One BTU equals the amount of energy needed to cool one pound of water by one Fahrenheit. The higher the BTU rating, the larger the room that unit can cool.

You need to buy a unit that will cool a room slightly larger than the one you need. That way, it will be more efficient.

Wasted Energy

Another way that costs can rise with an air conditioner is if there is a lot of wasted energy. This mainly occurs when the cool air is lost out of the room or hotter air can get in. If you’re looking to cool one room, then try to ensure that the windows and doors are kept closed. This will make it quicker to cool the room and more efficient.

The same way that cold drafts can get into a warm room, cold air can escape. If you find that you are losing the cooler air under doors or through closed windows, then you may need to invest in some draft proof material to seal up the gaps.

Converting BTUs to Money

To work out how much energy your portable air conditioner uses, you need to know the BTU rating of the unit. A mid-range model will usually be around 10,000 BTUs, while a compact version will be nearer 7,500 BTUs.

An air conditioner that is 7,500 BTUs will consume around 2.2 kWh, while a 10,000 BTU unit will use 2.9 kWh. This means that on average if the unit runs for 6 hours, it would cost approximately $1.51 per day. Around $45.36 per month.

There are, of course, other variables that can cause this cost to rise or fall, but this is why it’s important to ensure your unit and the room are not wasting any energy.

When you compare this to other appliances in the home, you can see a difference:

• Portable Air Conditioner – $45.36 per month average
• Water Heater – $55.25 per month average
• Window Fans – $5.25 per month average
• Dishwasher – $3.70 per month average
• Refrigerator – $18 to $27 per month average

As you can see, most other household appliances are more efficient, but air conditioners are not designed to run constantly.

Although portable air conditioners can be expensive to run compared to other appliances, they are performing a welcome function for many people. If you can limit the amount of energy loss, then you can lower that cost and save money.

For many people, portable air conditioners are a convenient and essential addition to the house. If you’re unable to afford a permanent solution or you’re unable to have one fitted, then portable units are the next best option. However, the only problem is finding a suitable location to vent the hot air from the hose.

Finding the Best Location

Depending on the size of your house, there may be several areas where you can use the hose to vent the hot air. However, there are other things that you should be aware of before you decide.

Electrical Socket

It might sound obvious, but having the air conditioner near an electrical socket is the safest option. Using an extension lead can lead to other issues such as a trip hazard, and the lead must have the correct rating to cope with the air conditioner’s power needs. 

Excessive Moisture

Although air conditioners collect moisture from the air, they are not able to cope with excessive moisture to their electrical components. Make sure that the unit is not near water or where there could be a risk of the unit getting wet.

Self-Contained Area

Portable air conditioners are great for placing where you need them the most. They do have their limitations, however, and are best suited in an area that can be closed off to allow the room to cool. If you place them in an area that is open to the outside, they will have to work harder, produce more water, and be less efficient.

Best Places to Vent a Portable Air Conditioner

Ideally, you want to be venting the hot air from the air conditioner to the outside, otherwise, you can get a build-up of moisture, and reduce the efficiency of the unit. These are some of the best places to vent the hot air hose.

Windows

Arguably the most common position for the hot air vent is out of the window. This gives direct venting to the outside air and they are a convenient option. One thing to remember is that you need to stop the hot air from coming back into the room. To solve this, you can buy window kits that air conditioner vents fit into which seal the gap so no hot air can return. 

The Ceiling

Some people choose to fit the vent into the ceiling so that the hot air can go into the attic space or a false ceiling area. This is a good idea for those areas that don’t have windows, but other problems can arise. If there’s no ventilation in the attic or the false ceiling, then it can lead to a build-up of moisture which can cause damage. If you are unsure, then hiring an experienced HVAC technician will be a wise choice. 

Exterior Wall

Venting through an exterior wall is a good option to prevent any hot air from returning into the room. You will need to make a hole in the wall and fit an exhaust port to attach the vent pipe. However, this will permanently fix your air conditioner to one location, so you need to be sure before you proceed.

Up a Chimney

Many older houses will have a fireplace that may no longer be used.  So can you vent a portable air conditioner up a chimney? This is an ideal location to place the vent pipe, but you will need to use a window kit or some other means to seal the fireplace before you attach the hose. If you simply run the hose up the chimney, the hot air won’t be able to circulate effectively and may return into the room. You should also ensure that the chimney is cleaned before you use it, in case there is loose soot that can get into the duct and damage the air conditioner.

Portable air conditioners are a convenient way to get cool air anywhere in your home. If they are placed in the best location and the hot air vented correctly, they can be a highly efficient and versatile solution.

With over 2,500 species, mosquitoes can be a major problem in many countries of the world, and some of them carrying dangerous infectious diseases such as malaria and West Nile virus. If you live in an area that has warm weather, then you will likely experience mosquitoes at some point. 

Mosquitoes Ideal Living Conditions

Depending on the type of mosquito, they will have different conditions that they prefer. However, the main ingredient they need is water. 

Floodwater Mosquitoes

As the name suggests, these mosquitoes love the floodwater as well as swamps and wetlands in the southern United States. They lay their eggs up to a year in advance where they dry out in the soil. When the rains come later in the year, the eggs hatch. It’s estimated that 1.3 million eggs can hatch per acre of soil. 

Standing Water Mosquitoes

These types of mosquito need to have water to survive, even their eggs need to be laid on water. Unlike the floodwater variety, these cannot allow their eggs to dry out or they will not hatch. Within a day of being laid, the eggs hatch and live in the water. These types of mosquito are found near lakes, rivers, and streams.

Can Mosquitoes Live in Air Conditioners?

So can mosquitoes live in air conditioners? Although mosquitoes like warm and humid conditions, their main goal is to lay their eggs in a safe environment. Even though the room where your air conditioner operates will be cool, that won’t stop the mosquitoes from coming into the room. 

Most air conditioning units will operate with an amount of standing water either outside or in the unit itself. The portable type tends to hold more standing water as they have a tank that needs to be emptied. 

Because standing water is where mosquitoes love to lay their eggs, you can find that they will use the water in your air conditioner. This means that within 24 hours, you may have mosquito larvae hatching in the water. 

How to Prevent Mosquitoes in Your Air Conditioner

One of the best ways is to ensure that your air conditioner doesn’t have any standing water inside that they can use to lay eggs. If you have a portable air conditioner, then empty the water collection tray as often as possible, which will lower the chances of them laying eggs. 

If you have an outdoor air conditioner, check that there are no areas of standing water nearby. Condensation will often pool around the unit, so if you see any, try to clean it away and prevent it from collecting. 

If you find that water isn’t draining from your air conditioner, then you should investigate to see if there are any blockages that could be the cause. 

Keeping the Mosquitoes Away

Although you may have cleaned and drained your air conditioner, that doesn’t mean you won’t find any mosquitoes in your room — even if it’s cool. There are, however, a few things that you can do to keep them at bay. 

Use Mosquito Repellant

There are many types of mosquito repellants out there that can help keep them away from you. Most of the repellents contain DEET, picaridin, or PMD. The ideal places to use it are on your wrists, ankles, lower legs, and feet. These are the places mosquitoes will target most. 

Wear Light Colored Clothing

Light colors, especially outdoors are less attractive to mosquitoes than darker colors. Looser clothing will also work better than tight-fitting garments. 

Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

This oil comes from a particular eucalyptus tree from Australia and is a good way to repel mosquitoes. There is a synthetic version that is used in products, but it’s not suitable for children under 3 years old. 

If you’re thinking about replacing your old AC unit with a new energy-efficient cooling system, you may be asking yourself, “Can I deduct a new air conditioner on my taxes?” Chances are you are eligible for federal tax credits!

Depending on the efficiency level and the equipment you buy, you may qualify for extra savings such as up to 9% tax credit of the equipment’s cost if you’re having a solar-ready air conditioner before December 31, 2021. Add to that the 22% credit on the installation and solar module cost that you can get (to generate electricity for your AC unit components). Note, however, that both tax credits apply to second and principal residences but not rental properties.

What Tax Credits Can You Benefit From?

Besides the ones already mentioned above, Congress has recently renewed Section 25C of the tax code (aka Nonbusiness Energy Property Tax Credit), allowing those who install an energy-efficient HAV appliance such as a boiler, heater, mini-split, or air conditioner to get up to $500 in tax credits. You may also reap the benefits of this federal rebate incentive even if you’ve installed a qualifying AC unit over the past 48 months.

Although there;s no guarantee that these credits will be around for long, homeowners can grab them while they last and upgrade their home with an Energy Star-certified air conditioner. Beware as choosing an AC model that does not meet the Energy Star requirements will NOT get you qualified for the tax credits. That’s why it’s best to do business with a licensed and certified contractor to stay away from trouble.

Important Notes on the Tax Credits

• The Nonbusiness Energy Property Tax Credits are only available to homeowners who install a new AC unit in an existing home – rentals and new construction homes are out.

• If you qualify, expect either the set prices or 10% of the cost up to $500. Also ensure you have details, such as the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement, when you apply to show the AC unit’s efficiency ratings.

• To apply for the tax credits, you will need to fill out a standard IRS document called Form 5695. 

• The particular tax credit works pretty much like any other tax credit. The sum of the tax credit goes against the owed sum.

• If, at the end of the year, you owe less in taxes than the credit, you will most likely qualify for a refund.

• According to stats from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 50% of HVAC equipment is not installed properly, leaving AC units operating at less than 60% of their labeled efficiency. Ensure you have yours installed correctly to get your money’s worth.

Conclusion

These are tax credits that apply to USA taxpayers. However, many other countries have similar incentives to motivate homeowners to install energy-efficient air conditioners. Check what is available in your country and apply if you meet the qualifying criteria. You might be surprised by the availability of the programs you can apply for. For example, in Greece, you can have up to 40% back of the costs related to upgrading your home and making it more energy-efficient.