Floor air conditioners are freestanding and portable, and you can move them around to cool different spaces in your home. But how do they stack up against traditional window or mini-split units? Here’s everything you need to know about how floor AC units work.
How Do Floor Air Conditioners Work?
Floor AC units are ideal for apartments and rooms without central or window air conditioners. They can also handle rooms with hot spots or high humidity levels and serve as backups in case your home’s main air conditioner isn’t working.
The process these units use to cool the air isn’t much different from other air conditioners. Most will follow the six steps here:
- Air intake: The unit draws warm air from the room through an intake vent.
- Compression: A compressor compresses refrigerant gas, increasing its pressure and temperature.
- Condensation: The hot gas flows through condenser coils. A fan blows air over the coils to release heat and moisture outdoors through an exhaust hose. This lowers the room’s humidity and helps to condense the refrigerant into a high-pressure liquid.
- Expansion: The refrigerant passes through an expansion valve, lowering its temperature and pressure.
- Evaporation: The cold refrigerant flows through evaporator coils, absorbing heat from the room air blown over them.
- Air circulation: The fan blows the cooled air back into the room.
Advantages of Floor Air Conditioners
Floor air conditioners offer these attractive benefits that fixed units can’t match:
- Versatility: One of the most significant advantages of floor air conditioners is their mobility. Most models come equipped with casters, so they can be easily moved from room to room. This portability makes them ideal for renters, homeowners with limited space, and people who need supplemental cooling in specific areas.
- Ease of use: Floor ACs are easy to use and install. All you have to do is place the exhaust hose at the window to vent warm air outside. From there, you can use a remote control for convenient operation or programmable timers for energy efficiency. Some units also integrate with smart home systems.
- Cost-effectiveness: Floor AC units are more affordable upfront over central air or ductless mini-split systems. If you only need to cool a single room or a small area, it can be cheaper to run a floor AC than install new ductwork and vents.
Disadvantages of Floor Air Conditioners
While floor air conditioners offer several advantages, they also come with some drawbacks that you should consider before making a purchase:
- Less energy efficient: Floor ACs tend to be less energy efficient compared to window or central air systems. Outside of specific circumstances, that means they will cost more to run on your energy bill. Checking for ENERGY STAR certification can help you save money.
- Limited cooling capacity: Floor ACs are best for small to medium-sized spaces.
- Large and bulky: Portable air conditioners are still quite large, and some rooms simply may not have enough space for them. They also need to be placed near a window to vent properly, which is difficult if you need to cool a room where windows are hard to access.
Choosing the Right Floor Air Conditioner
Check these factors to ensure a floor air conditioner will meet your cooling needs.
BTU Rating
BTU (British Thermal Unit) ratings indicate how much heat a floor air conditioner can remove from a room per hour. Higher BTU ratings mean more cooling power.
It’s always best to choose a unit with the right BTU for the space. Too low, and the unit will struggle to do its job effectively. Too high, and it may work too quickly and waste energy. To find out exactly how many BTUs you need, the rule of thumb is to multiply a room’s square footage by 20.
Room Size and Layout
Know the sizes and layouts of the spaces you want to cool with a floor AC unit. Note where the windows are for venting and any furniture layout adjustments that might affect proper air circulation.
If you have an oddly shaped room or an open floor plan, choose a unit with a higher BTU rating for even cooling.
Noise Levels and Energy Efficiency
Floor air conditioners’ noise can be a concern for some homeowners. Look for models that advertise quiet operation at or below 50 decibels (dB.)
Energy efficiency is another crucial factor. Look for ENERGY STAR-certified models and units with high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) ratings. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit.
Maintenance and Care
To keep your floor air conditioner working well, you’ll need to clean or replace the filters every two to four weeks during heavy use. Some models have washable filters you can clean with warm, soapy water and air-dry. You’ll also need to vacuum the air intakes to remove and prevent dust buildup.
Right before the cooler months strike, run the unit on fan-only mode for a few hours to dry out components. Drain any remaining water from the unit, and store it in a dry, cool place. cooling in their home. They’re also great for emergency situations if the main HVAC should break down.
Frequently Asked Questions About Floor Air Conditioners
While floor air conditioners have their uses and advantages, window and central air conditioning systems are still far more effective. Portable ACs and some window units usually can only cool one room, while a central AC system can cool the entire house.
Yes. All floor air conditioners should be vented out of a window or other exhaust point. Failing to do this is counterproductive as it can cause the hot air to come back into the room, heating up the space rather than cooling it.
To maintain a portable AC unit, drain the water container regularly unless there’s a feature that evaporates the water. You should also change the air filter according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. Don’t put anything in front of or near the portable unit or it could restrict airflow, lowering efficiency.
