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Portable AC Units
Posted on 7/6/26 at 9:53 am
Posted on 7/6/26 at 9:53 am
We have a somewhat older home, built in the late 60s. Over the years previous owners have done some weird stuff with HVAC. House was originally built for a 4.5 or 5 ton unit to run the whole house. Somewhere around 1999-2001 whoever lived there installed a smaller unit for downstairs, even though there were still ducts connected to upstairs vents, and added a small heat pump I guess for supplemental AC upstairs. Downstairs is around 1,400 sq ft and upstairs around 800 sq ft. 6 years ago I replaced the "downstairs" unit with one adequately sized for the whole house, but for about 6-8 weeks every summer the upstairs with a bunch of old windows gets fairly warm.
I've tossed around the idea of replacing the heat pump, or putting in mini-splits, but I'm thinking short term about getting a window unit for bedrooms or those portable AC units that would still vent out of the windows. Does anyone currently use one of these, and can you drain it out of the window as well or do you have to wait until the water pan is full and dump it? Ideally I would like to set it in place by the windows in the bedrooms and feed a short hose out as well, but I've never used one before. Thinking easier install than a window unit since the windows are 3 stories off the ground. Not having to deal with support brackets and risk having something that heavy fall out. I certainly don't mind draining or dumping it, but if it is possible I'd like to set it in place and just turn it on in the late afternoons to cool off the bedrooms. There's a bedroom on each end of the house so I'd be betting a pair of them.
I've tossed around the idea of replacing the heat pump, or putting in mini-splits, but I'm thinking short term about getting a window unit for bedrooms or those portable AC units that would still vent out of the windows. Does anyone currently use one of these, and can you drain it out of the window as well or do you have to wait until the water pan is full and dump it? Ideally I would like to set it in place by the windows in the bedrooms and feed a short hose out as well, but I've never used one before. Thinking easier install than a window unit since the windows are 3 stories off the ground. Not having to deal with support brackets and risk having something that heavy fall out. I certainly don't mind draining or dumping it, but if it is possible I'd like to set it in place and just turn it on in the late afternoons to cool off the bedrooms. There's a bedroom on each end of the house so I'd be betting a pair of them.
5
Posted on 7/6/26 at 10:52 am to TU Rob
An inverter window unit would be better than almost any portable, ultimately a mini-split for that (multi-zone options should be considered) situation would probably be the most cost effective for a long term solution. I keep a Toshiba portable unit for an emergency-use option, there are portables the use outside air for the condenser which are much more effective than single tube models. The U-style inverter window units might be your best temporary option as far as installation too.
Posted on 7/6/26 at 11:11 am to TU Rob
The portables vent the water vapor out the window. There's no condensate. I have a couple of them for my rentals when HVACs shite out. The portables suck, they are good to maybe keep a bedroom cool.
WIndow units are like 3x better so if anything do that.
BUT, have you gotten quotes to replace the old windows that face south? Or any that get direct sun the longest? That maybe your best option here.
Also, yeah I'd take a long look at your whole system this winter and try to get something figured out. It sounds like a mess.
WIndow units are like 3x better so if anything do that.
BUT, have you gotten quotes to replace the old windows that face south? Or any that get direct sun the longest? That maybe your best option here.
Also, yeah I'd take a long look at your whole system this winter and try to get something figured out. It sounds like a mess.
This post was edited on 7/6/26 at 11:12 am
Posted on 7/6/26 at 11:20 am to baldona
quote:
The portables vent the water vapor out the window. There's no condensate. I have a couple of them for my rentals when HVACs shite out. The portables suck, they are good to maybe keep a bedroom cool.
Thanks. I'm headed to Lowe's after lunch to look around. Nice to know about no condensate. It isn't that it gets super hot up there, and we have ceiling fans in the bedroom to help some. And by September there won't really be a need for it, but this heat wave of upper 90s it doesn't cool off as fast upstairs. Oldest is moving off to college next month and the younger two have been sharing a bedroom. When she moves out I'll likely move the boys to sleep in separate rooms, but for now they've both been young enough for bunk beds. All I really need it to do is help cool off a 12x12 bedroom at night. Figure I will go turn it on when I get home from work and start dinner, and give it a couple hours to run enough to cool it off. Doesn't have to be super fast.
quote:
BUT, have you gotten quotes to replace the old windows that face south? Or any that get direct sun the longest? That maybe your best option here.
Also, yeah I'd take a long look at your whole system this winter and try to get something figured out. It sounds like a mess.
We're probably not going to live here that much longer, so I don't want to dump money into a mini split if I don't need to. Like I said, we already replaced the main HVAC unit back in 2020, and I just left the old heat pump in place at the time. It functions about as well as you'd expect a 20 year old heat pump to work. If we were staying here forever I would dump it and have mini splits put in the bedrooms with dual zones.
Posted on 7/6/26 at 11:28 am to TU Rob
For a long term/permanent solution, central or mini split for upstairs would be ideal.
If your looking for temporarily relief, a portable or window unit in each room would work.
If you do go portable, get one that has two ducts that go thru the window. The single vented ones are very inefficient.
I have a portable I put in my living room every summer for a few weeks. I've never had to drain it. It evaporates the condensate and vents it outside.
If your looking for temporarily relief, a portable or window unit in each room would work.
If you do go portable, get one that has two ducts that go thru the window. The single vented ones are very inefficient.
I have a portable I put in my living room every summer for a few weeks. I've never had to drain it. It evaporates the condensate and vents it outside.
Posted on 7/6/26 at 1:15 pm to TU Rob
You mentioned the house was built in the 60’s, so what R value insulation do you think you have in the attic? Maybe R-19 (hypothetical) when adding to R-36 might solve your issue.
Out of curiosity, what size (tonnage) heat pump do you have cooling the 800 sq ft second floor? You indicated the situation is not extreme, so is it a situation where you might set the thermostat upstairs to 74 F but when outside temps exceeds 90 F, during much of afternoon temperature exceeds set point, like rising to 77-78 F? Just trying to assess if some added attic insulation and tweaking of the heat pump might help with the issue without purchasing portable or window units.
But since you appear to be looking for a short-term solution, window units or portable might be the easiest solution, and b/c you have a working HVAC and just need to supplement, the portables might be a practical solution.
Out of curiosity, what size (tonnage) heat pump do you have cooling the 800 sq ft second floor? You indicated the situation is not extreme, so is it a situation where you might set the thermostat upstairs to 74 F but when outside temps exceeds 90 F, during much of afternoon temperature exceeds set point, like rising to 77-78 F? Just trying to assess if some added attic insulation and tweaking of the heat pump might help with the issue without purchasing portable or window units.
But since you appear to be looking for a short-term solution, window units or portable might be the easiest solution, and b/c you have a working HVAC and just need to supplement, the portables might be a practical solution.
This post was edited on 7/6/26 at 1:30 pm
Posted on 7/6/26 at 3:25 pm to CrawDude
quote:
CrawDude
Long story, but I mentioned it earlier. Previous owners did some odd things and it seems like the heat pump was added to the upstairs (air handler behind attic wall) a few years after a smaller unit was installed downstairs. I rarely run the heat pump. Only in the late afternoons in the summer. No one is really upstairs except to sleep. Downstairs you can get it cold enough to hang meat in, but upstairs is always about 10-12 degrees warmer. So I walk up there after I get home from work and turn it on, and since it is so old if it runs for over an hour or so it will start to ice up. I don't want to drop several thousand on a new upstairs unit when it isn't really necessary 10 months out of the year.
I had thought about a mini split a few years ago, but something I could have on hand for extreme summer heat and put away in the garage would be good. I was mainly thinking window units, but because of how high up they are it might be tougher to install than just these portable ones with the openings for exhaust. I'm still toying with what to get, so thanks to all for advice.
Posted on 7/6/26 at 7:08 pm to TU Rob
quote:
So I walk up there after I get home from work and turn it on, and since it is so old if it runs for over an hour or so it will start to ice up.
Understood.
So, the icing up of the upstairs heat pump could be a air flow issue - blower motor not moving enough air across the evaporator coil or the unit is a bit low on R-22 refrigerant (20 year old unit is likely R-22). I’ll assume your air filter is not dirty/clogged. Have those been checked by a HVAC tech? I understand you’d need an old school tech who diagnoses and fix things, as most companies would just want to sell you a new system. But I routinely watch YouTube videos of older techs who fix 20 year old + HVACs. But finding one who will…..
But a couple window units/portable units could likely still be cheaper than an upstairs HVAC repair.
Having 1 large unit to try to cool 2 floors properly without zoning is difficult, as you well know from experience on your house.
Posted on 7/7/26 at 8:46 am to southern686
Yes, if you get a portable make damn sure you get a dual hose unit
The single hose units create a negative pressure in the room that sucks heat and humidity into the room it's trying to cool
The single hose units create a negative pressure in the room that sucks heat and humidity into the room it's trying to cool
Posted on 7/7/26 at 10:13 am to TU Rob
I have a portable ac in my bedroom that I use every night. My windows face west so the afternoon sun gets that room really warm compared to the rest of the house. Plus I like it pretty cold when I sleep so I don't have to work the hell out of my central system.
Posted on 7/7/26 at 10:34 am to CrawDude
quote:
So, the icing up of the upstairs heat pump could be a air flow issue - blower motor not moving enough air across the evaporator coil or the unit is a bit low on R-22 refrigerant (20 year old unit is likely R-22). I’ll assume your air filter is not dirty/clogged. Have those been checked by a HVAC tech? I understand you’d need an old school tech who diagnoses and fix things, as most companies would just want to sell you a new system. But I routinely watch YouTube videos of older techs who fix 20 year old + HVACs. But finding one who will…..
But a couple window units/portable units could likely still be cheaper than an upstairs HVAC repair.
Having 1 large unit to try to cool 2 floors properly without zoning is difficult, as you well know from experience on your house.
I've actually got a really good HVAC guy here in Birmingham. He was able to diagnose and keep my older unit going for several years with minor things here and there. But it finally died in October of 2020. I was hoping to make it through to the spring, but the compressor died on it. I trust him, but I know there is a leak somewhere and just refilling it with R22 is expensive. I had mentioned to him about mini splits a few years back when he was servicing the new unit he installed and adding freon to the heat pump. We never got too far into the conversation, but he said he could do that for us when the time comes.
So yeah, temporary solution that would only be used for 6-8 weeks a year is fine with me. The downstairs unit has a gas furnace in the blower so getting upstairs warm in the winter is no issue. He even suggested removing the heat pump but leaving the blower in place to help with air flow, but said as long as it is cooling some running it a few hours every evening would be fine. So that's what I've been doing the last several years.
I've ordered one of the portable ones to try in the smaller bedroom. Should be here soon and I'll get it hooked up.
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