If you live in an area that is prone to heat waves, you will certainly benefit from air conditioning, but you might not want to go to the trouble of installing an HVAC system if you won’t be using it on a regular basis. That’s where a portable AC unit comes in handy!

It’s easy to add a portable air conditioner to your space without making any structural alterations, which might be particularly important if you are renting your home. Even better, you can move the AC where you need it to be. For instance, you might want the portable AC to cool the living room during the day and the bedroom at night.

The most important factor to consider when choosing a portable air conditioner is how much space the unit can cool. Many AC units include a square footage number to guide your choice, but remember that this number will be impacted by factors like the height of your ceiling and how sealable a room is. If you cannot close off a space with a door and air-tight windows, the AC cannot cool it as effectively.

If you want a more permanent AC unit in your home, you have a few options, including window AC units and wall AC units. If you have windows that slide up and down, a window air conditioner may be your easiest option in terms of installation. However, some people prefer not to sacrifice window space to an AC unit, in which case an in-wall air conditioner could be the best choice.

Beyond choosing the type of air conditioner, you will also have to choose the cooling capacity and moisture removal capacity. BTUs are the best way to calculate how much cooling power an air conditioner has, and moisture removal is expressed in pints per day. If you live in a particularly humid climate, you may also find it handy to have a dehumidifier. If the area you want to cool is not easily sealed off from other areas, you might actually benefit from an evaporative cooler in place of an AC.

You can also find air conditioners with enticing features like Wi-Fi connectivity. If you have both hot and cold times of year, you could even choose an air conditioner with an integrated heater.