Category: Air Conditioning

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Is There a Silent Window Air Conditioner?

Window air conditioners are an excellent way to cool off a room provided you do not want the room to be extra quiet.

That’s because the cycling of the air conditioner becomes a backdrop to your life anytime that the air conditioner is on. Yes it’s kind of annoying.

Is there a silent window air conditioner?

There is no such thing as a completely silent window air conditioner.

A window AC that creates zero noise is a impossibility because of the fact all the parts of a window air conditioner that make noise are located in the same “all-in-one” unit.

The running motor noise that a window AC makes is literally behind the vents where the cool air blows out of.

And there’s no way to have a refrigerated type air conditioner without having a condenser and compressor cycling on and off.

There is a reason that anytime you do a search on Google or a silent air conditioner you find yourself on a search result page of top quietest air conditioners.

A window AC is a all-in-one unit.

And when I say “all in one”, I mean all the components that make an air conditioner work, including the compressor and the fan.

And although there are other noises that a window air conditioner make from time to time, the compressor and the fan are the main running sound that you hear when you operate a window AC.

  Window air conditioners use the same type of technology that a central heat and air unit (HVAC) uses.

But the reason that a central heat and air unit seems to cool the air very quietly inside of a house is because the compressor is located outside of the house.

The distance between the part that blows the cool air in the house and the outdoor compressor is far enough from each other that you do not hear the compressor noise.

But if you a window that is next to the outdoor HVAC compressor running then you know very well that they are far from silent.

In fact, they can be very loud. Loud enough that there are people who build sound barriers around them to keep the noise down.

What is the Quietest Window AC?

The type of window AC that is the quietest is the inverter u-shaped style.

It is because a u-shaped window air conditioners like the Soleusair allow for the window to come through the center of the air conditioner, which makes the actual window a barrier between the blower section of the air conditioner and the noise and compressor in the back of the AC.

The noise level of the Soleusair comes in at only 38 decibels. That’s about the same as running a very quiet refrigerator.

Other window ACs like the Haier Serenity achieve a very quiet result by ensuring that each component inside of the unit is insulated.

Haier Serenity achieves about 42 decibels. Very close to the inverter u-shaped window ACs.

Summary

Is there a silent window air conditioner?

Window air conditioners are a convenient way to get refrigerated air cooling your room. They are all in one solution that work well because they are able to exhaust the heat that they generate directly outside the house.

But being that they are a complete packaged unit including all the components that actually create the cool air including a noisy compressor, it is impossible to have a window air conditioner that creates zero noise and is completely silent.

But that doesn’t mean there are some very quiet window air conditioners on the market.

   If it is very important that you have zero noise, other solutions like a mini split air conditioner, that split the location of the air conditioner and the compressor so that the noisy compressor is located outside.

Still not a completely silent option, but nearly.

 

Can a Window AC be Used Inside?

Just recently A friend of mine told me that he had a window air conditioner sitting in the garage but he didn’t have a window that it would fit in.

Him and his wife decided that they would just bring it in the house and sit it on the table. Unfortunately that didn’t work out too well for them. Let me explain why.

Can a window air conditioner be used inside?

Exhaust


A window AC is not meant to be used inside of a house.

  Just placing a window air conditioner on a table and turning it on will not give you the intended result of cooling off your room.

The reason you can’t use a Window AC inside is that window air conditioners exhaust heat from the rear of the unit.

If you have ever walked behind a window air conditioner while it is running, you probably noticed that the air was hot directly behind it.

It is the same thing if you have walked by a large compressor sitting next to somebody’s house while it is operating.
The air coming off of the compressor is hot.

Just sitting a window AC on top of a table and turning it on will cool the air from the front and heat the air from the back which will essentially cancel out each other.

The entire reason a window air conditioner is meant to sit into a window is the fact that it needs a place to exhaust the heat.

can the window AC be used insideCondensation

Another reason why you can’t simply place a window air conditioner inside besides the heat exhausting from the rear is the condensation that drips out oh the bottom of the unit.

  Window air conditioners pull the hot air out of your room and drag it across refrigerated coils that condense the air and remove the humidity.

The humidity exits the air conditioner as liquid out of a drainage hole on the bottom of the air conditioner.

If you run a window air conditioner inside of a room, it will exhaust heat out of the back and drip water onto your table or surface that you put it.

Portable Air Conditioner

A portable air conditioner runs on the same type of technology but it has the added advantage of being able to move around the room a little more freely then a window air conditioner.

But even a portable refrigerated air conditioners have to have a hose running to a window to exhaust the heat out of the room.

Evaporative Air Coolers

The only type of air coolers that do not require any type of way to exhaust the heat coming over the air conditioner is evaporative air coolers.

   Evaporative air coolers use water to cool off a room. Very much like the way the wind blowing over a body of water like a pool or lake cools the air.

But even though they do not require a way to exhaust the heat, they are maintenance heavy machines because they require water to be refilled frequently.

They also must be cleaned frequently to avoid mold and bacteria that can easily grow inside of them if the water is allowed to be standing for too long.

Summary

Can a window air conditioner be used inside?

A window air conditioner will not cool a room by bringing it inside and sitting it on a table or other surface.

It is because a window AC exhaust heat out of the rear and cold air from the vents.

Without a way to exhaust the heat through a window, the heat will cancel out the cool air.

Window air conditioners also dehumidify as they run. Which means that they pull the water out of the air as a means of cooling the air.

When the humidity is pulled out, it becomes liquid that needs a place to drain to.

Which in normal situations is outside because the window AC is sitting in a window.

But bringing a window air conditioner inside means the condensation will be dripping inside of the house or room.

Why Does a Window AC Have to Be in the Window?

Why does a window AC have to be in the window?

A window AC is designed to sit in a window because it needs a place to exhaust the heat that it creates and a place to drip the water that it makes as it dehumidifies.

Window air conditioners are also called through the wall air conditioners sometimes too.

With a through the wall air conditioner, the concept is the same.

The air conditioner sits inside of a wall with the face of the air conditioner inside of the room that you want to cool and the rear of the air conditioner sitting on the outside of the house.

Window air conditioners are a type of miniature HVAC refrigerated air conditioner that are all in one box.

Other type of refrigerated air conditioning like a central heat and air unit (HVAC) for a mini split air conditioner use a separate compressor that is located outside of the house.

If you’ve ever walked by a compressor sitting on the side of someone’s house or business, you probably noticed the heat coming off of the unit.

It is because refrigerated air conditioners exhaust heat as they cool the air.

Window air conditioners are basically a convenient all in the same box type of HVAC, and just like a full size HVAC,  they create heat as they cool as well.

But since the compressor of a window AC is built into the same box, one side of the air conditioner needs a place to exhaust the heat and drip the condensation.

That’s why it is designed to sit into a window.

Portable air conditioners

A portable air conditioner is a refrigerated air conditioner that is basically the same thing as a window air conditioner but sits inside of the room instead of sitting in a window.

  But it still requires a window to exhaust the heat from.

The difference is it exhausts through a hose instead of directly out of the rear of the machine.

The condensation created in the process goes into a drainage catch that has to be emptied from time to time.

A portable air conditioner can also be exhausted into the Attic.

Since it has a hose that extends from the machine around 6 ft.

If the room you are in has an attic but no windows, there is the possibility of exhausting into the Attic. This is most likely a do-it-yourself project. Good luck finding any type of commercial conversion kit.

Portable air conditioners are also good in situations where there are odd shaped or smaller than usual windows.

  A lot of times rooms like basements will have very small windows that do not accommodate a window air conditioner, but they can accommodate the exhaust hose on a portable air conditioner.

Summary

Why does a window AC have to be in the window?

Window ACS are placed in a window for 2 reasons.

1.  They create heat that needs a place to exhaust.
2. They need a place to drip the condensation that is formed while the unit is running.

  Placing a window air conditioner through an outside wall is also a common installation process that does not require a window. But it does require cutting a hole through the wall.

Portable air conditioners work on the same premise, but they exhaust the heat through a hose which is meant to sit in a window.

A portable air conditioner can work anywhere that there is a place to run a hose that can accept heat. An attic for instance.

Why are Window Air Conditioners So Loud?

Window air conditioners are an easy solution for people who need air conditioning but do not have the luxury of Central Heat and Air (HVAC).

Easy. Maybe. Convenient. Yes they are.

But they are not quiet.

Why are window air conditioners so loud?

A window AC is a refrigerated air conditioner that contains all the components of a full sized HVAC all in one box.

Noisy AC components like the compressor and fan motor that are normally separated completely outside from the house in a full Central Heat and Air unit,

are packed into a tight package within a window air conditioner.

That means that the noise that is usually separated and contained outside is instead included with your window AC.

1.  Compressor and fan

The main reason that a window air conditioner is so loud is there is a noisy compressor directly behind the vents that the cold air comes from.

Like we talked about before, refrigerator air conditioners use a compressor and a condenser fan. Without these two components, you do not have a working air conditioner.

And since these components are located directly inside of the window air conditioner, there are very few options for getting away from the constant cycling noise that they make.

But the compressor is not the only source of noise coming from and out of a window AC.

Other reasons that window AC are so loud are:

2.  Outside noise

Even though a window AC fits between the window and the window seal easily enough, it is rare that you would ever purchase a unit that fits a window on the sides.
  That is why there are plastic inserts that come included with the AC purchase.

Those plastic ” fillers” are meant to keep the outside air from getting inside.
But they are not thick enough to do much in the way of keeping the outdoor noise from coming through.

Making your own “fillers” out of some thicker wood is an easy do it yourself project that can help cut down the noise leaking through the sides quite a bit.

 Window ACs are very heavily vented on the outside of the unit. The sides of the AC have a slotted grill to help keep the compressor cool. But they also allow noise to come directly through the air conditioner.

3. Rain and gurgling

One of the most annoying noises that a window air conditioner can make is the sound of water gurgling inside of the air conditioner.

This usually happens when the air is extra humid and the air conditioner is condensing more water than usual.

Blowing rain is also a source of water that can get into the rear of the air conditioner via the side grill vents.

It is also a good indicator that the drain hole that allows the water to drip out of the air conditioner has a blockage and is not letting the water drip as quickly as it needs.

And/or the drainage hole is clear but the air conditioner is not sitting in the window level.

  Depending on where the drain hole is on the bottom of the window AC in question, the unit may need to sit exactly level for the water to drain out correctly.

Or the unit may need to have a slight tilt to the rear for the water to move towards the rear end of the air conditioner.

The window unit should never be tilted forwards. That is just asking for the water to drain towards the front of the air conditioner which is located inside of the house.

Summary
Why are window air conditioners so loud?

The main reason window air conditioners are so loud is that they have all the components of a standard size central heat and air unit,

But they’re all packed into a little box that sits in your window.

Some of the parts inside of a window air conditioner like the compressor and fan that on a full size HVAC would be separated and placed outside,

Are all sitting right inside of the window air conditioner so that you can hear them running directly through the vents where the cold air comes out of.

Why Do Window Air Conditioners Drip Water?

Window air conditioners are one of the easiest ways that you can get cold air into a room. Provided you have a window to install it in.

But there are things about window air conditioners that are not exactly well known and people don’t realize are a thing till they actually get it home and installed.

For instance, you may have not realized that the air conditioner that you put in your window was going to be a continuous dripping faucet.

Why do window air conditioners drip water?

Window air conditioners actually dehumidify the air as they are cooling it off.

One of the functions of a refrigerated air conditioner like a window AC is to pull the moisture out of the air as a means of making the room cold.

  The moisture that is pulled out of the air is condensed, turning it into water that exits through a drain hole in the bottom of the air conditioner.

This is a perfectly normal function of a window air conditioner. The amount of water that a window air conditioner drips is directly related to the relative humidity.

If you were running a window AC when the humidity is high, you will notice that the amount of water draining out of your AC is much higher than usual.

Likewise, if the weather is dry, you may not even notice any water draining out of your air conditioner.

When is it not normal for a window air conditioner to drip?

If the window air conditioner in question is dripping water but it is not dripping out through the drain hole, the drain hole is probably clogged, making the water find a different exit.

  If you find your AC is dripping water but it is not coming out of the drain hole, you’ll probably find that the bottom of the AC is filling up with water.

This can be an issue if the air conditioner is not tilted because the water can begin to leak through the bottom into the room side of the air conditioner instead of the outdoor section of the air conditioner.

So keeping the drainage hole cleaned out on the window air conditioner is important and can save you from having any type of damage to your walls if the leak becomes big enough.

Another issue that can result in water dripping from window AC in an area other than the drainage hole is a window AC that is not properly leveled and tilted slightly back to the rear.

  To give you a better idea of what I’m talking about, think about it this way.

If I were to pour water into a glass that is sitting on an uneven table. The water would set heavier on the inside of the glass that is lower than the other side because of the uneven table.

It’s the same thing with the window AC, if it is not level horizontally, then the condensed water will want to gather on the side of the air conditioner that is lower than the other side.

Which means that it will not drain evenly and may cause water to drip out of the side instead of the drainage hole.

Summary

Why do window air conditioners drip water?

“Window air conditioners dehumidify the air as they cool the air down.

In the dehumidification process, the humidity in the air is condensed and turned to water.

The water exits the window air conditioner through a drainage hole on the bottom of the AC.”

The water that exits the AC is the continuous dripping that window air conditioners are known for especially in humid weather.

How to Quiet a Noisy Window Air Conditioner

Window air conditioners are pretty noisy by nature.

After all, they sit halfway in and out of a window with a motorized compressor sitting right behind the vents where the cool air comes out.

  But like any machinery, window air conditioners can become noisy after time.

  New vibrations, parts clanging, new outdoor sounds can make a window AC unit much louder than it was intended to be.

But for every problem, there is a solution. Usually.

In this article we are going to attempt to help you identify the noise, and give you a solution to get rid of the sound or at least dampen it.

Let’s get rolling.

How to Quiet a Noisy Window Air Conditioner

1.  Gurgling

The gurgling sound coming from a window air conditioner is one of the most noticeable noises that a window AC unit can make.

And to be honest, it’s not one that you’re going to always be able to get rid of.

The problem arises when condensation builds up to the point that there is water standing inside of the air conditioner.

Not only will you start hearing a gurgling noise, you will also start to feel mist coming out of the vents.

  This is a drainage issue.

It is either caused by a drain hole being stopped up to the point that water does not drain,

Or an air conditioner that is unlevel so that the water does not flow towards the drainage hole.

If the drainage hole is stopped up, the easiest thing to do is to take a water hose and spray the inside of the air conditioner out and take a pencil or something similar and dig the gunk out of the drain hole.

If the stoppage is more extreme, then there is the possibility of having to take the outside of the air conditioner off and doing a thorough cleaning inside.

In the case of an uneven window air conditioner, leveling it can be done using a level and some shims.

Most window ACS call for the rear of the AC to be slightly tilted backwards so that the water runs towards the outside of the house and not the inside.

But like I said before there’s not always an answer for this problem.

  The reason is that some window air conditioners do not have drainage holes and are meant to rely on evaporation to get rid of the condensation.

But if the humidity outside is too high, sometimes it can overcome the ability of the air conditioner to evaporate the condensation.

This can result in water inside of your air conditioner making a gurgling sound.

2. Walls vibrating

This is a problem that can create an annoying buzzing sound in the walls.

  There are a couple of things to look for when you have vibration sounds around the air conditioner.

   The vibration in the walls is a direct result of the vibration of the air conditioner.

If the air conditioner is sitting directly on the window sill without a buffer between the unit and the wood, then the walls will vibrate with the vibration that is happening naturally with the air conditioner.

Putting a piece of foam window seal weather stripping between the air conditioner and the window seal, as well as the window should cut down the amount of vibration coming from the air conditioner quite significantly.

If the vibration is extra loud, it is a result of an abnormally heavy vibration coming from the window unit itself.

  In this case, it’s more than likely that something has come loose inside of the air conditioner and is shaking.

A screw has worked itself loose and you have something shaking that should be tightened down.

The solution is to take the air conditioner out of the window, remove the outer casing and look for, then tighten down the part that has vibrated loose.

Once everything is fastened down and foam insulation has been installed between the windowsill, the AC, and the window, you should notice a big difference.

3.  Outside noise

Rarely does a window air conditioner take up the whole space of a window.
That is why they provide you with the plastic, adjustable fillers to place on both sides of the air conditioner.

  Those fillers tend to work fine for a little while as far as keeping the outdoor air on the outside. But even for that they tend to weather fast and break.

   But they were never meant to keep the outdoor noise out. The plastic on those things is much too thin to be considered a noise dampener.

Replacing the window fillers that come with the air conditioner with something much thicker will keep the outside noise outside much better.

  Even some 3/4 inch plywood can block the outdoor noise way more efficiently.

   And even more sound absorbing material is an insulation product called mineral wool. Not all of your hardware stores are going to carry it, but it is the same stuff that they make sound absorbers for music studios.

It is not strong enough to work as a standalone product when you’re talking about using it as a window filler, so it will have to be glued to another product. Like the three quarter inch plywood.

The whole process is to cut the plywood to the exact measurements that you need to fill in the spaces on the side of the AC.

Cut the mineral wool to the exact same sizes as of the wood and glue it on to the wood with some spray adhesive.

  You can cover the pieces with some fabric or wallpaper so that the mineral will insulation is not exposed.

Put your new pieces into the window and fill in the gaps around them with some spray insulation.

4. Other outdoor noises

Some outdoor noises come directly through the grill of the air conditioner.

Usually the sound of the compressor inside of the air conditioner is loud enough to cover up any outdoor noises coming through the unit itself.

But there are times when this is not the case.

How do you dampen an air conditioner noise?

One solution is to build an enclosure around the air conditioner. This can be a fully( open bottom) insulated box that sits on the outside of the air conditioner.

Important: But there is one stipulation. It must sit at least a foot around the air conditioner.

  The reason a window air conditioner needs to be in the window is because of the heat that exhausts out of the rear and the side grills that let air into the air conditioner to keep the components cool.

So any encasement around an air conditioner has to allow for these two things to occur.

Putting anything directly against the outside of the air conditioner will cause the unit to not only not cool the air like it’s supposed to, it will overheat and trip the overload button.

This is why, even though there are people selling them for this reason, putting a weighted blanket on the outside of the air conditioner to reduce the outdoor noise is not a good idea.

How to stop rain noise on window AC?

Another outdoor noise that can be a little loud inside of the house when you have a window air conditioner is the sound of rain hitting the unit.

Very similar to the sound of rain hitting a metal roof.

This can be solved by putting a dampener directly on the outdoor portion of the roof of the AC.

  One ideal is to use rubber welcome mats.
You can purchase them with foam inside of them also, which would make a great sound dampener.

And they are also easy to cut with a pair of scissors.

Very simply measure the size you need and cut it out of the welcome mat.

You can send it directly on the AC. If it is too windy in the area that you have the AC, double-sided tape can be used to keep it from blowing off.

Leaves and branches

Another outdoor noise is simply the sound of please brushing up against your air conditioner.

In this case a little bit of outdoor maintenance in the form of clearing out some brush is going to be necessary.

6. Window air conditioner compressor noise

Compressor noise comes with an AC window unit.

Unlike other types of air conditioners like mini splits and HVAC which are split into two halves with the compressor completely outside, window ACS are an all in one box type solution.

In other words, there’s no getting away from the sound of the compressor running on a window AC completely.

But not all compressor noises or meant to be there. Compressors are machines that vibrate. Vibration can lead to parts breaking and parts coming undone inside of the air conditioner over time.

Why does my window AC sound like a helicopter?

If the compressor is abnormally loud, and though this is not normally true of brand new units, something in the compressor might have come loose.
Which is making an extra sound inside of the air conditioner, providing extra noise then usual.

This is a disassembling job. You’ll have to take the air conditioner out of the window, unscrew the casing and take it off and then search for what is making the noise.

If you turn it on without the outside casing , and the noise is not there anymore, then your problem lies with the casing.

Maybe something has come loose and is tapping the casing or the casing has gotten bent and is pushed up against a component inside of the air conditioner.

Summary

How to quiet a noisy window air conditioner?

Window air conditioners can create a lot of noise and they can also allow a lot of noise to get through them.

  Some of the different kinds of noises include gurgling water sounds, mechanical banging sounds, loud outside noise getting through the air conditioner, and standard compressor noises.

In the above article, we talked about making sure that the air conditioner is level and the drain hole is completely open.

We also talked about vibrations and how to handle the result of what a vibrating window air conditioner can give.

We also talked about how window air conditioners are inherently noisy because they are an all-in-one solution that has the running compressor directly inside of it, and vents little love the noise to come directly into the room that you were using the air conditioner in.

Hopefully one of these tips is what you were looking for and you are able to quieten down your window AC.

The Disadvantages and Side Effects of an Air Cooler

Using an air cooler can be a great alternative to refrigerated air conditioning.

  For one it does not use nearly the amount of electricity a refrigerator air conditioner does. And it does not require a way to exhaust the heat.

Which can be a huge advantage when you have spatial constraints like say a personal office space or even the garage and most people’s houses.

And if you live in a dry region, evaporative air coolers do an excellent job of keeping the air cool and comfortable.

But air coolers do have their disadvantages.

disadvantages of air coolerSome of the disadvantages and side effects you can expect from using a air cooler include:

  • Are not as cool as traditional air conditioning
  • Cannot be set to a specific temperature
  • Don’t work well and humid regions or circumstances
  • Can be a source of excess humidity
  • Require routine draining and cleaning
  • High and low settings are fan speeds
  • Noisy
  • Can be a source of asthma triggers and allergens
  • Only work well and ventilated areas
  • Attract mosquitoes

first…

How does an evaporative air cooler work?

Evaporative coolers work by drawing warm air through water soaked pads and blowing it out the other side.

When the air comes out the other side of the pads it is cooler in the same way that air blowing over a lake or body of water is cooler.

The mix of warm air and cool air cause evaporation to happen as a result.

1.Do not work in humid regions or circumstances

Evaporative coolers transform dry warm air into cool air by adding humidity to the dry air.

An evaporative cooler is essentially a large fan that blows air through a water soaked pad.

Since the air is dry, the moisture from the pad cools off the air and the indoor environment.

But if the air is already humid, adding more humidity to it will not cool it off.

But instead will cause the air to be more humid.

2.Can cause excessive humidity

Excessive humidity can make the outdoor temperature feel much warmer than it actually is.

When the humidity outdoors is already humid and you attempt to cool the air by using an evaporative air cooler, the result is not cooler air, but extra indoor humidity.

Excessive humidity not only feels warmer, it makes a room feel swampy and comes with some undesirable side effects like frizzy hair.

So you can see that using an evaporative cooler in a humid region can actually make the air feel warmer.

the disadvantages and side effects of an air cooler

 

3.Do not cool as well as traditional air conditioners

There was a time not so long ago that evaporative cooling was the primary way people cool off their homes and businesses.

These days, refrigerated air conditioning by way of central heat and air or window and portable air conditioners have become the norm.

  The truth is, evaporative air cooling does not provide indoor comfort of using a refrigerated air conditioning system.

The traditional AC is much cooler and can be controlled. Which leads to the next point.

4.You cannot set an evaporative cooler to a specific temperature.

Most of us are familiar with turning the thermostat up or down to control how warm or how cool we want it inside of the house.

If we walk into a room and the temperature is too hot, we simply turn the thermostat down and wait a little bit, in the AC adjust to revive the temperature that we dialed in.

That is a luxury you do not get with an evaporative cooler.

Just like you cannot control the specific temperature with a fan, evaporative cooling has no way of dialing in a specific temperature either.

5.Settings on evaporative cooler are fan settings

The high and low settings on an evaporative cooler control of the fan only.

6.Require a routine draining and cleaning

Air coolers require quite a bit more maintenance than a conventional AC.

Where conditional ACs require you to change a filter once a month or so, evaporative air conditioners require you to drain and change the water fairly often.

This is because standing water can be a source of airborne bacteria, mold spores, and other allergens.

Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal especially in people with weakened immune systems.

Legionnaires disease is caused by inhaling airborne bacteria that has grown on water.

Its origin has been traced back to industries and businesses that had left their rooftop evaporative coolers full of water where it stagnated and became full of bacteria.

7.Attract mosquitoes

Another point related to the importance of keeping the water in an air cooler drained when it is not in use is the fact that mosquitoes hover around stagnant water.

Mosquitoes can also carry disease.

8.Not good for asthmatics

Humid air is thick and can be harder to breathe. Asthmatics can find breathing humid hair air difficult.

Humid air is also known for being a source of nutrition for dust mites and mold spores. These allergens thrive in conditions of high humidity.

Both are asthma and allergy triggers.

noisy fan




9.Noisy

Since evaporative coolers are essentially large fans, the noise level for them are relevant to what setting you have the fan on.

A fan on high speed is noisy.

Some coolers are louder than others and if you have your cooler on the roof then the sound of the fan is not an issue.

But if you’re using a portable evaporative cooler in your room, then the noise level can come into play.

10.Require ventilation

Air coolers work best when you can open up the windows on the other side of the house for air flow.

When you use an air cooler in a room with no ventilation, the air can become muggy and not provide the level of cool air that is needed.

Recap
Air coolers are a great alternative for cooling the air.

Refrigerator air conditioners require that you exhaust the heat coming from the unit outdoors.

Sometimes you just do not have an access point to be able to do so.

  In situations where you need cool air but cannot facilitate a hose, the evaporative cooling is a great alternative to look into.

But they do have their issues.

Evaporative coolers have a lot of disadvantages and side effects that you need to know about before you dive into purchasing one.

Namely they do not work in humid conditions, and they do require the extra maintenance of draining and keeping the water clean.

They also do not have the luxury of being able to set them to a specific temperature.

And for people who are sensitive to allergens, air coolers can raise the humidity inside of the home to an unsafe level that can make the air uncomfortable to breathe and be a source of allergy and asthma triggers.

Air Cooler vs. Air Con – The Sticky Difference

 In the Midwest where I live, the heat has been soaring this year.  We are all the way into September and the midday sun does not seem to want to let go of its power to make everyone miserable.

And what’s worse , the humidity has been extra high and thick. Which means the air conditioning is struggling and the mosquitoes are rampant.

I can tell you this , in this environment, evaporative cooling is useless. More about that later.

I long for the early days of spring when the air cooler made a difference.

But living through this season has given me a unique or at least a “fresh” viewpoint on air coolers and air conditioning. More like a “sticky” viewpoint.

Air Cooler vs. Air Con

  • Air conditioning – Refrigerated air.
    Air Cooler- Evaporated Water cooled 

 An air cooler usually refers to evaporative cooling. An air con or air conditioning typically refers to refrigerated air conditioning.

Evaporative cooling uses water to cool the air. Air conditioning uses a refrigerant.

difference between air cooler and air conditioningThe difference between an air conditioner and an air cooler,

comes down primarily to the humidity.

An air conditioner reduces the humidity whereas an air cooler increases the humidity.

It’s because of the method by which each cools off the temperature of a room.

An air conditioner uses a refrigerant to bring down the temperature while at the same time condensing and removing the humidity in the air.

This works great because humidity, when it is excessive, can make the temperature seem hotter than it actually is.

By reducing the humidity along with cooling off the air with a refrigerant, air conditioners are capable of bringing down the temperature of a room very efficiently.

Which translates to a more comfortable environment.

An air cooler on the other hand uses water to basically brush the air and cool it off as it is blowing past the water.

The ideal is more like a breeze that is blowing off of the ocean. The actuality is a fan that blows water-cooled air.

This method has a built-in problem.

What if the air is already humid?

Will not the air cooler just add more humidity to the air and eventually make the air more uncomfortable?

The answer is yes.

One of the main ways air coolers are referred to is as “swamp coolers”.

That’s because though evaporative air coolers can work great when the air outside is dry, combining them with air that is already humid can make the room feel swampy.

Which is another way of saying muggy or sticky.

  This is why I said in the beginning that evaporative cooling is useless in the climate that I’m living in right now.

Trying to cool down the air that is already wet doesn’t accomplish anything. The only thing it accomplishes is making the air feel more uncomfortable.

  The truth is that running a fan alone is more effective than using a air cooler when the humidity is too high.

But not all climates are humid and this has been an extra humid season.

Just be prepared for your evaporative air cooler to be less effective when the humidity rises.

Another disadvantage to evaporative air coolers is they require a source of water.

You will either have to hook it straight up to a water faucet or fill the basin up with water on a regular basis.

And also machines that require water have to be kept very clean and maintained often to avoid bacteria and mold from growing in them.

  What that means practically, is that the water will have to be emptied anytime that the machine is not in use.
That is to avoid any chance of standing water that can easily become a source of bacteria and a breeding ground for mosquitoes

air cooler vs. air conditioningBut air coolers do have their advantages
One advantage over a refrigerated air conditioner that air coolers possess is that they do not require any way to be exhausted.

 

Which makes them more of a portable option then an “air conditioner”, even what they call a portable air conditioner.

Because even though a portable air conditioner may be more “portable” than say a window air conditioner or a central heat and air unit, it still has to have a way to exhaust the heat outside.

Which means an exhaust hose that attaches to a window.

Portable Air “coolers” are actually portable and are not confined to having to have a window nearby to the exhaust from.

An air cooler is the only option for  vent-less air conditioning in a room that has no windows.

Most home garages do not have Windows which makes exhausting refrigerator air conditioning a challenge to.

So portable evaporative cooling is a good option for cooling off a garage.

Recap

What’s the difference between an air “cooler” and an “air conditioning”?

Air cooler refers to evaporative cooling that uses water to cool down fan blown air.Air conditioning refers to air that is conditioned with refrigerant and is condensed to reduce the humidity in a room.

  Refrigerator air conditioning is more efficient and can be dialed in much easier. But it’s design requires a way to exhaust heat. Which means you either having a separate compressor outside or a window to place the air conditioner or exhaust it from.

Evaporative air cooling is not nearly as efficient and cooling down a room to a specific temperature is not an option.

Air coolers also must be maintained regularly to avoid bacteria and mold growth.

But they do have one main advantage over refrigerated air conditioning, which is that they do not require a window nearby to vent any heat.

Which makes an air “cooler” truly portable compared to a portable air “conditioner “that requires a window nearby to vent and exhaust the heat created in the air conditioning process.

Remember:

Air cooler – evaporative cooling
Air conditioning – refrigerated air.

How Does A Ventless Air Conditioner Work?

While so many air conditioning systems are available, people find ventless air conditioners more reliable.

This portable, user-friendly, and economical appliance controls the indoor humidity with simple operation methods.
But what about the internal working process in the first place?

How Does A Ventless Air Conditioner Work?
A Ventless Air conditioner decreases the temperature by increasing the humidity in the air. It circulates the hot indoor air and cools it down using an evaporator coil within the machine.

In short, the machine will cool the existing air instead of pulling air from the outdoors.
But there’s more to it! Let’s discuss how ventless ACs circulate the cool air, and how you can get the most out of it.

Ventless air conditionerWhat Actually is a Ventless Air Conditioner?

A Ventless air conditioner is also known as a portable swamp cooler, evaporative air conditioner, or vent-free AC.

From the name itself, it refers to that unit that doesn’t require any vent through the window to function properly. In the HVAC world, there are no similar things as a ventless air conditioner.  

This technology provides a powerful cooling system without any vent. There is no exhaust hose inside these appliances. Because in Ventless Air Conditioner there is no heat exchange or refrigeration process available like Traditional Air Conditioner. 

 Therefore, no hot air is produced inside the appliance. That is why it doesn’t need any exhaust hose to hang on the window. 

How Does A Ventless AC Work?

Before knowing How Does A Ventless Air Conditioner Work, you have to understand what evaporation is.

Because Ventless Air Conditioner works by following this simple science.

In general terms, evaporation is an important part of the water cycle. In this process liquid material like water converts into gas with the help of thermal or electrical energy. 

 

As we know that ventless air conditioners work through the principle of evaporation, let’s discuss its methodology.The basic methodology of vent-free AC is, it uses a heat pump to bring water from water storage. The cooling pads absorb the pump’s water.

When the fan is flowing, it draws the hot air from the outside by the water-soaked pads. 
As air goes through the pads, where the temperature is absorbed by the process of evaporation which cools the air.

Here the mechanism of supplying cold air is, the warm water moves through a honeycomb corrugated filter and collides with a hydrone wet filter.

With the help of a honeycomb filter, the exchange of air and water has finished. And finally, a fan supplies the cold air into the surface. 

Do Ventless Air Conditioners Work?ventless ac

The working mechanism of a portable air conditioner or swamp coolers is similar to a Traditional Evaporative Cooler.

For that reason, many people think Ventless Air Conditioners are a scam.

The point here to be realized is, Ventless AC does not reduce the overall temperature of a room the same way a traditional air conditioner does. Rather it cools the air by evaporation and humidifying the air. 

Here is no rocket science to understand whether Ventless AC is a scam or not. Because Ventless Air Conditioner cools the air by pooling a simple natural process of evaporation with an advanced air moving system. 

In this method, fresh air comes from outside and is drawn into the cooler by moistened pads. And then, the air is filtered by saturated evaporation and finally humid air circulated by the blower.

A portable Ventless AC can produce 80% relative humidity on average. 

Why You Should Go With Ventless Air Conditioner 

 

There are a number of reasons that make Ventless Air conditioners different from similar kinds of air conditioning systems like ductless systems.

While people go with Ductless AC systems, ventless window air conditioners provide enormous facilities. Before getting an air conditioning system, you should know which factor makes a huge difference.

Which factor makes ventless more worthy than Ductless AC or mini-split systems? 

Facility of Portability

Ventless AC is generally a portable air conditioner indoor unit. It doesn’t need any outdoor unit to attach.

Therefore, you can transfer it from one palace to another place easily. There is no cooling system installation or maintenance needed in these indoor units.

Like other types of HVAC systems, it doesn’t need to be installed in a fixed place. Just plug in the appliance, add water and go! 

Energy Efficient 

Where other HVAC systems need two units to install and require much energy to operate, ventless AC comes as an energy efficiency facility.

Ventless Air conditioners run constantly and consume only 90 to 160 watts per hour. 

 

On the other hand, ductless or single split air conditioner systems consume 500 watts of energy on average per hour.

Also, an evaporative cooler or ventless AC doesn’t emit any harmful gasses and uses no refrigerant like other central air conditioning systems. 

Inexpensive 
A portable air conditioner is significantly more affordable than a split system or central HVAC system.

It does not demand any extra installation charge. With this simple device, you can cover 350 square feet of area to cool.

No other HVAC system is more money-efficient than a single portable air conditioner. 

how does a ventless air conditioner workWho Needs Ventless Air Conditioners More?
 

Ventless Air Conditioners come in different sizes and all have individual applications. They are designed in small and large sizes to cover different types of areas.

As they cover indoor areas, you should know who needs it the most before getting one.
As discussed earlier, Ventless-AC uses evaporative cooling and its function depends on relative humidity.

So, if you live in an area where the relative humidity level is too high, this kind of appliance does not suit your needs. 

Ventless Portable AC is best for low humidity areas and high-temperature countries or regions such as the United States, Australia, Mexico, Chile, Saudi Arabia. Sometimes, Ventless AC may be used outdoors since outdoor air will not raise relative humidity like a room.

Conclusion

No one wants to go with complex things when they find a simple way instead of it. A ventless air conditioner is one such kind of thing among other HVAC systems.

Its working mechanism, versatile use make it popular day by day in low humidity regions, humid climates, and dry climates. Because keeping the relative humidity maximum level is essential to lead a healthy life. 

We hope, by going through How Does a Ventless Air Conditioner Work, now you know its overall mechanism. This knowledge will help you to have a portable air conditioner system that certainly fulfills your needs.

Thanks for reading this article with patience. 

Portable Swamp Cooler – My Recent Experience in Colorado

My family took our summer vacation in the mountains of Colorado this year.

It’s not the first time we’ve made this trip during the summer but I can say it was definitely the hottest Colorado trip I’ve ever taken.

My normal experience with Colorado weather is that it is super dry and the peak temperature is usually around 85°.

This year we found ourselves walking around in 95° weather with 30 and 40% humidity.

Miserable to say the least.

If you haven’t been to Colorado Springs or any of the other touristy towns in Colorado,

One thing they all have in common is   there is a great number of small shops and stores selling souvenirs, candy, and just about everything else you can think of, scattered all along the area.

As we were walking through some of these stores, there was one thing that I noticed quite a lot.

Most of these little shops were using portable swamp coolers to help cool the inside temperature.

But the problem was, the humidity outside was so high that you could barely feel anything coming out of these units.

There was one store that had a couple air movers that were doing much more to help combat the heat than the portable evaporative cooler they had setting at the door.

And there were a few shops that were using refrigerated window air conditioning and you could tell a big difference when you walk into those stores.

But seeing how the weather in Colorado is typically very dry, portable swamp coolers seem to be the AC unit of choice.

  One portable swamp cooler I saw was so filthy that there was no way water was going to soak the pads enough to cool off the air.

So I’m not saying that the units were all maintained perfectly.

And most of these shops could have been getting a lot better result from the swamp coolers if they were putting ice in the cooler water periodically throughout the day.

But after going through a summer of excessive heat and humidity like this,

I’d imagine that a great deal of those vendors are going to be looking to switch over to window air conditioners by next summer.

Portable swamp cooler- yay or nay

  Swamp coolers can do an excellent job in the right circumstances.

The problem is that this has probably been one of the most humid Summers I can remember ever going through.

And remembering back to last year, it rained so little that you could barely keep the grass wet. Definitely one of the dryer seasons I remember.

So going the portable swamp cooler route is a hit or miss.

My opinion is that if you’re grappling with whether you are going to purchase a portable swamp cooler or go with a portable refrigerated air unit or window AC,

My experience is, you will be much happier with a refrigerated AC unit.

Like I mentioned before, the shops on our Colorado trip that had Window ACs built into the wall were much cooler.

And one of the main reasons I believe that was the case is that refrigerated window ACs work as dehumidifiers as they cool the air.

In fact most Window ACs you can buy these days, have a dry mode setting to operate the unit in dehumidifier mode only.

And if the temperature itself is not all that high, bringing the humidity down with a dehumidifier or the dry mode on a window AC is going to help quite a bit.

And even make the need for an air conditioner obsolete.

Of course, if you have no way of exhausting the heat from a window air conditioner or portable AC, then a portable swamp cooler is going to be better than nothing at all.

And if you live in an area where dry weather is the norm and you’re certain that the summer heat is not going to be tainted by excessive humidity then you’re probably going to be happy with a portable swamp cooler.

Humid air is not necessarily hot air and like I mentioned a few paragraphs back, there was one shop that we visited in Colorado that was getting particularly good results using air movers. Which is basically a high velocity fan.

A fan, although maybe not on the level of a dehumidifier, can do an awful lot to help dry out the air in a specific room.

And when the humidity is so high that 80° feels like 100°, a high strength fan can go a long way towards drying out the air and bringing out the overall comfortability in a room.

But again if you are grappling on which way to turn while shopping for a way to cool off your room or shop, a refrigerator air unit is going to be a much more efficient way of cooling down the temperature in a room and also have the capacity to lower the humidity when it’s the moisture in the air that’s making things so uncomfortable.

Recap

If you’re thinking about purchasing a new unit to help cool down the air in your room or garage, there are several different options you may look into.

The above article spoke about how on a recent trip to the Colorado mountains, I noticed that most of the souvenir shops that I visited had portable swamp coolers.

But since this has been a particularly humid season, the swamp coolers we’re not doing much of a job cooling the air.

But the couple of shops that I went into were using window air conditioners we’re much cooler.

  And one of the shops I visited was getting a good result out of using high velocity air movers.

The winner bar none was the window air conditioning that was installed through the wall.

Not only was it able to cool down the room better during an insufferable humid day, it also had the capacity to reduce the humidity through the dry mode function.

Portable swamp coolers have their place as long as you realize that they are not going to do much good when the weather is muggy.

At that point, you’d get better use out of a high-speed fan or an air mover.