We’ll go over 5 ways to use a portable air conditioner without a window. However, venting a portable air conditioner without a window is trickier (though not impossible).
Vents that exhaust through windows and portable air conditioners work together seamlessly. In actuality, the exhaust vent on portable air conditioners is installed out of the window by more than 80% of purchasers.
Additionally, because the out-the-window installation is so common, many manufacturers include a free window seal kit with portable air conditioners.
Even if you place a portable air conditioner in a room without windows, there are several ways to vent it.
How to Vent a Portable Air Conditioner Without a Window?
For proper operation, every portable window air conditioner needs a vent. The air conditioner will draw warm air into your room once it is turned on. After that, the air is cooled and brought back to your room. The warm air will need to be expelled in the interim by the air conditioner.
If the air conditioner is not vented, warm air will be exhausted back into your room, decreasing the cooling power of the device. The costs of cooling will cause you to incur significant debt.
Here are some methods for venting a portable air conditioner devoid of a window.
1. Vent a Portable AC Unit through the Door (Bonus: Sliding Door)
While there are rooms without windows, there aren’t any without doors. Every room has a door, and you can vent a portable air conditioner through the door. The most typical method for venting a portable air conditioner without a window is through a door.
Where those doors lead is obviously significant. If it leads to a hallway or another room, you might have difficulty getting the required temperature difference that would make the air conditioner effective.
On the other hand, if your balcony door opens to the outside, you can directly vent your air conditioner there.
Here’s the best case:
Sliding doors. Typically, sliding doors open to a spacious area. The required temperature difference to make a portable AC unit as effective as if you were to vent it through the window can be easily achieved by installing a sliding door seal.
The 6 feet portable AC vent installation may be challenging for regular doors. Installing the ventilation is simple with a sliding door vent kit on a casement sliding door.
The width of these kits, which range from 6 to 8 inches, is intended to fit any sliding door size (up to 150 inches). A portable air conditioner can be vented without a window if you install it on the window and fix the vent.
2. Installing a Portable AC Vent through the Wall
Every room has walls, just like doors. The wall can be used to vent any portable air conditioner that cannot be vented through a window.
Of course, there aren’t 6-diameter holes in the walls of most rooms. Making a hole by hand is required if you want to install an AC unit through the wall.
If you’re a DIY enthusiast and own a power drill, you can drill a hole in the wall. The hole’s diameter ought to match that of the hose used to vent portable air conditioners. A through-the-wall air conditioner can be installed as an alternative.
This technique is more frequently applied to portable air conditioners with a single hose. Although two-hose portable air conditioners are more energy-efficient, no one likes having their walls holed frequently.
Here’s what you have to be careful about:
Make sure to select the appropriate wall for the vent before beginning the drill. For instance, reinforced steel walls are a poor choice because only a specialist can drill through them. A thicker wall should not be chosen. Ventilating a portable air conditioner through a thin wall made of low-density concrete is the best option for a room without windows.
However, a room that already has a vent hole in the wall is the most tasteful option. You might even be using it for laundry:
3. Vent PAC through the Dryer Vent
Between a dryer vent and a portable air conditioner vent, there is essentially no difference in terms of dimensions.
If you are using a dryer vent, you can install a hose and vent a portable air conditioner without a window through the same hole.
In fact, the majority of window seal kits for portable air conditioners you buy can also be used to vent a dryer. What is more, venting a portable AC through a dryer vent is the most common advice AC producers give when asked ‘How can I vent a portable air conditioner if I don’t have a window?’.
The disadvantage of using the dryer vent to vent a portable air conditioner is that you will be drying the air in the room as well as conditioning it. The typical exception to this rule is a room where you would need cooler air, such as a bedroom, living room, or office.
Another drawback is the typical vent hose length of 6 feet for portable air conditioners.
Purchase a longer hose, it’s recommended. You can purchase a 20-foot hose, insert it through the dryer vent hole, and connect it to the portable air conditioner positioned in the hallway or even the living room. This may result in a reduction in energy efficiency (measured by the EER rating on specification sheets), but you will be able to easily vent a portable air conditioner without a window.
4. Ceiling Venting (Most Commonly Used in Windowless Offices)
If your room has a drop ceiling but no windows, you can vent a portable air conditioner through the ceiling.
Here, the drop ceiling is necessary. They are typically absent from modern homes. High-ceilinged older homes typically have a drop ceiling.
Offices frequently have ceiling venting. Offices frequently have a drop ceiling that is not being used. For instance, cubicle offices can get very warm in the summer. Use a portable 10,000 BTU air conditioner, for instance, and vent it through the ceiling if the existing air conditioning system, which is typically central air conditioning, is insufficient.
A specialized drop ceiling venting kit can be used to install the venting hose. These are universal and fit any portable air conditioner; they increase the length of the hose by up to 10 feet. Here’s how venting a portable air conditioner through the drop ceiling looks like:
Overall, despite the ugly vent setup, it’s a good option for rooms without windows.
5. Venting through the Chimney (Seldomly Used)
A less popular method of portable air conditioner venting without a window is chimney venting. It does require quite a lot:
The first requirement is that your home must have a chimney. It needs to be empty, which it typically is in the summer.
To be completely honest, installing a hose through the chimney is quite difficult. To address all the safety issues, it would be best to speak with a professional. Use of a very long hose—at least as long as a chimney—will also be necessary for the installation.
For smaller cottages with short chimney lengths, chimney goes are most frequently used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the common queries that homeowners have regarding portable air conditioners.
Can You Use a Portable Air Conditioner Without a Window?
Yes, there are other options to take into account if your room lacks a window since most portable ACs need a window to vent warm air. Depending on which option is most practical for you, you can vent out the warm exhaust air through the dryer vents, the ceiling, the door, or the wall.
How Long Do Portable Air Conditioners Last?
On average, portable air conditioners can last ten years. However, if properly cared for, it can last up to 15 years. In contrast to other ACs, the air conditioners are notable for being simple to install. Fortunately, you can move them to cool any room in your house. If you want to protect your AC systems from bugs and mold on the floor, you can also add an air conditioner pad.
Do All Portable Air Conditioners Need to Get Vented?
Of course, is the simple response. Every other air conditioning system, including a portable one, functions similarly. It draws warm air from a space, cools it with a refrigerant, and then blows the cooled air back into the space. It must also exhaust warm air outside in the meantime.
Notably, a vent is necessary for all portable air conditioners to release warm air. The room will be filled with both warm and cold air if the vent hose is left in place. The efficiency of your portable AC may be affected as a result. Additionally, cooling the room will require a lot of energy.
Final Words
Your windowless room won’t be an issue now that you know how to vent a portable air conditioner without a window. You have a variety of venting options for your air conditioner, including the chimney, ceiling panel, dryer vent, sliding door, and wall. Select the most practical choice after comparing the five possibilities. To get ready for your next purchase, you can also research the typical cost of replacing your heating and cooling system.