What is a Spot Cooler?

A spot cooler is a portable air conditioning unit designed for temporary use in a location where there is no existing air conditioning or when additional cooling is needed. Examples of locations where a spot cooler may be used include offices, factories, computer rooms, residential rental property, and seasonal or temporary businesses set up in a rental location. A spot cooler is also a type of machinery or tool that is used in conjunction with an air compressor to “spot cool” a specific part during the manufacture of various products.

As a portable air conditioning unit, a spot cooler works much like a window air conditioning unit in that it is powered by electricity and pulls air into a condensing unit, cools it, and circulates it back into the room. However, the unit itself is on wheels, making it portable. Like any air conditioning unit, a spot cooler’s performance capabilities are measured in British Thermal Units (BTU). A BTU is the amount of heat needed to lower or raise the temperature of water one degree Fahrenheit. Most single room air conditioning units range from 11,000 BTU to 30,000 BTU.

A spot cooler cools and dehumidifies a room or area of a building where either no air conditioning exists or excess air conditioning is required. Some large industrial and apartment buildings have certain areas where there is no air conditioning, and from time to time, central air conditioning units fail. Rooms with computerized equipment, such as server rooms, need to maintain a fairly constant temperature and humidity level for operation. In the event there is no air conditioning, a spot cooler solves the problem.

Many businesses elect to use a spot cooler for emergency purposes, as well as in special situations that require temporary, though not permanent, cooling. Large manufacturers, such as the automotive industry, exercise temporary shut downs for maintenance each year. If the central cooling units must be shut down, spot coolers keep the maintenance areas comfortable for workers.

Similarly, a spot cooler can serve to cool a home on a temporary basis. Many tenants of rental homes with no central air do not want to invest in central air, but use a spot cooler instead. The investment in a spot cooler may be greater than that for a window unit, but the spot cooler may prove more energy efficient to operate.

Any business or home with access to an electric supply can utilize a spot cooler. They can be purchased or rented depending on need. The average cost to purchase a spot cooler is around 1,000 US dollars (USD).