San Francisco · Temporary Power Services
Portable AC & Spot Coolers in San Francisco
Rental spot coolers sized 1 to 5 tons, ducted portable AC, evaporative coolers and winter heaters for trailers, server rooms, labs and climate-controlled finish work.
Portable AC & Spot Coolers · San Francisco
Temporary Cooling and Heat for Rooms Without HVAC
San Francisco rarely gets hot outside, but enclosed rooms still overheat. A server closet, an electrical room, a lab during a chiller repair or a sealed floor during drywall work can climb well past what the equipment or materials tolerate. We rent spot coolers from 1 to 5 tons, ducted portable air conditioners, evaporative coolers for open areas, and portable heaters for the cold, damp months. Each unit is sized to the heat load, delivered, set up with the duct and condensate handling it needs, and serviced through the rental. We work across San Francisco and the north peninsula for contractors, facility managers and lab operators.
Sized for the Heat Load and the Circuit
Most failed cooling rentals come from two mistakes. The unit gets sized by floor area and ignores the servers or equipment in the room, or it gets plugged into a circuit that cannot carry it. We check both. We estimate the heat load from the equipment, the people and the room, and we confirm the voltage and amperage available before delivery. Larger spot coolers run on 208V or 230V, and if that circuit does not exist, our electricians can add one off the site temp service or feed the unit from a generator. We also plan where the hot exhaust goes, which takes some thought in a sealed lab or an interior room with no window.
- Spot coolers from 1 to 5 tons
- Ducted units for server and electrical rooms
- Heaters for cold, damp months
- Power and duct setup by our own crew
Situations Where Portable Cooling Helps
These are the calls we get most often.
A server or IT room is overheating
Servers, network switches and battery backups put out heat day and night. When the building AC fails or a new IT room is not finished, a spot cooler holds the temperature until permanent cooling is running.
Electrical rooms and switchgear
Transformers and switchgear in an enclosed room can run hot, especially during commissioning. A ducted unit keeps the room inside the manufacturer limits.
Lab and office work during HVAC repairs
Life science and office buildings depend on tight temperature control. When a chiller or air handler is down for repair or replacement, portable units cover the critical rooms.
Drywall, flooring and paint
Flooring, adhesives and paint come with temperature and humidity ranges from their manufacturers. Portable cooling and heating help a sealed floor stay inside those ranges so the finish goes on right.
Cold, damp winter months
An unheated building in January can be too cold for curing, painting or comfortable work. Portable heaters bring the space up to working temperature.
Tell us the room size, the equipment inside and the power available, and we will size a unit. Call: (415) 936-1338
How We Work
The same project manager stays on your job from the first call to the day we pull the gear. The steps look like this:
1. Size the load and check power
We list the heat sources, measure the room and confirm the circuit. Then we pick the size and type of unit and plan where the exhaust and condensate go.
2. Deliver and install
Our crew delivers the unit, connects the duct to a ceiling panel, a window kit or another exhaust path, sets up a condensate pump if needed, and starts it.
3. Service and swap
We check filters and condensate on longer rentals. If a unit fails in a critical room, we treat the replacement as a priority during working hours.
Cooling and Heating Units in Our Fleet
Spot coolers, 1 to 5 tons
Wheeled spot coolers with flexible duct for trailers, IT rooms and small offices. Smaller units run on standard 115V circuits, and larger units need 208V or 230V.
Ducted portable AC
Ducted units deliver cool air through flexible duct to the spot that needs it and send exhaust out through a ceiling or wall opening. They suit server rooms, labs and enclosed electrical rooms.
Evaporative coolers
Evaporative coolers move large volumes of air and cool it with water. They work best in dry air and open spaces such as warehouses and loading docks, and less well in humid or foggy conditions.
Portable heaters
Electric and indirect-fired heaters warm unheated buildings for curing, drying and finish work through the cold months.
Power, duct and condensate
We bring the duct, window or ceiling kits, condensate pumps and the cords to connect. When the circuit falls short, a small generator rental can carry the load.
Spot Cooler Rental Costs
Spot coolers typically rent for $250 to $700 per week, depending on size. What changes the price:
- Capacity. A 1-ton unit for a trailer costs much less than a 5-ton unit for a server room.
- Rental length. Weekly rates beat daily rates, and monthly rates are lower still.
- Ducting and installation. Ceiling kits, long duct runs and condensate pumps add labor and parts.
- Power. A new circuit, or a generator to run the unit, is quoted separately.
- Response time. Same-day or after-hours delivery costs more than a scheduled drop-off.
- Number of rooms. Several rooms or a full floor may need multiple units.
Send the room size and the equipment list for a written quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I need AC in San Francisco?
The weather outside is mild, but enclosed rooms with servers, switchgear or lab equipment get hot fast. A sealed floor during finish work can also need its temperature held in a set range.
What size spot cooler do I need?
Start with the heat output of the equipment, then add the room, the people and any sun through the windows. A small trailer may need 1 ton. A busy server room may need 3 to 5 tons. We do the math for you.
What power does a spot cooler need?
Small units plug into a standard 115V outlet. Larger units need 208V or 230V on a dedicated circuit. Our electricians can add the circuit or supply a generator.
How do you vent the hot exhaust?
Every spot cooler makes hot exhaust that has to leave the room, usually through a ceiling panel, a window or a wall opening. Without that path, the room heats right back up. We plan the exhaust route at setup.
Do you rent heaters too?
Yes. Electric and indirect-fired heaters are available for winter work, slab curing, drying out a building and finish trades.
Can you cool a job trailer?
Yes. A 1-ton unit usually handles a single trailer office. If the trailer also houses the router for your construction site internet, keeping it cool helps that hardware last.
How fast can you deliver?
When the unit you need is in stock, we can often deliver the same day or the next during our hours, Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm. Server rooms and labs go to the front of the line.
Can a spot cooler run overnight with nobody there?
Yes. The units are built to run around the clock. A condensate pump or a full-tank shutoff keeps water from spilling, and for a critical room it is worth asking us about a temperature alarm that warns your team if the space starts to warm up.
Do spot coolers pull moisture out of the air?
They do as a side effect of cooling, which helps during drywall taping and flooring work on a damp day. For a building that is soaking wet after a leak, a dedicated dehumidifier does the job faster, and we can tell you which one the space needs.
How long can I keep a unit?
As long as you need it. Some rentals cover a weekend chiller repair, and others hold an IT room for months while a new system is designed and installed. Monthly rates apply once you pass a few weeks.
Need power on a San Francisco site?
Tell us where the job is, when crews start and which tools and machines will draw power. A project manager calls back with a written quote.
Or call us now: (415) 936-1338