Frequently Asked Questions About Portable Air Conditioners

Cost

Q How much does it cost?
We can supply, and install units for as little as £7 per week and we have a price guarantee that we will beat any other price and give free delivery/collection, if you find a lower price anywhere.

 

Performance

Q. How much cooling do I get from a single monobloc portable air conditioning unit?
This depends on the unit, usually 2-4kw. The opposite effect to a 2-4 KW fan heater. A 3.8KW unit will typically cool an office of 32 sq mt with 4 people.

Q. Will this type of portable air conditioning reduce humidity?
Yes, water is removed from the air passing through the unit. The water collected may need emptying occasionally and is ideal for watering the office plants. Relative humidity which is above 50% will be reduced but not normally to below 50% which is the most comfortable level.

Q. If we have too few units will they work?
For comfortable temperatures to be achieved in all weather conditions the correct number of portable air conditioning units should be used. If fewer are installed then on the hottest days the office temperature will rise, particularly mid afternoon in south/west facing offices. Split units are better at maintaining lower temperatures when the outside/surrounding temperatures are very high as they allow the air in the room to be recirculated through the air conditioner and do not increase ventilation rates.

Q. How much noise do the monobloc units make?
Most portable air conditioning units have a choice of fan speeds. At the higher speed the fan noise would normally be lost in the background noise of a busy office. At lower speeds the unit is scarcely audible. Solit units have their condenser fan in the outdoor unit so are generally quieter.

Q. What maintenance do these units need once in use?
There is a weekly maintenance procedure which needs to be carried out to ensure the unit works to its full potential.  This procedure is stated on the instructions, and involves simply emptying the water, and cleaning the filters.

 

Installation, location & services

Q. How do we obtain advice on the installation and use of temporary air conditioning in our building?
Where necessary we can arrange a free site survey and provide advice on the most convenient and effective temporary cooling. When delivering units we will always review the solution and discuss it with you, if we can see a better solution.

Q. If we need technical advice on the best solution for us, prior to ordering, is this available?
Just ask us for a site survey.

Q. Will monobloc portable air conditioning units work with our office layout?
Monobloc units are effective in most circumstances and we will ask the necessary questions to establish the best solution for you. If, at time of delivery, we have any doubts then we will advise on alternatives.

Q. Where should we put monobloc units?
It needs to be adjacent to a window so that the warm air hose can discharge from the window. In this way the heat from the room is discharged outside

Q. What power supply is needed for portable air conditioning units?
A normal 13 amp supply from a wall socket.  An extension lead can be used to a socket if none is available close by.

Q. What size is the warm air hose from a monobloc unit which needs to be put out of a window?
About 130mm diameter for office air conditioners, but up to 300mm diameter on larger undustrial units.

Q. Isn’t it a security risk to leave the windows open?
The warm air hose is flexible and as temporary air conditioning is not needed at night most people turn off the unit, withdraw the hose and close the window. It is simple to put it back in the morning.

Q. How much electricity do these units use?
Typically about one third of the cooling effect, so a 3.8KW unit uses about 1.2KW when running.

Q. Does a temporary air conditioning unit run all the time?
No, there is a thermostat built in which turns off the unit when the required room temperature is reached.

 

Commercial

Q. Who is responsible for the safe keeping of the equipment installed?
Loss or damage beyond normal wear and tear will be to your account. The cost of complete loss of portable air conditioning units is noted on your order documentation. The figure shown is a depreciated value. You remain responsible for the safe keeping of the units until they are collected by us/dispatched to us.

Q. When will the units be collected/taken off hire?
Subject to any minimum hire periods agreed at commencement of hire, an email is required to notify us of your wish to terminate the hire period. Hire periods are a number of full weeks. Collection will be arranged shortly afterwards.

Q. Can the monobloc units be moved to another address whilst on hire.
Yes, subject to us confirming agreement by email at the time. Collection at the end of the hire period will be from the original delivery address unless otherwise agreed in advance.

Q. What charge is made for delivery of monobloc units?
A standard charge is shown on the Prices page of this website. This includes for our staff to set the units to work and advise on their use in your premises. Written instructions on the use of the units is available on the internet as noted on the safety label in each air conditioning unit.

 

When portable air conditioning is needed

Q. How much of the summer will we need air conditioning?
This depends on your building and the equipment in it. The inside temperature of an office, in the afternoon, will commonly rise to between 4oC and 8oC above the outside temperature so most offices would benefit from cooling for at least part of the day for much of the time from May to September.

Q. Why should our office need cooling now, when it hasn’t before?
The increased use of PCs and other electronic office equipment now provides more unwanted heat. Virtually all electricity consumption inside the building ends up as heat. The mean summer temperatures are rising. Four out the last 10 years in London have been some of the hottest on record.

Q. Is it practical to install a full air conditioning system in our building?
It may be. We can advise on the practicality and likely cost if required.  We can still offer an air conditioning hire agreement.

 

Miscellaneous

Q. Do you hire other electrical appliances?
We specialise in air conditioning hire and related products. We also hire heaters, dehumidifiers, fans and evaporative coolers.