WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS!

What you'll need to install your portable A/C and insulation:

• Tape - stucco tape works best, duct tape also works

• A blade, like an xacto knife

• Something to measure i.e. measuring tape or a yardstick

NOTE: It's safest to plug your poratble A/C directly into an outlet, not a surge protector. It's also safest to spread the electrical load around your classroom. This means that you should not plug your portable A/C into the same outlet as a mini fridge, electric kettle, microwave, etc. 

Studies show that optimal learning conditions fall within 68 degrees - 75 degrees. 

Think “Beyond the portable A/C” to ensure your unit can work well.

1. Blinds: If your classroom faces east, close your blinds before leaving in the evening so the morning sun doesn’t heat your room. If your classroom faces west or south, close your blinds before lunch. 

2. Windows: When you leave school, open windows and doors to create cross ventilation to cool your classroom. Immediately close all windows when you arrive at school in the morning. 

3. Lights: Keep the lights low or off on the hottest days.

4. Assess other electronics: Do any electronics in your room emit heat?  Many teachers unplug large electronics (like Promethean boards, electric kettles, microwaves, and laptop charging boxes) on the hottest days. If you cannot unplug it, move the appliance closer to the window to vent the heat out of the classroom. The back of your mini fridge likely emits heat! Move it away from where you sit. 

5. Do not wait until it’s too late. These A/C units are better at maintaining a starting temperature, not dropping below that temperature. If you wait to turn on your A/C until the room is too hot, it will be hard to cool your room. Some teachers leave their A/C on overnight when temperatures are consistently high for multiple days, to lower the starting temperature of the room

6. Use fans to circulate cool air from the A/C across your room. Try putting fans in each quadrant to create a circle of fans to move air. Try putting a box fan in a window facing out of the window to pull more hot air out of your classroom and pull more cold air through your room. This can be loud; best at times when kids aren’t in the room. 

Keep it clean, focusing on the air filter and drain pan. Monitor the machine for odd noises, or if it’s emitting heat from the ventilation hose or the unit itself. 

What if your portable A/C leaks? 

Portable A/Cs create “condensate” which is simply water that separates from the hot air when that air is cooled. Sometimes this can leak, especially on hot or humid days. 

If your portable A/C leaks, add a shallow tray, etc at the back of the unit where there's a little rubber tube or drip pipe to collect the condensate. For leaky units, check the tray every day you run your portable A/C and empty when needed.