I am deeply indebted to these portable AC units.
With an 1894 brick house - second level built into raised roof attic - of approximately 1220 sq ft on each level, central air is not really an option without spending thousands just to seal up every crack and floorboard. I have caulked and sealed around all windows between the brick mold and have gasket seals on all the outside warped door frames and that made a huge difference for heating bills this past winter - I estimate 25% less.
For aesthetic reasons I didn't want any AC units hanging off the outside streetview walls but used a 7,000 btu unit for 10 years in the east bedroom window that serves as the computer and some vacuums room. This did a nice job of keeping the ground floor cool with the aid of a main room ceiling fan but by the time one got back to the kitchen one was sweating.
Then the free standing room units came to market.
First one I had was a Danby 7.000 btu unit with front firing ascillating vanes that I set up in the livingroom adjacent to a forced air furnace grill. Very nice when lying on the couch. Because this unit required a drain hose (or the empty twice a day bucket) I modified the furnace grill as a changeover seasonal panel, disconnecting and plugging the furnace duct and running the Danby's single exhaust hose and drain hose down to the basement where a dedicated duct pipe directed the exhaust 16 feet over to a basement window screen and the drainhose arranged for gravity feed along the main joist to the floor drain.
For 6 years, and still functioning, this arrangement did a fantastic job of cooling the entire main floor to a dry 71F.
So I got a second one for the upstairs bedroom, this time a similarly styled 9000 btu badged Sunbeam made by Fujitronic/Coldfront. This one sits on a tabletop shelf against an outside window and exhausts the condensate water through the exhaust hose - no drip pail or drain hose needed.
I like both these units because they are tall and slim-ish with flat tops and the styling suggests Dalek-type robots - very decorative amongst the vacuums.
Last summer, fearing a torrid humid heatwave months long and expecting the main attic lounge to be completed, after surveying all the available models out there, I purchased a third one-hose/no drain portable from Sears on sale, a Kenmore 12.000 btu made by Delonghi, for the main attic that would exhaust through an eave vent. I really object to the units that are all rounded and bulky. Bulky because of the two hose setup and designed rounded so the housewife/husband can't put tv lamps on top. :-(
I ended up using downstairs in place of the Danby.
We didn't get that heatwave but the Kenmore did keep my entire ground floor dry and at a steady 68F all summer long; it is capable of cooling down to 65F but then I'd have to put clothes on... Perfect for Pianos and Davys.
The only problem with the Kenmore was that the digital control buttonpad is on the flat top and the cats would press them as they slept and cavorted up there - oth really like to be blasted by the cold air stream. So I tape-hinged a clear cd case lid over the buttons and use the remote - problem solved.
All indications are that the torrid heatwave will come with a holy vengeance this year. I am ready. I run all the machines on the low speed dehumidify setting 24/7, only triggering AC when the temperature soars.
To sum up - I like a one-hose unit that exhausts condensate water along with the hot air through the same hose. They do this by collecting the condensate in a bottom tray and level sensors them pump the water up and over the heat exchange radiator where it evaporates into the exhaust stream.
My units exhaust through gasket-ed styrofoam doublehung window partitions against the outside screen and so do not make themselves obvious and ugly to passersby. Not as hushed as Central Air but much quieter on low fan than a window unit.
At season's end I completely open up & dismantle the 3 units to dry out and remove any trace of water to prevent mold forming in hidden places.
With Friday and today's temperature hitting 76F under somewhat hazy humid skies, I test ran the upstairs unit and the car's AC. I won't set up the Kenmore until the first sticky summer day arrives. A happy summer Dave is a cool dry Dave.
The blue bedroom unit:
