Do you have to use the exhaust hose on a portable air conditioner

Cool air during warm weather is a high priority for most of us, though not everyone has the luxury of central air conditioning. To deal with the discomfort of excessive heat, people often turn to portable air conditioning units. This can be a great solution, but it begs the question of how to vent out the warm air created from running a portable air conditioning unit. In this article, we’ll cover this question thoroughly to give you an optimal experience with your portable AC unit.

If you’re looking for the best ventless air coolers, check out this guide, or learn about the best portable air conditioners, best window air conditioners, and best swamp coolers.

Is It Necessary to Vent Your Portable Air Conditioning Unit?

It’s very possible to run your portable air conditioning unit without venting out the hot air that it collects. However, that negates the cooling effect of the air conditioner.

The main purpose of air conditioning is to cool a warm area. To do that, air conditioning units use a cooling agent called refrigerant that absorbs the heat from the air, using a fan to redistribute that cool air. At the same time, this process creates heat that needs to be vented somewhere, usually moved as exhaust.

If that warm air isn’t vented outside, it’ll stay in the same area, cancelling out the new cool air. With no outside ventilation, you’ll end up feeding your unit recycled hot air. That’s why you need to use a hose to vent that warm air from a portable AC unit outside.

So is there a solution without an exhaust hose?

Portable evaporate coolers (also called swamp coolers) are a cooling solution that don’t require much ventilation. They require less energy than air conditioners but aren’t as powerful and only work in areas with low humidity.

Small evaporative air coolers, often called ventless air coolers, can be used as personal cooling devices but don’t pack the same punch.

How to Vent a Portable AC Unit

Most portable air conditioning units are easy to install and include a kit that helps you vent the warm air it receives. You’ll need to install your unit near a window to give it a proper place to vent. For casement windows or sliding windows, you may need an adapter.

Attach the hose to the unit and direct it toward the window. Extend the adjustable window kit to the proper length for your window’s area and close your window over it to secure it in place. Then, simply connect the other end of the exhaust hose to the opening that leads outdoors. Unless you have a window unit, you won’t normally need to remove the screen. You’re now ready to use your portable AC unit!

Location Information

When venting your AC unit, it is important to find the best location to allow for proper circulation and to avoid the intake of contaminated air. The bottom of the exhaust hose should be at least 8 inches above or below horizontal surfaces, such as the ground or the roof. This will help avoid blockages from snow or leaves.

The intake should be at least 25 feet from sources of air contamination such as garbage receptacles, sewers, loading docks, or steamer areas. Staying far away from contaminated air sources will minimize the uncomfortable odor that accompanies these types of areas.

When installing your AC unit, you’ll also want to avoid areas where birds, rodents or other animals are likely to build their nests. Waste from animals or rodents may cause health and breathing concerns if it’s circulated through your venting system. It can also disrupt proper operation of your system and can be overall unsanitary.

Be mindful of wherever you choose to install your unit to avoid hazardous areas.

Taking these suggestions into consideration when installing your portable air conditioning unit will allow you to enjoy the comfort of your unit without unnecessary drawbacks. Adhering to these tips will also extend the life span of your unit so it’ll continue to serve you well for years to come.

Still have questions? Ask an HVAC expert directly via chat or phone.

Published on 2018-10-05 by Ben Travis

Last updated on 2020-06-08

Recommended Reading

When you've purchased a portable air conditioner, it's important that you use it as well as possible. Of course, you want to get rid of the heat in your house as quickly as possible. By installing it properly and paying attention to a number of conditions, you ensure that the air conditioner functions optimally. In this article, I give you 7 tips to help you with this.

1. Window sealing kit
2. The right place
3. Cooling in time
4. Heat
5. Surface area
6. Drain hose
7. Other devices

Tip 1: install the drain hose with a window sealing kit

Portable air conditioners always work with an exhaust hose that leads outside. To make sure a portable air conditioner functions properly, you have to mount the drain hose with a window sealing kit. Such a kit helps keep warm air out. This limits the temperature loss of the air conditioner. Check out the product manual to see how you can best mount the window sealing kit. You can find this on the product page of your portable air conditioner or of the sealing kit.

Tip 2: put the air conditioner in the right place

To use the drain hose, your portable air conditioner must always be near a window. The drain hose is usually around 150 centimeters long. A sliding window or a tilted window works better in combination with such a hose than a sloping roof window with a hinge in the middle. Such a window always has an opening through which warm air enters. This influences the cooling capacity. Make sure that the air conditioner is 30 to 40 centimeters away from the wall and that there's nothing on top of the air conditioner. Items that are on top of the air conditioner deteriorate the air circulation.

Tip 3: cool the room before it gets warm

It takes a lot of energy to get a warm room back to a nice cool temperature. That's why it's more effective to maintain a relatively cool space. For example, it's useful to switch on the air conditioner in the morning, when the room is still cool. If the portable air conditioner only needs to maintain a pleasant temperature, this will cost the device less energy. Moreover, it produces much less noise.

Tip 4: protect the room against heat

You can take a number of measures to prevent the room from heating up due to external influences, such as heat from outside. It's useful to protect the room against direct exposure to sunlight. You should use available blinds, curtains, or other window coverings. In addition, ensure that any windows and doors are closed. This prevents warm air from coming in from the outside.

Tip 5: do not place the air conditioner in a room that's too large

Every air conditioner has a maximum area that can be cooled by the device. We make a distinction between high and low heat loads. A room with a lot of sun and little insulation has higher heat loads than a dark, isolated room. If you use a portable air conditioner in a larger room than advised, you won't be able to cool the entire room. The device then only makes a lot of noise and doesn't reach the desired temperature.

Tip 6: place the drain hose as straight as possible

The drain hose of your portable air conditioner ensures that warm air flows out of the room. To do this as optimally as possible, it's important to keep the hose as straight as possible. If the hose has many kinks and bends, it's more likely that the warm air won't drain properly. This, in turn, ensures that the air conditioner has more difficulty cooling the room.

Tip 7: limit the use of electrical devices

When you use a lot of other devices in the room to be cooled, this has an effect on the performance of your air conditioner. Electronic devices produce their own heat to a certain extent. Your vacuum is a good example of this. Because a vacuum produces a lot of warm air, it may be wise not to use it on a hot day. This way, you optimize the cooling capacity of the air conditioner.

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Article by:

Daan Air Conditioner Expert.

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