So you’re one of the unfortunate Brisbanians who doesn’t have air conditioning in their home.
Worse, the forecast says there’s a spate of warm weather on the way!
Just what exactly are you supposed to do to handle the upcoming heat?
While it may be winter now, this is a problem that many homeowners in Brisbane find themselves confronting as the weather starts turning.
In fact, there’s a good chance you may soon run into this issue yourself, particularly if you live in an older house!
When this happens, many turn to portable air conditioners, either buying or renting one to help handle the temperature in lieu of organising air conditioning in Brisbane.
As a stopgap measure, there’s nothing wrong with using portable air conditioners.
But using them as a substitute for a proper home cooling system? That’s a different story!
Our air conditioning experts explain the pitfalls of portable air conditioners, and why they’re no substitute for the real deal.
Don’t sweat it – Tri-Tech it!
Need air conditioning in Brisbane? Give our tech team a call! We can install, replace, and repair all systems in commercial, domestic, and industrial settings!
Contact us today to get a free quote or give our friendly team a call on (07) 3394 0222.
Is a portable unit a valid substitute for air conditioning in Brisbane?
Long story short, the answer is “no” (…unless you literally have no other option!)
While portable air conditioners have their own advantages, they also come with a host of disadvantages – many of which make it simply impractical to rely on them for your cooling needs.
The pros of portable air conditioning
Flexibility – bring cooling into any room
As the name suggests, the main draw of portable air conditioning is just that… they’re portable. Many units are quite compact, coming in at less than a metre tall.
Some units also come with wheels, letting you bring air conditioning to any room in the house.
Lower up-front cost
While naturally this will depend on the size of the system, portable air conditioners generally have a lower up-front purchase price.
Additionally, portable air conditioners don’t need to be installed either, which reduces the overall set-up costs.
The cons of portable air conditioners
They’re less efficient
If you’re worried about your power bills, you may want to avoid portable air conditioners.
That’s because portable air conditioners are considerably less efficient than split system or ducted cooling systems.
The reason for this is simple: running an air conditioner generates heat.
With a split system or ducted air conditioner, this heat and exhaust is generated in the outdoor condenser or vented outside – either way, this doesn’t impact your comfort whatsoever.
With portable systems however, all that waste heat as we call it is expelled into your room.
Essentially, your portable system is its own worst enemy!
And that in turn means that you’ll be leaving your system on for longer, which uses more energy.
They’re noisy
Another problem with portable air conditioners is the noise.
In addition to creating heat, running an air conditioner also creates a lot of sound. However, most of us never notice, as the outdoor condenser is, you know, outside.
Move everything indoors however, and all of a sudden it becomes glaringly obvious why they’re installed outdoors!
With portable air conditioning systems, all the working parts are moved indoors. And with that, comes all the noise and disruption – why would you want to bring all of this indoors?
You could turn the settings down, but then you’re left without cooling. It’s a bit of a lose-lose scenario.
When is it right to use a portable air conditioner?
While they’re no replacement for a proper air conditioning system, as a complement or back-up, portable air conditioners can be useful.
You only need spot cooling
Another use is if you only need spot cooling, and your existing system doesn’t cover every room or doesn’t offer zoning.
In these cases, you can use portable air conditioners to cool down individual rooms.
You simply can’t use a full-size air conditioning system
Finally, you might live in a heritage-listed house, and worry about installing air conditioning without incurring a fine.
Luckily, since they’re portable, you won’t need to put up with any drilling, sawing or any other disruptive installation methods. For owners of houses in heritage overlays, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.
If you live in Brisbane however, it’s possible to have a brand-new air conditioner installed without running afoul of the council.
In the past, Tri-Tech was contracted to install a large system for Brisbane Girls Grammar School in a building that was heritage-listed. We did so without affecting the building’s appearance or character, delivering cool and comfortable solutions for students and staff.
Click here to find out whether your house sits in a heritage overlay.
You’re a renter
The best way to deal with the Brisbane summer? Air conditioning installation.
But what if you don’t actually own house you live in, or the property you work in?
If this sounds like your situation, then a portable air conditioning unit might be an option.
Tri the best for air conditioning in Brisbane
Don’t sweat it – Tri-Tech it!
Portable air conditioners are no substitute for a full-sized air conditioning system, backed up by expert system design.
Is your system out of commission? Don’t want to rely on portable air conditioning?
If you need air conditioning repairs in Brisbane, Tri-Tech is the team to call.
Our mobile tech-team are air conditioning experts. That isn’t a boast, either – we’ve recently been awarded south-east Queensland’s dealer of the year by Mitsubishi Electric!
Whether you own a Mitsubishi, Daikin or any other brand of air conditioner, you can rest easy knowing that it’s in good hands with Tri-Tech.
Give us a call today on (07) 3394 0222 – alternatively, get in touch with us by clicking this link.
