No installation, no engineer, no outdoor unit — a portable air conditioning unit plugs into a standard socket and vents hot air through a window or door. The right choice when a fixed installation is not possible or practical. We advise on portable units and supply permanent systems when you are ready to upgrade.
See why homeowners and businesses across Leicester choose Elite Cooling & Heating for permanent air conditioning installations.
A portable air conditioning unit is a self-contained cooling device on wheels. It extracts heat from the room air and rejects it outside via a flexible exhaust hose that passes through a window, letterbox or door gap using a window kit. Portable units require no installation, no F-Gas engineer and no outdoor condenser unit — they run from a standard 13A socket. They can be moved between rooms, stored in winter and returned to any rental property without leaving a mark.
The trade-off is efficiency and noise. Portable units are significantly less efficient than fixed split systems — the exhaust hose creates negative pressure in the room, drawing warm air in from elsewhere and making the unit work harder. They also need to reject heat into the room through their casing, which limits their effectiveness. Most portable units are noticeably louder than a wall-mounted split system at comparable output. For long-term, daily cooling use, a fixed split system delivers far better performance at lower running cost. If you're using a portable unit now but want something better, we can survey your property and provide a quote for a permanent system.
A permanently installed split system costs more upfront but is significantly quieter, uses 30–50% less electricity for the same cooling output and heats as well as cools. If you're using portable AC regularly, a permanent system will typically pay back the installation cost in 3–5 years through lower running costs alone.
If you're tired of noisy, inefficient portable cooling, ask us for a fixed installation quote. We cover all of Leicester — free survey, fixed written price.
Get in TouchPortable units suit specific situations — but for regular use, a fixed installation is almost always better.
Portable units require no installation, no engineer and no outdoor unit — just a socket and a window gap.
A fixed split system produces 3–5kW of cooling per 1kW of electricity — portable units produce around 1.5–2kW for the same power input.
No permission from landlord required. Take it with you when you move.
Fixed split systems operate from 19dB. Most portable units produce 50–60dB — audible in a quiet room.
Good for short-term or temporary cooling needs where installation isn't justified.
The right choice depends on how long you need cooling, how often and whether installation is possible.
Rented property where permanent installation is not permitted by the landlord.
Temporary cooling for a few weeks per year — the investment in a fixed system isn't justified.
Emergency cooling while waiting for a fixed system to be installed.
Moving property soon and not worth investing in a permanent installation at your current address.
Using cooling for more than a few weeks per year — the efficiency and noise savings justify the cost.
Owner-occupier with wall access and outdoor space for a condenser — the right long-term investment.
Running air conditioning all day or overnight regularly — portable running costs soon exceed installation cost.
When you are ready to upgrade from portable to permanent — we make it straightforward.
We visit, assess your property and confirm a suitable wall position, outdoor unit location and pipe run.
Fixed written price for supply and installation — no surprises and no hidden extras.
Most single-room installations completed in one day. Clean, tidy finish with matching pipework trunking.
Quieter, more efficient and more effective cooling — and heating in winter too.
When you are ready to upgrade, we install fixed systems from leading manufacturers.
We install permanent split system air conditioning throughout Leicester and surrounding areas.
A typical portable unit rated at 2.5kW cooling draws around 1.2–1.5kW of electricity. A comparable fixed split system draws around 0.6–0.8kW for the same cooling output — meaning a fixed system costs roughly half as much to run for the same result. Over a summer of regular use, the difference is significant.
Portable single-hose units pull intake air from the room, cool some of it and exhaust the rest outside. This creates negative pressure in the room, drawing warm outside air in through gaps in the building fabric. Dual-hose units reduce but don't eliminate this problem. Fixed split systems separate the outdoor and indoor circuits entirely, avoiding this energy loss.
Most tenancy agreements require landlord consent for any installation that involves drilling or modifying the building. If your landlord does not consent, a portable unit is the practical option during your tenancy. If you own the property or have landlord consent, we can install a permanent system.
A portable unit typically costs £300–600 to buy. A permanently installed split system including installation typically costs £1,000–1,800 for a single room. At half the running cost of a portable unit, the difference in electricity costs alone can recover the additional investment over 2–4 years of regular summer use — and the fixed system also provides efficient heating in winter.
Contact Elite Cooling & Heating for a permanent split system installation across Leicester — quieter, more efficient and it heats too.
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