Portable air conditioners can be an amazing addition to any modern home. Not only do the latest models look sleek, but they also provide fantastic cooling that can keep an apartment comfortable or supplement a central air conditioning system.
However, one major downfall of these large appliances is noise!
There’s no getting away that some air conditioners are like having a worn-out robot trying to sing the opera to you.
Some of the common portable air conditioner issues are Airflow Restriction, Power Issues, Water Tank problems, and sometimes Dirty Filters or Coils.
So we’ve collated these seven quick tips to keep your portable air conditioner quiet.
Check The Level
Air conditioners work using a system that involves moving liquid and gas refrigerant around a network of tubes. If your air conditioner isn’t sitting level, then gravity will be working against you – making your system work harder.
Thankfully, this is easy to check.
Just grab a spirit level. Or even give it a good eyeball – does it look slanted? Ensuring that your air conditioner is fully upright is step one to make sure it’s not working harder than it needs to.
How’s Your Floor?
The number one rule of acoustics is that hard surfaces reflect sound. As amazing as wooden floors are (there’s plenty of great examples on this site), they’re not the best if you’re looking for a quiet room. They’re especially not great in combination with portable air conditioners!
Placing the portable air conditioner on a simple rug can make a big difference. First, because it makes sure the wheels or base aren’t rattling against a hard floor. And second, because it helps quieten sound levels in general.
One or Two Hoses?
Portable air conditioners are the only type of air conditioner which processes hot air within your space. And that warm air needs exhausted – hence everyone’s favorite fiddly exhaust hoses!
For the uninitiated, it may not be obvious which of these is better. And many air conditioners can do both one combined or two separate hoses. Essentially, two hoses mean that one can be used for intaking fresh air, and the other can be used for exhausting hot air.
This is much more efficient. A combined hose ends upbringing back in some of what it exhausts – which takes a lot more work. An air conditioner under less strain is quieter, so always use two hoses if you have the choice.
Keep It On Low
One of the reasons air conditioners are so fascinating is that they can be used so smartly. There’s a lot to be said for using it consciously versus just whacking it on to maximum when you need it.
The first step is to recognize that air conditioners run better on low power over a long time rather than a high power for a short time. In other words, you want to use your air conditioner on high to cool a space down first. Then, instead of turning it off, leave it on low to maintain that temperature.
Play Smart
Following on from the tip above – this is where programs come in. By setting the air conditioner to turn on 30 minutes before you need it (before you wake up or arrive home), your space should already be at the ideal temperature from the moment you step into it. Then the only noise is the AC quietly humming away on low as you relax.
These programs are available with any good modern air conditioner. For especially high-tech systems, you can connect to them using apps and even turn them on as you step into the car to drive home. Technology sure can be a pain sometimes, but that’s pretty amazing.
Throw Some Shade
This should go without saying, but it’s an easy mistake to make. Put:
Air conditioners shouldn’t be placed in the sunlight!
For obvious reasons – it significantly warms them up, making them work much, much harder to keep your space cool.
Whenever possible, keep your AC in the shade. Whether that’s from closing curtains or even moving rooms – it will do your air conditioner (and you) a world of good.
Place It Further, And Use A Fan
One way to quieten something is to be simply further away from it.
This is fairly rudimentary, but using a fan in combination with your AC works well to move that cold air further. It’s not the most efficient method, but it can let you have a lot more space between you and the machine.
Conclusion
A quiet portable air conditioner is a fantastic way to get the most out of summer. They can let you enjoy spaces that otherwise would be too hot to handle.
Keeping them quiet can be a real challenge, so I hope some of these tips have given you one or two ideas to try! For more tips, check out some of our summer-related posts here on MyDecorative, where we encourage making the most of your space.
