A portable air conditioner is a great appliance to have when you want to heat certain parts of your home or office for certain periods of the year. As most portable air conditioners are not ventless, venting a portable air conditioner can sometimes be a problem. In this article, we discuss how to vent a portable air conditioner without a window.
Just like a window-mounted air conditioner a portable air conditioner is a self-contained air conditioning system that requires the venting of hot air. What makes the portable air conditioner so useful, its portability, is also what can make it a hassle to use in certain parts of your home.
3 Ways to Vent a Portable Air Conditioner:
Traditionally you would vent your portable air conditioner out of a window, with a venting hose attached from the air conditioner. Unfortunately, you might not always have access to a window, which means you need an alternative way to vent your portable air conditioner. Below we discuss three ways to vent your portable air conditioner without a window.
1. Vent Through a Wall
We’re putting this one first as it’s the most unlikely and drastic step you can take to vent your portable air conditioner. If you’re willing to drill a hole in a wall to vent your portable air conditioner, you might as well invest in a more permanent vented air conditioner option. If however you already have the portable air conditioner and have no other option than venting through a wall, then follow the below steps.
1. Pick a spot
Keep in mind that you only want to drill this hole once, so make sure you select a spot where the venting hose will reach, where you can reach a plugin, and where your portable air conditioner is out of the way, where there is no wiring or plumbing inside the wall and where there is no object blocking the hole outside the wall. You want to put the hole at such a height that the venting hose is as straight as possible.
2. Drill the hole
You’ll be drilling through drywall, wood, or brick, so make sure you have the correct drill and the correct drill attachment before you start drilling. The hole should be large enough to fit an attachment to which you can fit the venting hose head to.
3. Fit the attachment and the hose head
When the hole is drilled you can attach the vent hole attachment. Most online DIY and HVAC stores sell a very specific vent hole attachment. Make sure the attachment matches the size of your HVAC venting hose head. When the attachment is secured you can attach the venting hose head and then you’re good to go.
2. Vent Through the Ceiling
Venting through the ceiling is a great option if you’re in a home or office with a drop ceiling. The venting hose is too heavy and usually too short to attach directly to the ceiling, so you’ll start off with a ceiling vent kit.
1. Pick a spot
This isn’t as much of a permanent solution as drilling a hole in a wall, but once installed you don’t want to have to remove and reinstall the ceiling vent kit again. To avoid having to move the ceiling vent kit in the future, make sure you select a good spot to place your portable air conditioner. Make sure it is out of the way and the ceiling vent kit doesn’t interfere with any wiring or plumbing in your ceiling.
2. Get the correct ceiling vent kit
Before you start drilling holes in the ceiling you’ll need to get a ceiling vent kit that fits your ceiling and venting hose. The ceiling vent kit normally consists of a panel for drop ceiling, ducting, and connections. These kits are available online, as well as at many DIY and HVAC stores.
3. Install ceiling vent kit
Your ceiling vent kit will come with a panel you need to place in place of one of your ceiling panels. Simply remove the old panel and replace it. Follow the owner’s manual to connect the ducting with the ceiling panel.
4. Connect air conditioner with ceiling vent kit
Once your ceiling vent kit is installed you can connect the portable air conditioner venting hose with the ceiling vent kit exhaust hose. You’re done.
3. Vent Through the Door
Venting through a door, that is to the outdoors or at least to a different room, is another option when venting a portable air conditioner. You can vent it by simply sticking the vent hose out a half-open door, out a doggy door, or with a specially designed sliding door vent kit. The sliding door vent kit takes a few steps to install so we’ll take a more detailed look at the steps below.
1. Pick a room with a sliding door
This seems pretty obvious, but before buying a sliding door vent kit, make sure the room you want to use actually has a sliding door to the outside.
2. Get the correct sliding door vent kit
You should be able to get the sliding door vent kit online or at the most popular DIY and HVAC stores. Make sure you select one which fits your sliding door and your portable air conditioner venting hose.
3. Install sliding door vent kit
Follow the instructions on the sliding door vent kit owner’s manual to install the vent kit. Have a look at the video above to guide you through the process.
4. Connect air conditioner with sliding door vent kit
Connect the venting hose adapter to the venting hose and then connect the adapter head to the sliding door vent kit. And you’re done.
Final Thoughts
A portable air conditioner is great, but without an adequate venting option, it becomes unusable. Use any of the three methods above to vent your portable air conditioner without using a window. Through a sliding door is easiest, followed by a drop ceiling and then a wall. If you’re in a rental make sure you’re allowed to make changes to the property first!