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Babys room with a white cot, white wall with timber bookcase and portable air conditioner.
 Portable air conditioners can be a cost-effective, flexible and simple solution to cool your home, find out why.

 

As the weather warms and we all get ready for the beach and those long hot summer days, it might be time to relook at your cooling options at home.

If you’re looking for a flexible option, a portable aircon can be super simple to install – you can just plug it in and cool a room down almost immediately. Portable air conditioning units are very popular with many New Zealanders. Inexpensive to buy, install, and are less permanent, they are perfect for renters, holiday homes or smaller residences.

There are many benefits to a portable air conditioner, including:

The non-permanent option

Depending on the space you want to cool, portable aircon can be super flexible. While the units can be heavy, it is generally possible to move them around the house, so you don’t need to purchase one for every room of your house.

Indeed, if you just have one room that needs cooling – such as a bedroom or living room – and don’t need to cool the whole house, purchasing a single unit is a much more attractive and affordable option.

Other circumstances where portable aircon is a good idea include holiday homes or apartments, as split systems might be difficult to install (or require strata approval). Tenants might also want to consider a portable air conditioner so they can take it with them after they leave a property. They also won’t require approval from a landlord in order to have them installed.

Most also come with a dehumidifier so they can cool and dry at the same time.

A cost-effective choice

Portable units can be much more efficient because you can select where you want them, placing them where they will be most effective. That also means that you aren’t wasting energy cooling areas of your home that you don’t use very often.

While the units may be slightly more expensive to run than a split system, for example, they often don’t need to be working for as long.

They are also a great solution if you have ceiling fans. Running a ceiling fan and air conditioner at the same time can maximise comfort and provide energy savings, as the fan will circulate the cooler air effectively, making your air conditioner more productive and efficient.

Portable air-conditioners are easy to set up

One of the key attributes of a portable air conditioner is the ease of installation. You don’t need to pay for an electrician to install the units and they don’t need permission from a strata body or landlord. They're also reasonably easy to store once the weather cools, freeing up floor space during winter.

Portable units usually need to be near a window for venting and most products come with a window kit for easy installation. They will also need access to a power point.

When choosing a portable air conditioning unit, make a note of the power it provides and compare them to the size of the space that you are wanting to cool. High ceilings and larger rooms such as living areas will need a more powerful unit to work effectively.

Other things to consider

The more powerful units do take up a fair bit of room and will need some clearance around them, which might be difficult in confined spaces. They will also need a level surface, be positioned near a power outlet and often a window. 

Time to cool off?

Take a look at our range of portable air conditioners.

 

Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.