Combat Your Allergies with your Portable Air-Conditioner? Who knew?

Reader's Digest recently had an article about the top twenty ways to combat those annoying summer allergies. As I skimmed through, I found most of the concepts I expected: Eat fruit with vitamin C, don't let your pets on your bed, and clean your furniture often.

What I didn't expect to see was number three: Turn on your AC.

Turn on your air conditioner to supplement anti-bacterial activities? If it would've said "air purifier," I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but an air conditioner? As I read on, though, it started to make more sense. Air conditioners have natural dehumidifying properties, meaning they remove moisture from the air, making it less humid. "So what?" I said, but what I didn't realize was that bacteria loves moist areas, and when the air itself is really moist, then your lungs can become the perfect breeding ground for microbes that make your throat itch, your eyes dry and red, and your nose run. Keeping a dry, more sterile environment makes things uncomfortable for bacteria breeding, on top of the fact that all portable air conditioners, wall air conditioners, and central air conditioners have some sort of air filter to block debris and bugs from being sucked in and pumped into your home. The air filter is also key to keeping the allergen levels low. Make sure to check it and clean it often.
Concurrently, you can go the extra mile and get a portable air conditioner with an actual air purifier within it. This saves you having to go out and buy two seperate appliances, and saves you space and energy costs in your home. A few portable air conditioners with this all-in-one feature set are the NewAir ACP1000E and ACP1000H, and the NewAir ACP1300E and 1300H. These four units are great for medium to large size rooms, the "H" models have a built-in heater as well, and they ALL have ionic air purifiers inside, so you can cool off, heat up, and keep your nose dry, your asthma risk low, and sinuses unclogged. They're all pretty reasonably priced, too, especially for how much you get out of one little box. Naturally, they dehumidify the air as well, keeping the moist, bacteria-friendly humidity to a minimum.

So while it might sound strange to think that a machine that sucks in outside air can actually make the air inside your home cleaner and free of allergens, the proof is in the purifier! So turn on those portable AC's this summer and keep your body cool and your lungs healthy.

The Cleansing Power of the Sun in the NewAir ACP-1400E and ACP-1400H

Air purifiers and central heating and air systems have used UV (ultra violet) lamps to destroy unhealthy, airborne bacteria for some time now, but it's a relatively new trend in portable air conditioners. UV lamps are installed into HVAC systems, where they irradiate AC coils and kill bacteria in the stagnant waters of drip pans, on top of the main purpose of keeping the air pumped out cleaner and healthier.

But what about the millions of Americans that are apartment-bound or in other rental situations? Usually they're at the mercy of ancient room air conditioners that are only up to the air-quality standards of twenty years ago, and they're the lucky ones! Many have to spend the unbearable summer months at the mercy of electric fans stuck inside a window, which not only do a mediocre job of actually cooling a room, but have no sort of filtration system to purify the polluted air it's pulling in and pushing right down into their lungs.

The solution to this problem has been, in recent years, the portable air conditioner, and they've done a great job at incorporating some of the qualities of an air purifier into their standard operations. Most come with at least some sort of HEPA filter or carbon filter to keep the big microbes and dust particles from circulating back into the room, but what about going that one step further? As I stated earlier, the bigger HVAC systems and air purifiers have been using UV lamps to kill even more bacteria for some time now, so why have portable air conditioners (and heaters), on the whole, not followed suit?

Thankfully, one portable air conditioning company, NewAir, realizes that the future should not only be climate controlled for people in all living situations, but they should have every opportunity to breathe the cleanest air they can, and that means taking that extra step and bringing UV technology to the "central-air-impaired" masses.

One of the first of its kind, the NewAir ACP-1400E (portable air conditioner) and NewAir ACP-1400H (portable air conditioner and heater) do their utmost to give you the power to relax in the most comofortable and clean environment possible. This model not only uses germicidal UV lamp technology to kill bacteria, but has both a carbon filter, washable dust filter, and ionizer to keep the circulating air sterile. The ACP-1400H also has a built in heater, giving you clean, healthy comfort all year round. NewAir wants to be a company you can trust, and does not overrate their portable air conditioners' power ratings. The ACP-1400E and ACP1400H are rated at 14,000 BTU's, and actually have that cooling capacity in reality. Other comapanies inflate their ratings, on top of the fact that they aren't using the lastest purification technology, as NewAir does.

Hopefully, with the ACP-1400E and ACP-1400H, NewAir will be setting a new standard for the ideal portable air conditioner, so help them, and the health of everyone that comes into your home, by checking these units out, and let the other companies know that you and your family won't settle for anything less than the benchmark set by the NewAir ACP-1400E and NewAir-1400H, so that, in time, more and more people can beat the heat, and beat those microscopic menaces!

NewAir AC-1600E Portable Air Conditioner Delivers Style and Exceptional Cooling Power

Rising temperatures mean more people will be turning to their trusty air conditioners in order to beat the heat. Generally speaking, air conditioners fall into four different categories: window air conditioners, through-the-wall air conditioners, central air conditioners, and lastly, portable air conditioners. Window air conditioners are installed into the window of a room and designed to cool that particular room. Through-the-wall air conditioners are mounted into a wall and provide a cooling effect by exchanging inside air with outside air, while central air conditioners cool entire homes and buildings. Portable air conditioners, on the other hand, do not require permanent installation such as reconfiguring a window or breaking into a wall and can be moved from one room to the next.

Because of their easy maneuverability, relatively small size, and portability, portable ACs are ideal for a variety of settings, including apartments, rooms, workplaces, computer server rooms, or anywhere else where installing a traditional AC may not be feasible. Although easy to maintain, portable air conditioners will need to be vented out a window, but this is easily accomplished by positioning a flexible hose out through the window opening. Nonetheless, portable air conditioners are still great for supplemental or spot cooling, and many of today's models such as also come with built-in heaters and/or air purifiers. Moreover, because portable room air conditioners utilize a refrigeration cycle to lower temperatures, humidity levels are reduced, therefore making them especially useful for humid climates.

However, when it comes to choosing a portable air conditioner, there seems to be a lack of reviews for such units. Thankfully, for the past few weeks, our product review team has been hard at work testing the most popular portable ACs on the market. For this week, NewAir sent us the sleek and stylish AC-1600E portable air conditioner, and we were especially impressed with its design and cooling ability. We tested the NewAir AC-1600E portable AC in our product editor’s 150 square foot office on a warm afternoon. Here were our findings:

Style and Convenient Features
Upon receiving the NewAir AC-1600E and after taking it out of its carton, we saw that the unit sported a sleek silver finish – something hadn’t seen with many other portable ACs we’ve tested. Although it weighed roughly 85 pounds or so, there were built-in, easy to roll casters that allowed us to move the unit from one office to the next with ease. The control panel provided bright contrast and clear visibility, while the included remote allowed us to conveniently control the unit from across the room. The included window kit and large diameter exhaust hose was also easy to install, and within just minutes, we were able to get the NewAir AC-1600E portable air conditioner up and running.

Cooling Power
When choosing a portable AC, one of the most common mistakes consumers make is incorrectly sizing their unit. Portable air conditioners are sized according to BTUs, which stands from British Thermal Units. A BTU is a unit of energy that is commonly used in the power, steam generation, and heating and air conditioning industries. A portable air conditioner’s BTU rating describes its power and cooling capacity. Naturally, the higher the BTUs, the stronger the portable AC. However, the one problem we’ve come across is incorrect and insufficient BTU ratings. Some portable air conditioner manufacturers have overstated the cooling capacity of their products, but prior to receiving the AC-1600E, we spoke to NewAir directly and they reassured us that this portable AC featured a verifiable 16,000 BTUs of power with a cooling capacity of up to 500 square feet in optimal conditions. We found this to be true and even at the lowest setting, the NewAir AC-1600E provided more than enough cooling for our needs.

Dehumidification Abilities
The NewAir AC-1600E utilized auto-evaporative technology and this dramatically decreased the amount of moisture that was accumulated. Also, this portable air conditioner worked as a dehumidifier with a capacity of 80 pints of moisture per day. Although our environment wasn’t very humid, we noted that this would be a great feature for those living in humid climates.

Improves Air Quality
Poor indoor air quality is a problem that can plague most homes, regardless of how immaculate. Furthermore, when using an air conditioner, air is constantly being recirculated, so if you have an air quality issue, turning on the AC won’t help. Thankfully, NewAir has addressed this with the AC-1600E portable air conditioner. This portable air conditioner utilized a three-step filtration system that included a 3M filtrate filter, washable air filter, and an activated carbon filter. All of these filters work together to provide you with cleaner air, which is especially helpful if you have pets in your home.

Overall, we really liked the fact that the NewAir AC-1600E was compact, stylish, and feature-rich. Furthermore, this portable air conditioner offered far more BTUs than many other portable air conditioners in its price range.

New AC-1400H Portable AC by NewAir Offers Design and Value in One Package!

While most people used to turn to their trusty window or central air conditioner to stay cool during the summer, gone are the days when cooling comfort meant unsightly and costly air conditioning systems. Instead, portable air conditioners are now becoming increasingly popular because they allow one to stay cool with just one energy-efficient machine situated in a specific room. Moreover, because portable air conditioners do not require any type of permanent installation and often include built-in casters, they provide convenient spot cooling where you need it and are also ideal for apartments, condominiums, computer server rooms, or any other type of setting that cannot accommodate a window or central air conditioner.

Portable air conditioners are therefore becoming increasingly popular and of course some models cool faster and more efficiently than others. In addition, many of the more advanced portable air conditioners also come with high-tech features such as auto-evaporative technology and even built-in air purifiers and space heaters. With summer almost here, our product team has been busy reviewing some of the newest portable ACs on the market, including the NewAir AC-1400H. We tested this unit in a 250 square foot bedroom on an 85 degree afternoon, and we were overall impressed with its performance.

Designed to fit most average-sized rooms including lounges, living rooms, and offices, the NewAir AC-1400H provided us with superb performance at an affordable price. One of the first things we noticed about the NewAir AC-1400H was the fact that the unit was sleek, modern-looking, and compact. It sported a shiny silver finish with black accents, and the unit also came with large casters for added maneuverability. The backlit LCD control panel was easy to read, and it had full thermostat control and even a remote.

In terms of performance, we found that the NewAir AC-1400H portable air conditioner was one of the most powerful portable air conditioners on the market based on wattage rating. It boasted a 14,000 BTU cooling capacity that was more than enough for our small bedroom, and when rolled out into the living room, it was also able to cool just as well.

Maintenance was also a breeze. Since the NewAir AC-1400E portable AC utilized a patented evaporative booster, we didn’t really have to bother with emptying the inner water tank. Furthermore, due to the fact that it cooled with a refrigerant, it also functioned as a dehumidifier and would be a perfect addition to any home in a humid environment. Also included was a three-layer air purification system with 3M filtrate filter, activated carbon filter, and washable air filter. For year-round use, the NewAir AC-1400H portable air conditioner also had a built-in space heater that boasted 14,000 BTUs of heating power.

Overall, in terms of design and included features, we felt that the NewAir AC-1400E portable was a great buy.

NewAir AC-1600H: Most Powerful Portable Air Conditioner!

If you live in an apartment or condominium, you may have to rely on your building’s central cooling system to stay comfortable during the scorching summer heat. However, if this proves to be inefficient or if you’re concerned with rising energy costs, you may have to resort to less efficient cooling methods such as ceiling or portable electric fans in order to find respite from rising temperatures. Thankfully, portable air conditioners are the perfect portable cooling solution for areas that cannot accommodate traditional window units such as apartments or even computer server rooms.

Portable air conditioners work similar to traditional central or window air conditioners in that they utilize the refrigeration cycle and a coolant to cool a room or area. However, they are portable, mobile, and do not require any sort of permanent installation. Instead, they consist of a box-like frame that holds both the cold and hot side of the AC along with an exhaust hose to expel heat. Water is removed from the air, and this condensate is either collected in a tray or bucket located within the unit or in more advanced models, even self-evaporated.

When purchasing a portable air conditioner, one of the most common terms you’ll see advertised is a unit’s BTU rating. As an acronym for British Thermal Units, BTUs refer to a portable air conditioner’s cooling capacity, and this can range anywhere from 5,000 BTUs to 18,000 BTUs. The higher the BTU value, the stronger the air conditioner. To get a ballpark estimation of the amount of BTUs you’ll need for your room, simply find the square footage of the room and multiply this number by 35.

However, keep in mind that while BTUs are one of the most important factors to look for in an air conditioner, be aware that many portable AC manufacturers often overstate the BTU rating of their units as a way to market their products. Thankfully, in our quest to find the best portable air conditioners on the market, we found the NewAir AC-1600H to be one of the most powerful portable ACs available.

First Impressions - Style, Size, and Display:
When we first removed the NewAir AC-1600H from its package, we were quite impressed with its design. Its sleek silver finished complemented our 400 square foot living room’s décor, and the unit itself weighed approximately 75 pounds. Rolling casters made maneuverability a snap, while the large, easy-to-read LCD display panel with remote control made operation simple and hassle-free.

BTUs and Cooling Capacity:
As mentioned above, BTU ratings are one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a portable AC. The NewAir AC-1600H provided 16,000 BTUs of cooling power – more than many of the units we tested. NewAir recommends this unit to be used in areas 400 square or smaller, but we found that it may have even had the capacity to cool areas slightly larger in ideal conditions (64° to 90° F).

Dehumidification and Auto-Evaporative Technology:
A portable air conditioner’s use of the refrigeration cycle also allows it to remove moisture from the air, making it especially great for humid areas. In addition to cooling, the NewAir AC-1600H portable air conditioner also had the ability to remove up to 80 pints of water per day. Moreover, because it utilized advanced auto-evaporative technology, this eliminated the need to empty any water tanks (assuming your climate isn’t too humid).

Year-Round Use:
The NewAir AC-1600H also came with a built-in space heater that offered 16,000 BTUs of heating power. Furthermore, the inclusion of a 3M Filtrete filter removed dust, pollen, bacteria, and animal dander from the air, while the activated carbon filter was able to adsorb odors such as smoke.

Overall, we found the NewAir AC-1600H to be an excellent portable AC that included many advanced features. Best of all, it offers more BTUs than most portable ACs on the market, and its sleek, European design is sure to complement any type of décor in your home.

NewAir AC-1400E Portable AC - NewAir's Newest Air Conditioner!

Scorching hot summer temperatures are no joke: a massive heat wave in 2006 killed over 200 Americans, and temperatures are still expected to rise this year as well. Interestingly enough, the hotter it gets, the more greenhouse gases are released from the very same power plants that pump out energy from our ACs. Studies have also shown that the average home spends half of its energy bill on home cooling, and for these reasons, many people may be trying to find new ways to beat the heat.

Electric fans may provide cool air, but they do little to actually decrease temperatures. On the other hand, swamp coolers are cost-effective, eco-friendly devices that can provide cooling comfort and temperature reductions, but these are only suitable for hot, arid climates. Therefore, how does one stay cool? The answer lies in a relatively new invention: a portable air conditioner.

Portable air conditioners work very much like traditional central or window ACs as they use the refrigeration cycle to cool. However, they are much simpler in design and have the added benefits of being compact, mobile, as well as not requiring any type of permanent installation. Instead, a hose is vented out a window, drop ceiling, or wall, and when the air conditioner needs to cool another area, it is simply rolled from one room to the next. In terms of energy efficiency, portable air conditioners are second to none. Because they are used for spot cooling certain rooms or personal spaces as opposed to entire homes, they can provide you with significant savings on your energy bill over an entire summer.

Our product team has spent the past few months conducting tests on some of the best portable air conditioners available on the market, and we’ve consistently had good experiences with NewAir’s line of portable air conditioners. As such, we’ve decided to review one of their newest portable ACs: the NewAir ACP-1400E.

At a Glance
When we unpacked the NewAir AC-1400E portable AC out of its carton, we were first impressed by its appearance. The unit weighed approximately 75 pounds but featured a slim, contemporary design with an elegant silver finish. We placed this portable air conditioner in the corner of a 200 square foot bedroom and found that it did not disturb the décor of the environment at all. The large, easy-to-read control panel with backlit LCD was a nice touch, as was the remote control that came with the unit. Rolling casters also made it easy for us to move the NewAir AC-1400E from the bedroom to the living room without hassle.

Cooling Capacity
NewAir stated that the NewAir AC-1400E boasted 14,000 BTUs of cooling power, and we found this to be correct. We were told that this portable air conditioner was suitable for areas up to 400 square feet (the size of our living room), and it provided more than enough cooling for us on a hot, muggy Southern California afternoon. Three speeds were available: 2 fans and 1 turbo.

Auto-Evaporative Technology
Like many better portable air conditioners out there, the NewAir AC-1400E utilized auto-evaporative technology (specifically its own patented Patented Evaporative Booster). In other words, unlike older units which had water buckets that needed to be emptied constantly, the NewAir AC-1400E uses the collected condensate to cool the motor, and the evaporation process then allows this moisture to be directed outdoors via the exhaust hose. However, if the unit is used in an area with especially high humidity levels, condensation will still be collected in an auxiliary tank and emptied later (though much less frequently than with units without auto-evaporative technology).

Air Filters
The NewAir AC-1400E had a washable air filter to collect large dust particles, as well as a 3M Filtrete filter. Moreover, an activated carbon filter was used to remove odors from the air.

Additional Features
Our product team found that the NewAir AC-1400E portable air conditioner had a number of outstanding features, but the ones we were impressed with the most was its 24-hour programmable timer; thermostat range of 64° F to 90° F; low noise level (49 dB); and its limited one year warranty with a five year warranty on the compressor.

Overall, we were impressed by the NewAir AC-1400E portable air conditioner. Stylish, yet full of features, this portable AC will be a great investment for anyone who wants to be able stay cool without having to resort to central or window ACs.

Common Evaporative Cooler Problems

If you live in the American Southwest or any other hot, arid region in the world, you’ve probably either seen or at least heard of a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers, also known as evaporative coolers, produce effective cooling by combining the natural process of water evaporation with a simple air-moving system. Outside air is pushed through water-soaked pads where it is cooled by evaporation and circulated throughout a room or home by a large fan. When this occurs, the ambient temperature can be lowered by as much as 20° F.

Because these appliances are simple and primarily cool the air via evaporation, they are extremely energy efficient and usually cost only pennies a day to run. In fact, studies have shown that when compared to traditional air conditioning systems, swamp coolers can use up to 75 percent less electricity.

However, when compared to air conditioners, operating a swamp cooler may require a bit more work (though minimal). This usually involves refilling the water reservoir and making sure the cooling pads are clean and in good working order. When proper maintenance steps aren’t followed, problems can arise, but these can be fixed by performing a few simple repairs. Here are some common swamp cooler issues consumers may encounter:

Water drips from the unit.
This is often due to improper end-of-season storage. Be sure to always clean and drain your swamp cooler, as well as remove the pads before storing your unit for an extended period of time.

The evaporative cooler doesn’t provide enough cooling.
Always remember that swamp coolers are only suitable for dry climates because they add moisture to the air. Using a swamp cooler in a humid environment will only further increase humidity levels and also cause corrosion to components and/or damage to furnishings. Furthermore, be sure that you are allowing sufficient airflow by opening doors and windows, as well as checking the cooling pads for dry spots or clogs.

There’s an odor coming from the unit.
Odors can usually be attributed to stagnant water or moldy pads. Regularly drain and clean your swamp cooler’s reservoir and replace the cooling pads regularly.

The unit doesn’t start.
Check the fuse and breaker. If the fuse is broken or if the breaker is tripped, it’s time to consult a professional.