Consider spot-cooling air conditioners for a cost-effective, portable cooling solution. Many people only consider using a spot-cooling air conditioner in emergencies, but you'll find other situations where the units might make sense for your business, too. You may work out of a portable office or classroom, or maybe you're looking for an independent solution for your server room; depending on where you live, you may not even have a central HVAC system to service your home office.

The portable aspect of spot-cooling units provides its own advantage. Even though units can be large, they usually sit on wheels so you can easily maneuver them to different positions within a room, from room to room or to a closet for storage when you no longer need them. Keep the following in mind as you begin your search for spot coolers:

1. Know the size of the area you want to cool and what electrical load your room will tolerate before you buy any spot-cooling air-conditioning units.

2. Look for spot air-conditioning units that come with accessories to remove heated air generated by the unit.

3. Select "UL-listed" spot coolers that carry a safety designation from the Underwriters Laboratory.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider purchasing or leasing industrial spot-cooling air-conditioning units

If you live in a mild climate and can't imagine spending the money to install a roof-mounted HVAC system for your factory or shop, industrial spot coolers may provide you with all the cooling you need for a much smaller price tag. You may also want to think about an industrial spot cooler for emergency situations.

I recommend: Contact Port-A-Cool Distribution for a quote on an industrial or computer server room spot-cooling solution for your business; they also provide spot cooling rentals/leases. You should also visit the Koldwave website to learn more about their water-cooled and air-cooled systems.

Buy spot air-conditioning units to cool small spaces

Think about buying a portable spot-cooling air-conditioning unit for your home office, small office, server room or other small space you'd like to cool independent of your central cooling system.

I recommend: Go to AllergyBuyersClub.com and check out the selection of portable air conditioners perfect for spot cooling your home office or small office space. When you look for space-saving air conditioners for your company's equipment rooms or server room, make sure you consider the overhead-mounted MovinCool CM12.

Search commercial spot-cooling manufacturers for the unit your business needs

You'll find ample solutions for your commercial spot-cooling needs online. Whether you need a unit to provide supplemental or emergency cooling, also keep an eye out for spot-cooling equipment rental options.

I recommend: Request more information about different Avenger portable spot-cooling systems, designed to quietly and efficiently cool you and your equipment. If your budget permits, consider a unit from the selection of commercial spot-cooling air conditioners at CompactAppliance.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You may plan on simply renting an HVAC spot-cooling system for emergency situations only. If so, research suppliers of spot-cooling air conditioners that can ship a unit to you same day; keep a list with their contact information easily accessible for when an emergency strikes to avoid losing precious time.
• •  If you'll run your spot cooler frequently, plan to purchase and install a pump and drain line (if the unit doesn't already come with the equipment) to remove the water collected in the unit.
• •  Compare services like set up and future service call response time as you evaluate spot-cooling air conditioner manufacturers and suppliers.