At least troubleshooting common portable air conditioner issues might be less of a hassle than you think.
Portable air conditioner not cooling attic.
So any ac you buy will blow moisture up into your attic.
Portable air conditioners send as much moisture out with the exhaust air as they can.
So if there are leaks along the ductwork that allow cold air to escape into the attic or basement your home won t get as much cool air as it needs to reach your set temperature.
Check the temperature of air flowing out of the top of the unit and the air flowing into the evaporator coil behind the top filter grill at the back.
The more leaks your air ducts have the less cool air your home gets.
If it is clean it.
When that happens the ac unit is unable to condense all the extra water vapor that is added to the air supply because of the leaking duct.
Lack of airflow coming out of the air conditioner.
Air ducts with leaks allow conditioned air to escape into unconditioned areas i e.
A portable air conditioner is the easiest solution for cooling your attic.
Use a vacuum or brush.
They are designed this way to minimize how often you have to empty the catch bucket.
Another reason your portable air conditioner may lack air flow is the presence of frost on the evaporator coils.
A portable ac unit can fail to properly cool off your space if it is not powerful enough the room is not properly sealed or the unit is dirty.
Examine the exhaust hose and check if there is any obstruction here.
Most come with a window kit for this purpose that attaches to a hose on the back of the unit.
The catch bucket is only there for the excess.
When troubleshooting this portable air conditioner problem first clean the filter to get rid of any dust or dirt that has been trapped inside it.
Usually it ll take 60 90 seconds after you power up the unit.
This prevents air flow.
Portable air conditioners do need to be vented to pump the hot air outside.
Unfortunately units love to act up on the hottest days of the year.
Any leak on the return side of the ducts would mean that your air conditioner is sucking in the hot and humid air from the attic.
Similar to the previous problem mentioned to find the problem of this portable ac not cooling adequately see the filter and check if it is clogged or dirty.
When water doesn t drain properly from a portable air conditioner it builds up and can freeze around the coils.
Next please only consider two hose portable ac units.
Limited or lack of air flow can often be the result of a dirty or clogged filter.
It s a standalone unit that s about two feet tall and 18 inches wide and has wheels for mobility.
For one most traditional room air conditioners are not capable enough to handle the extreme heat that s normally present in an attic.
Then check for any air intake obstacles and eliminate them.