Should you buy a window mounted mounted A/C unit or portable unit? Let look at the positives and negatives of both as well as other things that separates them. Window air conditioning units have been in use for many years and are a tested way to cool a space in a home or small building. A window unit is more difficult than a portable unit to setup but once installed it does not need to be moved again. The back will stick out a home which to some is unsightly.Works well to cool a small area.Small or large units can be bought.Out of the way taking up no floor space.Can not be moved easily and needs a window to work.More difficult to setup than portable units.The back sticks out a window which is unsightly for some. Portable A/C units are built for easy setup, mobility, and to be easily stored away. They do require a hose be fed out a opening such as a window to pump out hot air. This takes more space than a window unit since not only does the unit itself take up a area the hose will need its own area.

There are hose-less portable units but they are Evaporative type models and work with water that evaporates. Hose-less type units are not true air conditioners. They do work in regions with low humidity but do not work in humid climates.Easily stored away when not needed.Most have wheels to roll the unit about.Needs a hose extended out through a window.Are limited in capacity to keep the unit mobile.Takes up more space than a window unit. Using a portable air conditioner or window unit will be a personal choice as every situation and home is different. Personally I prefer a window unit as once they are installed they are out of the way set and forget option. Portable units do have their place and I still use one on hot days that a room is not being cooled enough. Which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below. Iconic One Theme | The Case for Fans vs. Air Conditioners in NYC As a recent convert to the fan-centric lifestyle, I’m prepared to go on record and say yes: you can survive the summer in New York City without air conditioning.

Skeptics, hold your fire! There are a few salient points that may help you become a fan of the fan:Have you ever tried to install a window-unit air conditioner by yourself? Or had to carry it up and down multiple flights of stairs while moving? I hope your back has recovered. Fans are lighter, quieter, and need far less maintenance than an AC unit.Fans are smaller than air conditioners, and therefore much easier to store during the winter when they’re not in use. In a small space, especially a room with only one window, an AC can be an eyesore, and prevents you from being able to open the window on beautiful summer days. (Source: etccdb via Flickr Creative Commons)Although there are plenty of high-end fans out there, stores like the Home Depot and PC Richards have plenty of options under $100. The Lasko cyclone standing fan goes for $32.96 and gets great reviews. AC units also vary greatly in price, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find one below $100. At Home Depot, you can expect to pay anywhere between $129 to $299 for a unit.

Fans are easy on your electric bill. cost to replace ac unit carOn average, a window-unit air conditioner will cost about 14 cents an hour to run, whereas a fan costs about 1 cent every three hours. sizing ac units for houseThat breaks down to $50.40 per month for an AC, and $1.20 per month for a ceiling fan.gas powered ac unit One word: the environment. About 25% of all electricity consumed at home in the United States is to power AC units, and most of that electricity comes from carbon rich coal. AC units release about 100 million tons of carbon dioxide into the environment every year. It may seem counterintuitive, but you should turn off the AC when the nights keep getting hotter. The earth will thank you. Listen, I’m not a monster: I understand that some people simply can’t sleep in a room when it gets hot.

There are good reasons why an AC would make more sense than a fan: if you are trying to cool down a large space, like your living room, an air conditioner may be the only way to do that effectively. And rooms that get a lot of direct sunlight, no matter how small they are, might also need more cooling power than a fan can provide. There are pros and cons to both, but let’s face it: if the weather in New York continues to be as erratic as it has been this summer, there may be fewer days in the future when an AC unit will feel absolutely necessary. Hacks for Living in NYC on a Tight Budget Got a Tiny Bedroom? How to Make the Most of Your Space When is the Best Time to Rent in NYC?This is an archived post. You won't be able to vote or comment. Frugal air conditioning in Florida.... Central versus window unit for night (self.Frugal)submitted by Hey guys! So I live in an apartment in Florida. It is hot almost all the time. During the day, we have no problem with the heat and keep the thermostat just low enough to not grow things on the walls, but we absolutely need the AC at night.

There's just no arguing that. We have a box fan, ceiling fan, the works, but it needs to be cool for me to get quality sleep. I have no problem with it now since it's been cool during the days, so we really only use to AC at night, but during the summer months I know the AC will work a lot harder to cool the house, and my electricity bill will go up. My question is would a window unit be cheaper than using the central air at night? We don't need to air condition the entire house when we are just sleeping in the bedroom. If we always keep the AC at 78ish during the day and really only need the AC lowered for night, would my electricity bill be lower if we used a window unit to keep the bedroom cool during the night and could then keep the central AC unit for the whole house at 78-80 all summer long? Edit: I should probably add that we have a one bedroom apartment around 900 square feet. We do have light blocking curtains in the bedroom, our apartment doesn't face the sun until the evening, and we keep our filters clean.