Install Aircon or buy a portable?

FlorayG

Pros and cons of each, please.

I only want Aircon in my living room, it's huge and I can sleep in there no problem

Is it worth installing a system or better just to buy a decent portable unit? I'm not worried about the running costs as I have solar panels

Thank you

mark_cycling00

There's a nice YouTube video in the last few days from "proper DIY" that explains this very well. He's very accurate and a retired engineer.

Lorian

There is a large cost difference.

What's the square meterage of the room and does it have big/South facing windows?

Is there an outside wall to the room well away from neighbours property?

How far is it from you consumer unit?

subjecttocontract

Portable........heavy, noisy, have to hang hose out window or door. I've tried them and wouldn't use one even if they paid me.

InstalIed ......Make sure you get an 'inverter' as these can both heat and cool a room, much much quieter, usually have lots of functions and far preferrable. Obviously more expensive. Don't think you will be able to find anyone to install for this season.

FlorayG

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052179#Comment_82052179

3.5m x 7m

Two huge windows face SW and NW and patio doors face SE

Yes there's a suitable outside wall and I am detached

Consumer unit is in the entrance hall other side of the living room

FreeBear

A timely thread from QrizB -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6671610/portable-split-air-to-air

Final review of running costs appear around page 5 if I remember correctly. Certainly more efficient than those single hose units on the market.

Slinky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052185#Comment_82052185

We signed off to order AC for our bedroom on Friday. Earliest installation date is 25th August assuming they can get the one we want by then.

FlorayG

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052247#Comment_82052247

I can't understand a word of that post - way too technical for me 😆

Newbie_John

I had both, no chance to sleep with portable - it's as loud as of someone was hovering your room.

Portable takes a lot of space, you need to have it close to the window - all of them come with non UK window fittings so you either DIY something, spend additinal £60 for the fitting or just put the pipes under curtains making it quite inefficient. They also extract water inside the container which you need to empty daily and they're heavy 20kg.

The only way to make it work is to cool the room down to 19°C, turn it off, close windows and go to sleep.

Real air con doesn't have any of the above problems. It really is like flying First class Vs RyanAir. Most of the also comes with cheap heating (cheaper than gas).

It's just starting cost of £200 Vs £1200. There are also semi-,portable solutions half way.

FlorayG

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052264#Comment_82052264

Worth the installation cost then, thanks for info

QrizB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052260#Comment_82052260

In brief, I have a portable aircon which has fewer of the disadvantages of the "hose through the window" portables and several of the advantages of a permanently installed one, at a price that's roughly 1/2 to 1/3 of a permanently installed one (but 2 to 3 times the price of a cheap portable).

It has an outdoor part that you place on your patio or hang from your windowsill, which is attached by an umbilical so you still have to place the inside unit nearby. Condensate is pumped out through the umbilical so you don't have the problem of pouring it away that someone else mentioned (although ony experience a cheap portable will deal with that by using the waste heat to evaporate it into the vent).

It uses about half the electricity of a basic portable and is almost as efficient as an installed one.

If you can afford a permanent one, and have a suitable place, it's probably a better choice. But do note that at least one forum member is being told that the installers are busy until September.