Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money

The cost of energy is on the rise, so if you want to have better air quality and feel more comfortable, you must be prepared to pay for it. People in homes and businesses are looking for ways to save money and still remain comfortably cool. Purchasing a portable air conditioner is one way to lower your energy costs. Central air conditioning an entire home is expensive. The portable model will cut down on the cost by only spot cooling the room you wish. Ceiling fans help circulate the air while a dehumidifier takes the moisture out of the air. These two work in tandem with portable air conditioners creating totally comfortable surroundings. Your sunroom might be the warmest room in the house or your bedroom might be located on the second floor.

At night when you want to sleep, or in the afternoon when you want to read, you need extra assistance for comfort. Portable air conditioners are easy to move around and place just where you need them most. A window air conditioning unit is unsightly, doesn't fit certain shapes of windows, can do damage to the window frame, and is a job to install. Portable air conditioners are the perfect solution for this problem. Place it exactly where you wish in the room and you will have cool comfort anytime. Is your office building turning off the air at night to save money? This can wreak havoc with your computers that create their own heat. Many companies feature portable cooling systems that will be just the right size to keep your valuable computer equipment safe. These systems are very specific to the type of system you have, so check with the manufacturers for the proper cooling system for your equipment.

Humidity is another issue that can make you feel uncomfortable, and it can do damage to your home and furnishings. Your basement will feel humid most of the time because it is nearest the earth and in many states there is a high dew point during the summer. A recommended humidity level in the home is around 40 ? 50%. A dehumidifier is necessary to remove the moisture and protect against mold and mildew or a musty odor. These are two damaging things to your home and your respiratory system. Floors can warp, wallpaper can peel and pipes will drip if there is too much moisture in the air. A dehumidifier works best if they are in an enclosed area away from outdoor air and where air movement is restricted. The goal is to feel more comfortable, but you want to be energy efficient as well. Check for models that do not keep the fan running continuously. This isn't really necessary and will be more expensive to run. A dehumidifier doesn't need much care. Just scrub out the pan containing the water every few weeks to discourage the growth of bacteria. Make sure anytime you do this to unplug the system first.

If you want a little extra circulation in a room with or without air conditioning, a stylish ceiling fan might be just what you need. They can create the atmospheric surroundings you want and give a look that blends with any décor. They can be adjusted for the winter as well. Most have a switch that adjusts the way they spin, creating an updraft or a downdraft. There is just about any model and style you could want for your room. They are made so that they hug a ceiling if you don't have a lot of clearance, or long enough for a cathedral style vaulted ceiling. You can even find models that work outdoors. Using any of these items alone or together will help promote healthy living so you, your families and employees are happier and more productive.

Mae Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying portable air conditioners, dehumidifiers, air filters and more. Her many articles can be found at http://www.portable-air-conditioner-4u.com. She gives information and tips at http://www.portable-air-conditione r-4u.com/air_filters.htm to help you save money and make informed buying decisions.

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In this handout image provided by the Israeli Defence Forces' Spokesman's Office late Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009, handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian prisoners are seen after they were arrested, during the army's operations in the northern Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/IDF's Spokesman's Office/ho)AP - Israel resumed its Gaza offensive Wednesday, bombing heavily around suspected smuggling tunnels near the border with Egypt after a three-hour lull to allow in humanitarian aid. Hamas responded with a rocket barrage. Despite the heavy fighting, strides were made on the diplomatic front with the U.S. throwing its weight behind a deal being brokered by France and Egypt.



President-elect Barack Obama gestures during a news conference at his transition office in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, where he introduced Nancy Killefer, not shown, to the newly created position of chief performance officer. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)AP - Pointing with concern to "red ink as far as the eye can see," President-elect Barack Obama pledged Wednesday to tackle out-of-control Social Security and Medicare spending and named a special watchdog to clamp down on other federal programs — even as he campaigned anew to spend the largest pile of taxpayer money in history to revive the sinking economy.



Illinois U.S. Senate Appointee Roland Burris, left, meets with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)AP - Senate Democrats beat a hasty retreat Wednesday from their rejection of Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's successor, yielding to pressure from Obama himself and from senators irked that the standoff was draining attention and putting them in a bad light. Burris said with a smile he expected to join them "very shortly."



Workers put bullet proof glass on President-elect Barack Obama's Inaugural Reviewing Stand on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)AP - The upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama is an attractive target for international and domestic terrorists, but U.S. intelligence officials have no information about specific threats to the Jan. 20 event.



President-elect Barack Obama is welcomed by President George W. Bush for a meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, with former presidents, from left, George H.W. Bush, Bill  Clinton, and Jimmy Carter.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)AP - Confronting a grim economy and a Middle East on fire, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to perhaps the only people on the planet who understand what he's in for: the four living members of the U.S. presidents' club.



New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson answers questions from the press regarding his withdrawal as the nominee for secretary of the Commerce Department Wednesday Jan. 7, 2008 in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Craig Fritz)AP - One of Gov. Bill Richardson's close friends and advisers worked as a consultant for the California firm at the center of a federal pay-to-play probe that derailed the governor's appointment as commerce secretary.



This undated handout illustration provided by The Johns Hopkins University shows the massive 30-foot wingspan of the toothless pteranodon, left, was surpassed by that of Hatzegopteryx, right, at 40 feet or more. Pterosaurs, sometimes weighed more than 500 pounds, and yet they soared above the other dinosaurs. Experts couldn't figure out how  because no bird can get that big could get off the ground. A new study has figured out how they did it: By leaping into the air from all fours - unlike any other flyers in history (except the vampire bats). (AP Photo/Johns Hopkins University, Mark Witton)AP - The Jurassic version of jumbo jets — huge flying creatures weighing hundreds of pounds — is a mystery of dinosaur-era flight: How did something so big get off the ground? A Johns Hopkins University biologist thinks he has figured out the answer.



In this photo provided by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Shannon Eubanks, left, her new baby Kathleen Conley Eubanks, and husband Gaston Eubanks share a moment in the hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C. Tuesday Jan. 6, 2009. Eubanks waited until she reached the 39th week of her pregnancy to schedule a Caesarean section to deliver her daughter. A study in the Jan. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine shows that babies have fewer health problems if planned C-sections are done during the week before the due date. (AP Photo/University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Stephanie Crayton)AP - Babies do better after a scheduled Caesarean section if they're born no sooner than seven days before their due date, a new large study of U.S. births shows. Those delivered earlier had more complications, including breathing problems, even though they were full term, the researchers reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. Even just a few days made a difference, they said.



AP - An eastern Pennsylvania man may face up to 37 years in prison for tearing open a neighbor's door with a chain saw. Police say 34-year-old Robert Kane began sawing through the front door of Jamie Zaleski's apartment in Scranton while Zaleski and several friends ran out the back.

In this Nov. 30, 2008 file photo, New York Jets coach Eric Mangini looks up at the scoreboard during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The Cleveland Browns have agreed to hire Eric Mangini as their head coach, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)AP - Eric Mangini is the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns, a week after being fired by the New York Jets. A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that Mangini will be introduced Thursday at a news conference at the team's headquarters in Berea. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Mangini's contract has not been finalized.



An Israeli soldier jumps off an armoured personnel carrier (APC) after crossing into Israel from the northern Gaza Strip January 7, 2009. (Amir Cohen/Reuters)Reuters - Israeli aircraft and tanks pounded the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and troops battled Palestinian guerrillas on the ground as U.S. backing for a proposed truce raised expectations of an end to the 12-day-old offensive.



President Bush greets President-elect Barack Obama at the White House, November 10, 2008. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)Reuters - The U.S. budget deficit will swell to a record $1.186 trillion in fiscal 2009, congressional forecasters said on Wednesday, the result of an economic recession that has cut tax receipts and caused massive government bailouts of banks and automakers.



Senate-designate Roland Burris talks with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as Senator Richard Durbin sits in Reid's office on Capitol Hill, January 7, 2009. (Larry Downing/Reuters)Reuters - In an abrupt switch, Democratic leaders began talks on Wednesday to swear in Roland Burris, appointed by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.



United Auto Workers (UAW) President Ron Gettelfinger (C) addresses the media as UAW Vice-Presidents listen at the UAW Solidarity House in Detroit, Michigan December 12, 2008. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)Reuters - United Auto Workers bargaining teams are arriving this week in Detroit as the union gears up for negotiations with General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC, which are mandated to cut labor costs under a $17.4 billion federal bailout.



Eggs are stacked up at an egg farm in San Diego County, July 29, 2008. (Mike Blake/Reuters)Reuters - An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning has made 388 people sick across 42 states, sending 18 percent of them to the hospital, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.



Reuters - The case of Ali al-Marri, accused of being an al Qaeda "sleeper" agent and held for 5-1/2 years at a U.S. military prison in South Carolina, will be an early test for President-elect Barack Obama.

A door gunner on a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter keeps a watch on the terrain during a resupply mission in eastern Afghanistan December 25, 2008. (Bob Strong/Reuters)Reuters - Defense Secretary Robert Gates has told Congress that a planned buildup of U.S. forces in Afghanistan could add $5.5 billion to U.S. war costs in the current federal fiscal year, officials said on Wednesday.



Bernard Madoff is escorted in a vehicle from Federal Court in New York, January 5, 2009. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)Reuters - Accused swindler Bernard Madoff should be jailed for violating a court order by mailing $1 million worth of diamonds, watches and other jewelry to friends and family, U.S. prosecutors told a court on Wednesday.



Smoke billows following an Israel air strike in Rafah near the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt. Israel on Wednesday approved an even tougher war on Hamas, warning residents to flee southern Gaza ahead of planned bombing of cross-border tunnels, as the Palestinian death toll passed 700.(AFP/Said Khatib)AFP - Israel on Wednesday approved an even tougher war on Hamas, warning residents to flee southern Gaza ahead of planned bombing of cross-border tunnels, as the Palestinian death toll passed 700.



A local worker controls a gas valve and the gas pressure at the gas-main center of FGSZ Natural Gas, in Vecses, Hungary. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday laid down terms for a resumption of Russian gas shipments via Ukraine to Europe as tens of thousands of Europeans suffered heating cuts amid freezing weather.(AFP/Attila Kisbenedek)AFP - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday laid down terms for a resumption of Russian gas shipments via Ukraine to Europe as tens of thousands of Europeans suffered heating cuts amid freezing weather.




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