Want to purchase a portable air conditioning unit but don’t know how to vent it?
Maybe you’ve already bought, but now you must understand the different portable AC venting options available.
We’ve got everything laid out for you here in this article.
We will also cover how to vent a portable AC without a window if you go that route.
The Importance of Venting A Portable AC
If you don’t vent your portable AC unit, does it matter? What harm could there possibly be?
The truth is that your portable air conditioner probably won’t work very well unless you provide a way to vent the exhaust air outside.
Here’s why:
To cool a room, a portable air conditioner must extract heat from the air, but to do so, it needs to be able to remove heat from the air.
That heat must go somewhere else – or it will, by default, remain in the room you are cooling.
If the AC unit doesn’t vent outside or into another area, the air will stay locked inside the space.
This will not just prevent the room from cooling but will make it hotter.
Venting a portable A/C is also essential because it removes moisture from the air.
The lower the humidity within a room, then the colder it feels. If you don’t let the portable air conditioning unit ventilate, then the moisture will accumulate continuously and affect the air conditioning unit’s cooling effect.
Venting is essential for keeping yourself cool and maintaining an efficient air conditioner.
We will go through the different ways you can vent a portable air conditioner with and without a window.
How To Vent a Portable AC Through a Window
The most common and easy way to vent your air conditioning unit is through a window in your house.
So much so that it’s standard to get free venting kits and windows with your machine.
Read on if you want to learn how to install a portable air conditioner correctly.
If not, jump to the next section that explains how to vent a portable air conditioner without a window.
First, if you’ve decided to vent your device out the window, it’s essential to ensure that the venting kit is installed correctly. If not, the air conditioner won’t be able to remove the air.
Steps
- Set up the unit relatively close to a conventional window.
- Connect the exhaust connector to the vehicle.
- Place the exhaust pipe through the exhaust connector. Set the window kit to the window kit adapter.
- Set the window kit for the venting window kit adaptor.
- Slide the window kit into the window, and then slide the window closed.
- Attach the exhaust hose to the venting window adapter.
Of course, this is just a general guide. Depending on the portable air conditioners you bought, installing a windows kit may require a different process.
Read the instructions carefully before installing anything.
Venting Through a Casement Window
Casement windows are different from your traditional windows. They open like doors, but they’re another possible medium to be used as a vent.
You cannot use a standard window kit for installing an exhaust tube because you would need to drill holes into the wall.
Some homeowners can find a creative way to create a vent from the window.
You remove a window pane and replace it with a layer of plexiglass. Then, you cut out a hole big enough for a vent hose to fit through.
And there you go, a makeshift vent.
Venting Through Sliding Windows Or Sliding Doors
Both cases require installing window mounts that allow for ventilation.
Sliding windows are usually a bit tricky because the bracket needs to be able to fit an opening that has been made for the window.
You can always fill in any extra space left after setting up with either Plexiglas (glass) or timber.
Venting Through a Wall
One popular option among some people is using an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of the room.
You can use this method to vent your portable air conditioner outside or in an adjoining room like storage space, laundry area, or carport.
To make a wall vent, first, you must carefully cut a hole in the wall that is large enough to accommodate the air conditioner hose.
After the installation is completed, you can use a sealant such as silicone caulk to cover the circumference of the opening. That way, the car’s exhaust pipe stays put.
Venting Through a Drop-Ceiling
This procedure involves reconfiguring or adding a panel into a ventilation zone.
This method is used in computer server rooms since these areas are usually not equipped with windows, meaning ventilation sources must be implemented.
If you want to vent your air conditioner through a drop-ceiling, you need to cut a hole in a drop-ceiling panel that would allow for the hose.
Seal the connection joint, and then you’re done.
Using a Dryer Vent
We don’t recommend using this method, but it might be worth considering if you want to vent your mobile air conditioner.
The main drawback of this method is that most air conditioners seem shorter in length than their exhaust pipe diameters.
Due to this, the air might not be able to pass through the vent and may go through a traditional vent system.
You need to test your dryer vent regularly so that you don’t risk damaging your AC by misusing it.
However, using a drier vent as a source for removing hot air from a portable AC is possible if your portable AC system exhaust tube can be connected to it.
Options for Venting Your Portable AC are Unlimited
If you want to choose an air conditioner, you won’t ever feel lost.
Portable air conditioners can operate without windows because they don’t need them.
Even the safest small air conditioners can be adjusted to work for any of the arrangements outlined here.
Besides, if you know the methods to cool off a portable air conditioner with no window, you’ll never be stuck for options.
These tips are a starting point for your project.
Hopefully, one of the approaches above will work for you or use your creativity and ingenuity to figure out something new.
We hope this post could teach you some facts about portable AC and even encourage you to buy one if you have not already done so.
I’m a degreed ME (mechanical engineer) who is passionate about machines of all kinds. I created MachineWonders.com as a way to connect with others who love machines like me – or need help choosing one for their needs, application, or situation.
