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(More customer reviews)This particular review is for a previous model of this unit. It is possible that some of these issues have been addressed with the newer models- but potential buyers might want to ask some questions regarding these issues prior to purchasing. I purchased four of these units in the summer of 2007. Of the four, only three actually worked - the fourth never seemed to cool the way other three did. The other three do a fair job of both heating and cooling their respective areas of the house - which is a drafty 100-yr old house with 12-ft ceilings in New Orleans, so it is no small feat to moderate the temperatures. But that is where the good news ends. Here is my list of grievances: 1) The foam that is provided for securing the vent tube in the window is far too flimsy for the job. We have subsequently used plywood with a hole cut for the vent tube to pass through. 2) The drain pan for the water reservoir is barely large enough to hold the volume of water that will come out of the reservoir when full. I can't tell you how many times we have had to mop water off of our floors. In addition, the drain cap is placed in a receded spot on the back of the unit, where it is nearly impossible to see what you are doing and equally difficult to get your fingers in there to unscrew the cap and remove the plug. 3) On a similar note, the flimsy plastic tube that can allow continuous drainage out of the reservoir, if you choose to drill holes in your floor or wall, is far too short to serve the purpose, and far too easily knocked off of the unit by pets/children/clumsy adults. We have drilled holes in our floor and attached plastic tubing from Home Depot/Lowes to allow continuous drainage. This works OK, if you make sure that the tubing doesn't become kinked and maintains a downward angle so that gravity helps maintain the flow of water (more difficult than one might think). 4)If you are successful in getting your unit set up, you will find that you had better use the provided caps for the vent tubes if it starts to rain. The open vent tube serves as a wonderful down spout for a good hard rain to make its way through your window and into the back of the unit, where it can then drain directly onto your floor. 5) Do not plan on running your unit in a room where you plan on watching TV, talking on the phone, or other activities which require listening. They are obnoxiously loud. 6) Since they must be located near a window for venting, and you will find that permanent drainage is far preferable to coming home to find the reservoir full and the room temperature hot as heck in the summer, they are not really mobile. And last, but certainly not least,...7) During the heating cycle, the heating element kicks on and off....but the fan does not. This results in periods of time when cold air is blown out of the unit. My recommendation: do yourself a favor and buy window air conditioners and portable ceramic heaters, you will likely be more happy in the end.
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