Hello everyone, I am in a commercial building that isn’t heated. I will probably be in the area for 3 more years. I don’t really want to put too much money into it but sense the area isn’t heated I was thinking about just putting in a portable air conditioner. I might need 2 units at 14000 btu and might be able to pick up some off of Craig’s list for fairly cheap. I don’t have access to a regular window which is why I am thinking about the portable units. I could put in a regular unit but I think it is going to be hard to do that as the cooling unit will have to go on the roof and sense it is an epdm roof it will probably cost a far amount.

Thanks for the support help all...

 

An air conditioner blowing the hot discharge air back into the same room will be just about useless.
A two duct portable A/C can be somewhat effective but it must be ducted outside.

You may need to consider a ductless A/C unit where the condenser is outside but can be on the ground or wall mounted with the blower mounted to the inside wall.

 

Consider a Mini Split unit, that way you could have both heat and cooling.
Only needs about a 3" hole in the wall for the wires and line set.

 

No matter what you do you will need to make a hole in the building somewhere.
The suggestion of a mini-split would be the smallest hole at 3 inches.
A portable unit would need two 4 inch holes for each unit.
A wall mounted or window unit would need about a 2 1/2 square opening for each unit and a rooftop would need roughly about a 6 square ft opening in the roof.


Pick one that balances hole size with how much you wanna spend.

 

Thanks everyone, you guys are great. I can accommodate 4 inch holes. I am thinking that the landlord would be upset if I get a split unit and have to put something outside but who knows. Believe it or not those portable units have heating as well. Anything else I should know. Thanks as always!

 

Oh that’s right. I cannot believe I forgot to mention this. But I was looking at those split units but I decided it might be a bad idea because it is on the side of the building that gets direct sunlight and there isn’t an eave or awning to give it shade or protect if from the elements. Would that be a problem for those mini split units?

 

No, they can handle sunlight.
But to install one you’ll not only be mounting things to the building, but also be working with the buildings electrical system. You’ll need an electrician to run new circuits for the equipment.

 

If you have a mini -split installed in a rental unit my experience is that the equipment stays behind when the renter moves.
Would your landlord be willing to negotiate something for him to contribute to the install in exchange for leaving it when you move?


To install a portable unit you could install 2 dryer vents on an outside wall.
There is a type of vent made for this but is hard to find.
You can use two dryer vents.........the one for air discharge would be installed as is and the air intake one would need to be modified by removing the flapper and installing a pest screen.
If you mount them at a slight angle being close together would not be a problem.

 

Split units are the norm in much of the rest of the western world where a great many of the buildings were built centuries before anyone ever thought about mechanical air conditioning, regardless which side of the building they are on.

 

 

commercial building. A ductless will not meet code. You will need fresh air. Normal DX system is needed.