How to Install a Portable Air Conditioner

This article was co-authored by Victor Belavus. Victor Belavus is an Air Conditioning Specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an air condition repair and installation company based in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to HVAC and air conditioning units, Victor also specializes in furnace repair and air duct cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

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Portable air conditioners are a convenient alternative to window-mounted air conditioners because they are quick and easy to install, and can be moved from room to room. Portable air conditioners work by chilling warm room air using refrigerants, and exhausting the hot air that is a by-product of this process out of the room through a hose. [1] X Research source In order for your air conditioner to work, you must ensure that this hot air is successfully vented out of the room, preferably through a window to the outside. [2] X Research source This guide will teach you how to properly install and vent a portable, single-hose air conditioner through a window, and offer alternative suggestions if a window is not available.

Venting a Portable Air Conditioner through a Window

Read the instructions that came with your portable air conditioner carefully. Save these instructions and any associated warranty information for future use.

• Place the air conditioner near both a window and an electrical outlet.
• Ensure that the air conditioner will not be a tripping hazard, and that the airflow will not be obstructed by furniture, plants, etc.

• For the unit to function well, the gaps between the window adapter for the vent hose and the sides of the window must be sealed off.
• Measure your window opening to determine if the window adapter kit can be expanded or trimmed to fit correctly.
• If the window adapter kit that came with your portable unit is missing or does not adequately fit your window, take careful measurements of the opening you need to accommodate and have a piece of Plexiglas cut to size at your local hardware store.
• You can also use a piece of plywood, or even cardboard, to fill the gap. These options are less attractive, but will work in a pinch.

• Connect the window connection bracket or adapter to the other end of the exhaust hose, if it is not already attached.
• Run the exhaust hose to the window, and place the window connection bracket or adapter into the open window.

• If you are using a piece of Plexiglas, simply slide it in the windowsill next to (or above) the exhaust hose window connection, and hold it in place until the window is closed.
• Close the window so that it fits snugly against the exhaust hose window connection, and holds everything firmly in place.
• In some cases, it may be necessary to use duct tape to seal the gaps around the exhaust hose window connection, and hold the window kit firmly in place.

Venting a Portable Air Conditioner When a Window is Not Available

Vent the air conditioner through a sliding glass door. The installation will be similar to that for a window. However, you will probably need to buy a piece of Plexiglas to fill the gap between the exhaust hose and the top of the door. [4] X Research source It will also make using the door very inconvenient.

• In office environments where outside windows are not present or accessible, portable air conditioners can be vented through a drop ceiling. Commercial ceiling vent kits can be purchased online or from your local HVAC retailer.
• There are a number of potential risks and inefficiencies involved with this procedure, so be sure to check with your building's maintenance personnel before proceeding.
• It is also possible to vent a portable air conditioner into an attic, however to avoid property damage or inadvertently heating up other parts of the house, it is advisable to get professional advice from an HVAC specialist before proceeding.

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Vent the air conditioner through an exterior wall. [6] X Research source If a window is not available, and a long term installation is desired, a licensed contractor can cut a hole through an exterior wall and install an exhaust port for your portable air conditioning unit.

• Use the supplied window adapter kit, or custom-cut Plexiglas to fill in the gaps around the exhaust hose and the fireplace opening.
• Make sure that your chimney is clean and not obstructed by soot, and that the flue is open. [7] X Research source

Community Q&A

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

A standard portable air conditioner containing refrigerant gas must be vented outside a window because it draws in warm air, cools it, then releases cool air into the room and pushes the warm air back outside. At this point in time, it is not possible to find a portable air conditioner that can be used without an external venting requirement but you may be able to vent it somewhere else than through a window, depending on what your house situation is. If you did use it without venting, it would be highly ineffective and your electricity bill would be enormous as it would struggle to work efficiently. As an alternative, you could use a portable evaporative cooler which is fully self-contained and only needs a window to be open but these may be less effective at cooling and don’t work in humid environments.

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

If you don’t use a window or similar outdoor outlet, a portable air conditioner will run but won’t work effectively. It will try to do its cooling job but will be battling against the inability to expel the moist and warm air that keeps circulating after attempting to cool down the room’s warm air. Thus, you’d effectively be returning more warm air to the room while the air conditioner battles to cool it. As such, your electricity bill will rise steeply. Worst of all, it will not feel much better in your room or space, as the cooling effect will be ineffective. If you can find an alternative place to vent the hose through, perhaps an open door, entryway or a cat flap in a door, maybe that can work for you instead of mounting through a window.

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