---
title: "Guides"
description: "Practical guides to portable air conditioning in UK homes — sizing, venting, running costs, alternatives and heatwave buying strategy."
site: AC Radar
canonical: https://acradar.uk/guides
updated: 2026-07-19
---
# AC Radar guides

Practical, UK-specific guides to portable air conditioning: choosing the right capacity, venting it in British windows, what it costs to run, when a fan is enough, and how to actually find a unit when a heatwave empties the shops. Written by AC Radar, the independent service that reports confirmed store-level availability at monitored UK retailers.

- [What size portable air conditioner do you need? BTU and kW for UK rooms](https://acradar.uk/guides/what-size-portable-air-conditioner.md) — How to size a portable air conditioner for a UK room: BTU and kW explained, rule-of-thumb capacities by floor area, and when to size up or down.
- [Portable AC vs fan vs evaporative cooler: what works in a UK flat](https://acradar.uk/guides/portable-air-conditioner-vs-fan-vs-evaporative.md) — Fans, evaporative coolers and refrigerant portable air conditioners compared honestly for UK homes — humidity, real cooling effect, cost and noise.
- [How to actually get a portable air conditioner in a UK heatwave](https://acradar.uk/guides/how-to-buy-portable-air-conditioner-in-a-heatwave.md) — Why portable air conditioners sell out within days of a UK heat forecast, why online stock pages lag store reality, and a practical plan for finding a unit.
- [Portable air conditioner running costs in the UK: worked examples](https://acradar.uk/guides/portable-air-conditioner-running-costs-uk.md) — What a portable air conditioner really costs to run in the UK — the simple arithmetic, worked evening and all-day examples, and how to cut the bill.
- [How to vent a portable air conditioner in a UK home](https://acradar.uk/guides/how-to-vent-portable-air-conditioner.md) — Venting options for sash windows, uPVC casements and rented flats — seal kits, no-drill setups, condensation, and why "no vent needed" claims mislead.
- [How to keep a flat cool in a UK heatwave (before you buy AC)](https://acradar.uk/guides/keep-a-flat-cool-in-a-uk-heatwave.md) — Practical, low-cost ways to keep a UK flat cooler in a heatwave — shading, night purging, appliance heat and top-floor tactics — and when it is time for AC.

## Get restock alerts

One-time restock alerts start from £4.90 — no subscription, no auto-renewal. Every plan has a 14-day full refund.

- 1 week — £4.90 (70p a day)
- 1 month — £9.90 (about 33p a day)
- 2 months — £14.90 (about 24p a day)

Alerts email you the moment a restock is confirmed by two matching checks near your postcode — up to 30 minutes before it appears on the free public view.

[See pricing and buy alerts](https://acradar.uk/pricing)