Customer Support Center

Yes, all portable air conditioners need to be vented. If the hot air is not exhausted outside the room, it means the unit will have to work harder, use more energy, and it can even damage the unit. Make sure you use the exhaust hose and window kit to vent your air conditioner properly.

During the air conditioning cycle, moisture is removed from the air, so the air feels dryer and more comfortable. Typically, that moisture is collected in a bucket inside the air conditioner which must be frequently emptied. In an auto-evaporative air conditioner, most of that water is recycled and used to help cool the unit's compressor. This means the bucket doesn't need to be drained as often - in dry climates, you might never have to empty it at all. It also allows the air conditioner to operate more efficiently, so you save money on energy costs.

Some air conditioners include the extra feature of an air ionizer. Negatively charged ions collect clusters of pollen, dust and odor from the air, and then are trapped in the ACs air filters. The result is cleaner, fresher air.

If you're using your air conditioner on a daily basis, you should clean the filters at least every two weeks. When the filters get clogged with dust and dirt, the air conditioner can't circulate air properly, and it will overheat and burn out. Fortunately, filters are easy to clean. First, pull the filter frame from its slot. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove built-up dust, and then run the filter under warm water to clean it. Let it air dry completely before replacing it in the air conditioner.

The activated carbon filter that comes with your portable air conditioner should be replaced at least once every season, depending on use.

Most air conditioners have a drain on the bottom rear of the unit. The easiest way to empty it is to take it outside on a deck or patio and just open it until it is empty. But if you don't have a patio, you can place a shallow pan under the drain, open it, wait till the pan is nearly full, close the drain, empty the pan, and repeat until the tank is empty.

No, you should not alter the air conditioner's exhaust hose. Making the hose smaller will constrict the air flow that has been recommended by the manufacturer. The unit will have to work harder to push air through the opening and could end up damaged.

No, evaporative coolers work well when a window or door is open in the room you are trying to cool. Unlike a portable AC, evaporative coolers bring fresh air into the room you are trying to cool instead of recirculating the air.

To avoid the swampy smell that often accompanies a "swamp cooler", we recommend cleaning your unit every 3 months with regular use. However if you have hard water, we recommend cleaning the unit once a month to avoid mineral buildup.

In order to keep your evaporative cooler running efficiently and to keep the natural air filtration working effectively, we recommend you clean the dust filters regularly. You can clean the dust filter by gently washing it under running water.

Check to make sure the cooling pads are in good condition. If they weren't removed prior to end-of-season storage, your swamp cooler's cooling pads should be replaced at the beginning of the summer and during mid-season maintenance. If the pads are found to be cracked, they will need to be replaced. In fact, cooling pad inspection may even need to be performed even more frequently based on the quality of your local water supply.

No. The wine coolers we carry are unable to be built in because there are vents on the back and sides of the wine coolers. The wine coolers need a minimum of 6" on each side and on the back to allow proper air flow. If the unit is built into cabinetry, the life of the unit may be lowered.

Yes. The wine coolers have removable shelves that allow room for champagne bottles.

Thermoelectric wine coolers operate using a heat pump that has no moving parts, and uses no chemical coolants or refrigerants. This makes them an environmentally-safe choice for keeping wine cool. Read more about Thermoelectric Wine Coolers.

The only unit that will store ice for an extended period of time is the AI-500ss; this is because this unit is designed to be built into cabinetry. The portable ice makers will only store ice for short periods of time. If the ice melts in the portable ice makers then that water will be recycled into the water tank.