Portable Air Conditioner Accessories
When the weather starts warming up, which portable air conditioner accessories will you need to keep your cooling units working efficiently and economically?
It's a given that to keep your home feeling cool and comfortable during hot weather, it is important to keep the air conditioning running smoothly.
As certain replaceable AC components age, wear out or even break, it pays to have replacements ready to swap in when you need them most.
Here I look at some of the more important accessory replacements for portable air conditioners that can help you to be prepared for most eventualities.
Note: As a Sylvane affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Air Conditioner Filters
All air conditioning equipment relies on filters to keep the air flowing through them clean and prevent dust and debris from entering the inner workings and clogging things up.
When you think of a filter as a first line of defense for your AC airflow, it's easy to see how they themselves can become clogged over time. This can reduce airflow and force the compressor to work harder which uses more energy and ends up costing you more to run the AC.
Cleaning Filters
It is usually easy enough to keep AC filters clean and they tend to be fairly easy to access on most equipment. Cleaning AC filters is a job that should be carried out regularly.
However, even regularly cleaned filters will start to degrade over time and will eventually require replacing.
That's not usually a problem, as all the major AC manufacturers provide replacement filters for their devices that you can buy direct or from AC supply stores both in the real world and online.
Buying Replacement AC Filters
You can buy filters for most AC manufacturers' equipment from big online stores like Amazon, Wal-Mart or eBay. However, if you live in the USA my recommendation is to shop at AC specialist store Sylvane, where you get the best customer service from experts at no extra cost.
I have provided a clickable image link to the Sylvane website above. Please check it out!
Window Vent Kit and Hose
Portable air conditioning units all need to be vented to the outside, which is done using the extendable exhaust vent hose connecting the unit to a window fixing kit that is supplied with the air conditioner.
There are other versions of the fixing kit that are designed to attach the hose to other openings such as sliding patio doors, through-the-wall vents or false or drop ceiling vents.
Replacement Portable AC Vent Kit
Whichever kind of vent kit you are using, you can get replacements if yours breaks or gets damaged for any reason. The same goes for getting a replacement vent hose itself if it gets damaged or springs a leak.
Remember, the job of a portable air conditioner vent hose is to carry all the hot, moist air produced by the air conditioning process out of the room to the outside where it disperses. If it leaks into the room, you will get a net heating effect, causing the AC to work harder and use more electricity and costing you more money to run it.
Replacing the Vent Hose
Always replace a damaged or leaking hose as soon as possible!
You can also change the venting location from the window by getting a different type of vent kit suited for a ceiling or wall outlet if you prefer.
As with filters, you can buy new or replacement vent kits from professional electrical stores like Sylvane, as well as other major hardware stores and big department stores if you prefer.
Remote Control
Most modern portable air conditioners come with a remote control to make using them more convenient.
Unfortunately, if you're anything like me and my family, remotes get misplaced or outright lost all the time!
If your remote has gone missing and no amount of searching has turned it up, you can breathe a sigh of relief because AC manufacturers provide replacement remotes if you need one. You can get most makes for most models from Sylvane or other online stores!
They don't cost very much in general, so simply buying a replacement remote can save you a lot of stress and hassle. This is especially if you have a dog like I do who loves to play with toys (I guess a remote makes a pretty interesting doggie toy) and likes to bury them out in the backyard only he knows where!
Other AC Accessories
Aside from the obvious accessories, there are other items you can get that are related in some way to air conditioning.
If you want to improve the security of your windows where fixing kits are installed, you can buy security window locks or attachments from hardware stores online.
You can also improve the weather seals of door and window frames to increase air conditioner efficiency and economy. The way this works is to block seepage of hot air from outside getting into the room through cracks or holes that seem to appear as if by magic in older wooden frames.
This can save you money in the longer term by helping to reduce leaks, the resulting wastage and ultimately, energy costs.