Single room air conditioner

[Muse]

Just something to cool my bedroom at night so I don't have to keep a window open (I have a ridiculously noisy neighbor on one side). When it's hot enough, even that doesn't cool the room enough for me to sleep well. The room's about 700 cubic feet, maybe 90 square foot floor.

I have never had an air conditioner. Suggestions, caveats, recommendations, etc. appreciated. :thumbsup:

 

[nickbits]

Window air conditioners require the window be open and the portable ones don't really work well.

 

[mmntech]

You could always get one of those ductless units. Compressor mounts on the outside wall. Drill two holes for the coolant pipes, and cooling unit mounts on the inside wall. They're quite common in Europe and Asia, but more expensive. Looks like about $1000 for a basic unit, plus installation.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Just go with a window unit, they cool well and depending on the type of window, you can remove them during the colder months. I have a window unit in my bedroom and a portable in my TV room, its no contest, the portable does not cool the room much, I use it to blow cool air at me.

 

[Brainonska511]

A window air conditioner, though not sound deadening like having a window shut, would be your best bet. When mine is on, I find it covers outdoor noises about as well as the window being shut.

 

[mizzou]

If you want somethign that doesn't leave your window open, you might want a semi-permanent unit that has some plumbing done so you can leak that water outside.

Generally for efficiency you want HVAC or wall unit.

 

[cabri]

Consider a small swamp cooler. I used one in Miami to cool a small 3 room office with computers when the building A/C crapped out.

 

[T9D]

Portable ones from home depot work great. I'm using one right now. Cranks out the AC just fine.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd look into a mini split, that way you're not compromising the R value and vapor barrier of your home. The window and through the wall units work decently but I don't think they're that well insulated. Something permanent is nice too as you don't have to remove/cover it in winter.

Portable ones do work well if you add a secondary duct for air intake, but they are LOUD. About as loud as a blow dryer.

 

[Rubycon]

Koldwave

 

[Red Squirrel]

Rubycon! You're back!

 

[Spacehead]

I bought an LG LW6012ER 2 yrs ago on sale. Like it a lot.
http://www.lg.com/us/air-conditioners/lg-LW6012ER-window-air-conditioner

Might be more than you need for your room size though.

 

[Jimzz]

Window unit is the best option here.

Ductless is also good but requires work to install vs just open window, install, and close.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I bought one of these a few weeks ago for my office, which is the hottest room in the house due to all my machines running:

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-MN10...ir+conditioner

I have casement windows so a window unit wouldn't work for me very well (and the dedicated casement window AC units are HUGE) and this room is on the second floor so I didn't want to mess with a window unit regardless. I built an insert to replace the screen and the unit keeps the room nice and cool.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Depending on your location, anything that needs cooling for only 2-3 months of a year = window unit.

Central AC is great when you build a new home, but for existing homes, it's A LOT of money and simply not worth it.

My neighbor has an exactly the same house as me and had Central AC installed. It cost him $13000+ and he is saving about $50 a month on utility bills.

We use AC MAYBE 3 months at most. $50 x3 = $150 savings per year. $13000k/ $150 = 86 YEARS to break even.

Not worth it, I will stick to hauling AC window units....no thanks.

 

[Muse]

Portable ones from home depot work great. I'm using one right now. Cranks out the AC just fine.

What brand/model do you have? I was at HD just a week ago...

Window unit is the best option here.

Ductless is also good but requires work to install vs just open window, install, and close.

The room has 2 windows on adjacent walls. One window faces the very noisy neighbors, and that's the one I'm willing to open only on the hottest days but gets closed at bedtime, just to keep the noise down some. The other window points perpendicular to where the noisy folks are, has a push-up window that opens maximally to 35" wide by 21" high. I have a screen (which I made) at that opening to keep out the flies and occasional mosquitoes. That would be the one for a window unit.

It would be nice if I could have the option somehow of either using the AC or the window-open-with-screen system, but realize that might not be workable, at least on a day to day basis. A lot of the year I wouldn't want to use AC, although it was fairly warm this year by February, and even January (freak year).

 

[Muse]

I bought one of these a few weeks ago for my office, which is the hottest room in the house due to all my machines running:

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-MN10...ir+conditioner

I have casement windows so a window unit wouldn't work for me very well (and the dedicated casement window AC units are HUGE) and this room is on the second floor so I didn't want to mess with a window unit regardless. I built an insert to replace the screen and the unit keeps the room nice and cool.

Replace the screen? On your window? Does this thing work with a window somehow? My impression looking at the graphic is that it just sits on the floor. What kind of watts does it draw? If it does stand alone from the window I could still have my window-with-screen system for when I just want that ventilation in the room.

 

[NutBucket]

There is a tube that dumps hot/humid air outside. He built an insert so the window can mostly close while still accommodating the vent tube. Typically those units will draw 1000W at least.

 

[Instan00dles]

Replace the screen? On your window? Does this thing work with a window somehow? My impression looking at the graphic is that it just sits on the floor. What kind of watts does it draw? If it does stand alone from the window I could still have my window-with-screen system for when I just want that ventilation in the room.

I have a casement window in my bedroom so I took the movable window off, made a smaller screen frame to compensate for the A/C and covered it with window sealing plastic. Its not very sound proof but with the fan going all the time you cant hear much and cant hear anything outside when the compressor kicks in.

 

[Jimzz]

What brand/model do you have? I was at HD just a week ago...

The room has 2 windows on adjacent walls. One window faces the very noisy neighbors, and that's the one I'm willing to open only on the hottest days but gets closed at bedtime, just to keep the noise down some. The other window points perpendicular to where the noisy folks are, has a push-up window that opens maximally to 35" wide by 21" high. I have a screen (which I made) at that opening to keep out the flies and occasional mosquitoes. That would be the one for a window unit.

It would be nice if I could have the option somehow of either using the AC or the window-open-with-screen system, but realize that might not be workable, at least on a day to day basis. A lot of the year I wouldn't want to use AC, although it was fairly warm this year by February, and even January (freak year).

The portable ones use more power than others and don't work as well as a window units or ductless ones. That and you still have to open the window for those to work for the hose attachment.

Get a small $100ish window unit. They usually block enough noise you may not need to remove. If it does get loud then the smaller ones are not to heavy and could be pulled in when needed.

 

[IronWing]

I thought the name was a joke but it turns out to be legit.

 

[alkemyst]

Keep in mind most portable units will require maintenance daily or at least weekly to dump the water bin. A window unit is going to be the economical choice or a through wall unit for better security.

The other recommendations are very expensive, but much better in terms of efficiency. You can get a window unit for this sized room for as low as $100. Those better units start at 10x that.

Also make sure you get one with the proper power type for what you have....many will run on 105-120V now, but some are still 220V that most houses don't have.

 

[alkemyst]

Koldwave

These are excellent and used a lot down here for outdoor events.

They are expensive, but don't need the ducting of other portable units. They still need to be drained or have their drain lines installed to a suitable location.

Some server rooms down here have them as well.

 

[alkemyst]

Also OP, make sure you use a BTU calculator that considers outside temps and the like as too large or too small a unit is bad.

 

[lupi]

I got the portable one costco sells. Can make the room like a meat locker if you want.