Many businesses deal with underpowered central air conditioners or hot spots in their offices by using portable air conditioning. While this is a smart move that is far cheaper than major air conditioning upgrades, it is an empty gesture if not combined with proper insulation.

Is Cool Air Getting Away?

An efficient cooling strategy isn’t just about piping in cold air. If your building is not properly insulated, you are letting the cold air out and running your portable air conditioning more than you need to. Windows and doors are the two biggest sources of cooling loss so should be the first places you check.

Use shades on your windows to block outside heat. Even if the sun doesn’t shine in directly, high quality shades trap a layer of insulating air that will keep ambient heat from getting into the building easily. Light colored shades insulate without blocking the light. Reflective window film is another way to keep the heat out and let the light in.

When doors open and close, air from portable air conditioning will be lost. Many buildings use the airlock concept, with two sets of doors visitors have to go through. By doing so the amount of cool air lost is substantially reduced. Regardless of your setup, check the weatherstripping regularly. It breaks down over time and will need to be replaced.

Don’t Cool Empty Buildings

Remember to turn off portable air conditioning at night. Many units have timers that allow them to operate only during certain hours, but in absence of a timer implement a policy where the last person out at night turns off the coolers.

Some areas of the office may have to be cooled even when empty and this is one area spot coolers can help. Server room air conditioning is a common example and is usually left running even nights and weekends to keep the computers from being damaged. Some businesses might have heat sensitive materials that don’t need to be refrigerated but shouldn’t be exposed to high heat. If these items can be centralized to one room, that room can be cooled without wasting resources on the rest of the building.

Do You Lease Your Space?

Some of these tips assume you own your building. If you are leasing, the problem may be more complicated. Check your lease agreement and talk to the owner about changes you want to make. In some cases such as worn weatherstripping the owner may make the changes. Other modifications like window blinds may fall within the lease agreement as long as they don’t cause permanent damage and present a uniform outside appearance.

Every little action you take helps your bottom line. Ensuring that your portable air conditioning units have the proper insulation and employing smart energy management will increase your savings by a substantial margin.