Common Portable Cooling Terms Defined
Purchasing the right
portable air
conditioner or
swamp cooler
is easy when you have the right information. Here are some common cooling terms
you'll come across when shopping for an AC or evaporative cooler:
Air Cooler: Another term for an evaporative or swamp cooler. This type
of device uses simple evaporation of water to cool the air.
Auto-Evaporative: A type of technology utilized by many portable air
conditioners and involves evaporating condensed water and exhausting it through
a main venting hose and through a window, drop ceiling, or wall. A portable AC
unit with auto-evaporative technology (such as the
NewAir ACP-1300E)
does not need to be frequently emptied (unless used in an extremely humid
climate).
Cooling Capacity: Measures the cooling power of a portable air
conditioner; most commonly stated in BTUs.
EER: An acronym for "Energy Efficiency Ratio." This measures how
energy efficient an air conditioner is at a specific level (usually 95° F), and
can be calculated as a ratio of BTUs to the power input in watts. The higher the
EER, the more energy efficient the portable air conditioner.
For more cooling and HVAC terms, see our
cooling glossary. |