Portable Air Conditioner

Air conditioning units have been flying off the shelves at local appliance dealers in the last few weeks. Some retailers are even having trouble keeping them in stock.

"I am all out at the moment," said Arnie Christenson, the manager and owner of the local Sears (SHLD) outlet. "I sell them as fast I get them."

The local Sears primarily sells window units, made for cooling a bedroom or other enclosed space. Christenson has seen a big upswing in sales in the last few days. He hopes to get more units in by the end of the week.

Demand has also been high at Pine Plaza TV and Appliance.

"The portable air conditioner has become more popular this year than any other year," said owner Donna Kimball.

One reason for that popularity is that the manufacturers of wall unit air conditioners, which are built to fit into a metal "sleeve," have changed their sizes, making it hard for people to find the right fit. Obviously, the ability to easily move the portable units is also a big selling point.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Pine Plaza only had six portable air conditioners left. After that, the store won't have any left for the rest of the year, as its supplier has sold out of stock. Kimball said she will definitely order more next year.

At the Fergus Falls Walmart, an automated ordering system helps keep fans and air conditioners in stock, but assistant manager Derek Olson said that even they've run out of a particular model every now and then. Typically, he said, "It seems like the biggest one we have is selling the best."

Business has been good, he added, aided by the fact that this is Walmart's first full summer as a supercenter, and more people are coming in as a whole.

Olson, Kimble and Christenson all said that it helps to have certain information when you come in to shop for an air conditioner. They are able to help more if you supply details like the size of the space you want to cool, how many people you want to cool, price range and energy efficiency.

For homeowners looking for a more efficient approach, central air conditioning, ductless air conditioning or heat pumps might be the best answer. If so, Bjorn's Heating and Air Conditioning, along with other businesses in town, can help make a hot home cooler.

Business at Bjorn's has been "off the charts," according to owner Bjorn Finseth. Two weeks ago, there was a period where the business took 80 service calls in a two-day period. Finseth said that Bjorn's can install a system for everyone, but it can take time with high demand.

"Everybody wants it now, naturally," he said with a chuckle. But there's one system in particular that's picking up.

"The biggest fad going ... and it has been for the last four or five years, has been the installation of the geothermal heating systems," Finseth remarked. Geothermal systems are energy efficient heating and cooling systems that operate by pumping and extracting heat from water in the ground.

The systems have grown popular because of power company and government incentives, as well as the high savings they can offer, especially during the winter.

"The savings are phenomenal," Finseth said. "We're talking 70 or 80 percent."

Like other retailers, Finseth is more than happy to spend time with customers and help them figure out just what their needs are.

"You have to educate people a little bit and tell them what's out there and then give them the choice," he said.
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