#portable Archives | United CoolAir

February 21, 2018 by Matt Hanson

Temporary Cooling Your Portable Solution

Once an HVAC unit has had a proper installation, it typically remains stationary and operating for decades to come. On the other hand, some situations call for cooling, heating, and dehumidification to be used for a short time. In these instances, it is important to have a temporary cooling or portable solution.
. The most common conventional applications are construction sites, industrial and manufacturing pharmaceuticals, education institutions, and commercial office space. Additional uses are server rooms, events and function facilities, restoration and remediation, and emergency response. New construction or reconstruction is where most of these uses can be applied. With that being said, one wants to ensure that these temporary HVAC units are cost-effective and environmentally friendly options.

Choosing a Temporary Portable Unit

In choosing the proper Temporary units you would want one that is capable of cooling only, heating only or cooling/heating and dehumidification. Furthermore, a unit that can also be used indoors and outdoors where condenser air is duct-able to the outside or into a plenum. Additionally, you would want it to be designed incorporating a flexible duct to move the conditioned air where it is needed. They should also provide a free-blow capability and have the flexibility, to be used with the flexible duct using optional duct adapters. Occasionally the capability to mount the unit on a pod would be beneficial. Of course, the handling of smaller units could be easier by providing them with casters. Furthermore, easily transporting a compact trailer unit to a job site can be of great value.

A value-added reason for utilizing a temporary HVAC system is a project’s first cost. Another financial benefit of a temporary unit is the exclusion of HVAC equipment from the first cost of the building’s program construction. Some examples would be if there was a lack of equipment room space, no in-house operations, and maintenance labor cost. Still, other value-added reasons would include no in-house inventory cost. The final reason would be to avoid the end of life replacement costs.

December 7, 2017 by Matt Hanson

Portable Temporary Mobile Cooling Units

Most of the time HVAC units installations occur in a particular location where they live out their usefulness. However, there are other times when commercial heating, cooling, and dehumidification can be the right solution. Situations sometimes arise where the requirement of HVAC units is short term. This is where a portable/temporary/mobile cooling or heating unit can be the perfect solution.

Sometimes mobile temporary HVAC units replace a permanent unit when shutting them down for a period of time. Other times it might be a special event such as a large tent gathering. This sometimes encompasses natural disasters or even healthcare facilities. The instances where portable commercial cooling can be used are infinite. Manufacturing spot cooling, plant shutdowns, emergencies, and telecommunication rooms to name a few.

United CoolAir Mobile Units

Portable units are usually, but not necessarily on wheels and placed in any commercial building or space and even outdoors and powered by a generator. United CoolAir produces units that range from 3–30 tons. Larger units are sometimes trailer mounted to provide quicker transportation to a particular job site. This makes them a valuable resource when there is a call for these types of situations.

While most portable HVAC units are air-cooled, water or chilled water are occasionally used. Although cooling and heating units involve a huge market share, they also use dehumidification. In this case, dedicated heating units look very similar to their counterparts. Rugged United CoolAir units are so due to their metal construction. Furthermore, rental companies stock up on these exceptional units as part of their fleet. However, if renting a unit for more than a few times, anybody can purchase these portable units factory direct. This can lead to enhanced cost savings.

Advancements are ongoing in the portable A/C industry such as United CoolAir’s mobile units that provide UV-C light to disinfect airborne pathogens. In order to meet today’s portable HVAC needs, new products will continually arise on the market.

June 28, 2017 by United CoolAir

Why Use Commercial Temporary Air Conditioning

Commercial temporary air conditioning is essential to many businesses. Consider the following scenario. You’re building a new facility and you brought in a portable job site office trailer for your staff. Back in March, this worked out just fine. When it got stuffy inside the space, you and your staff just opened a door and let Nature cool things down. But now… it’s summer and there’s an oppressive heatwave with scorching temperatures and high humidity. Your employees can hardly breathe and production is slowing to a grinding halt as all they can think about is the utter misery. Your secretary is threatening to quit. You’re driving thirty miles at lunchtime just to take a shower. You need commercial temporary air conditioning to get your lucrative project back on track.

What Are Some Of the Other Uses For Commercial Grade Temporary Air Conditioning?

The most common use is when the central HVAC system at a business suddenly stops working and they can’t get it repaired quickly enough. In these cases, commercial temporary AC makes an excellent “plan B” to keep business moving along at a normal pace. In most of these cases, the cost of commercial temporary air conditioning is negligible compared to the profits lost. This happens when a central air HVAC system is down and neither clients nor employees can function in the space.

There are also many other uses for commercial temporary AC that you may not have ever thought about. For example, in a heatwave, they may be used in greenhouses to save vulnerable plants. They may even be used in the crop fields combined with tarps. Staging wedding receptions, seminars, trade shows, and other special events inside a large tent or other temporary structures is another common example. This situation is where there is a serious need for commercial temporary air conditioning.

Interpretive centers inside campgrounds or parks also sometimes use commercial temporary air conditioning when the weather gets really hot. It gives campers and other users of the parks an opportunity to get out of the blistering heat while still learning about nature. Large outdoor events, where the main center(s) of activity are outside, often set up “cooling zones” with commercial temporary air conditioning. In this way people can cool off and avoid heat stroke and other maladies associated with high temperatures. It’s also useful for first aid stations at such events.

Apartment Complexes and Housing For Seniors

Many parts of the country include apartment complexes and housing for seniors simply does not have AC of any kind. In some cases, the cost is prohibitive. In other cases, it is not sensible to go to the expense of installing a permanent cooling system due to the moderate climate. However, in both of these scenarios, there are temporary times when air conditioning becomes absolutely essential to prevent illness and loss of life. We’ve all heard the horrifying stories of seniors and others dying from heatstroke because a major heat occurred without conditioning in place. In these temporary conditions, extreme heat actually becomes dangerous to human life. In this case, property managers can turn to commercial temporary AC as a method to avoid catastrophe.

Likewise, community shelters, senior centers, and disaster relief centers are all structures that may not have permanent air conditioning. This may be due to funding issues or just the temporary nature of the structure. In any case, commercial temporary air conditioning can be an economical way of dealing with the summer season.

Is There Any Advantage To Using Commercial Temporary AC Long Term?

This may sound like a paradoxical question to some but it’s actually a very practical question for many businesses that are looking to save money. If you need to cool a structure for only one month out of the year every year, you can actually save a lot of money by using the commercial temporary AC unit. Instead of going to the much larger expense of installing a permanent HVAC system with central air conditioning. The same could be true if you only need it for two to three months out of the year. You’ll need to do some numbers crunching to determine which is most economical for your specific situation.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why commercial temporary AC can be necessary, and in some cases, an economical choice. All businesses should keep this option on the table when considering air conditioner temporary cooling.

June 8, 2017 by United CoolAir

Commercial Portable Air Conditioners FAQ

FAQ (frequently asked questions) will help you pick out the right commercial portable air conditioners for your various purposes.

What Are Commercial Portable Air Conditioners?

Unlike window or central air conditioners utilizing an HVAC system, portable commercial air conditioners do not require permanent installation. They can be set up with relative ease and moving them to another location is no problem.

What Is the Difference Between Commercial Portable Commercial Air Conditioners and “Spot” Portable Air Conditioners?

While there is no precise cutoff, portable air conditioners classified “commercial” are usually 14000 BTU/h and above. However, the exact cutoff will vary a bit by the brand of the unit. It’s best not to worry about these somewhat arbitrary cutoffs. Just focus on the size unit you need for spaces and purpose you need to cool.

How Much BTU Do I Really Need?

Many people buy or rent a commercial portable air compressor that is too small for the space they are cooling. This is often because they are trying to save money. However, it is very important that you get a powerful enough unit for your needs. Otherwise, you may end up spending even more money to correct the problem. Here are some rough guidelines:

500 square feet: a 14,000 BTU unit will usually suffice. However, if you live in a really humid area, maintaining a certain temperature is really critical. Additionally, you may need a 16,000 BTU unit to get the job done properly.
1000 square feet: a 19,500 – 21,000 BTU unit will do unless addressing high ceilings, that would demand more BTU.
2000 square feet: a 27,000 to 28,500 or greater BTU unit will be required for most purposes.
To determine square feet, simply multiply the width of the space by the length of the room. Extra high ceilings will necessitate a commercial portable air compressor with BTU’s on the upper end of the range. This will ensure it is adequate for your room size since this would entail more cubic feet to cool.
Buying a portable air conditioner with enough BTU that it will dehumidify while it cools the air is important. Otherwise, you could end up with a cold damp environment.

What Are Commercial Portable Air Conditioners Used For?

There are many reasons to use commercial portable air conditioners for climate control. Here are some examples:

If you rent commercial space that does keep the HVAC on 24/7, such as the weekends or evenings, you can extend your work hours by using a portable unit. Furthermore, technical equipment such as data servers, routers, and other network components often need to be kept much cooler than the ambient temperature for workers.
The same is true for laboratory equipment, specimens, lab samples, and certain manufactured goods.
If you run a hot warehouse, you may be dealing with OSHA requirements for workers to be given frequent breaks if they work in an environment above a certain temperature. In this case, bringing in a commercial portable air conditioner can greatly increase your work productivity.
Portable commercial air conditioners are also used on location in temporary offices or workspaces, such as construction sites or filming sites.

What Else Should I Be Considering When Shopping For Commercial Portable Air Conditioners?

If you plan to use a commercial portable air conditioner in an office setting, or in any other space where clients or customers enter, you may want to consider the aesthetics of the air compressor you choose. An air compressor that looks perfectly fine for an industrial warehouse may not be appropriate for a more professional venue or where discriminating customers shop.
If space is an issue, you’ll want to look for an air compressor that has a small footprint but still pumps out the capacity you need. Be sure to keep in mind that the unit you buy will need room to draw in air and vent. Some units need more space for this than others. Therefore, it’s not just the physical space of the unit you need to consider but the entire space that will need to be cleared for the unit to function properly.
If you’ll need to move the unit around at any point, you may want to look for commercial portable air compressors that are on casters. These can also make installation much easier. Even some of the larger units can have casters.
If noise is an issue, be sure to determine the maximum decibel (dB) level for the temperature you need to maintain. This is especially important if you plan to use your portable air conditioner in an area where people work for long periods of time.