Having an air conditioner you can wheel around everywhere does sound exciting, but is it really the best choice for you? While it sounds wonderful, only a few people end up buying portable air conditioners. Portable ACs certainly have their benefits, but they do come with some drawbacks. Today we’ll be going over some cons of a portable air conditioner so you can decide if it’s the perfect fit for your home.

Noise
The most obvious thing you’re going to notice with portable air conditioners is the unwanted noise they produce. Since all the components reside in the same unit, these portable ACs will create more noise than our typical split and duct air conditioners. If you are someone easily irritated by sound, this might not be the best option for you. If you suspect your air conditioner is creating more noise than usual, this could be a sign of an internal problem that can only be solved by a professional.

Water Management
Air conditioners pull moisture from the air in an enclosed space to create a comfortable atmosphere. All of this moisture needs to go somewhere, so portable air conditioners must be placed near a window or similar location to allow the water to flow through a hose connected to your unit. Some portable ACs have tanks to store the water produced during this process. Of course, these would need to be emptied regularly.

Inefficiency
Portable air conditioners can be ineffective in cooling larger rooms. This is because most of these units only have one hose. The air that is sent out of the hose comes from the room that has been dehumidified. This wastes energy as the condenser has to cool the air that has taken the place of the dehumidified air. A portable AC model possessing two hoses, however, has proven to be much more efficient.

drawbacks of a portable air conditioner