How Do Portable Air Conditioners Work Without a Window? 2024

If you are purchasing a portable air conditioner for a room that has no windows in it then you must figure out how to vent it without any window. But now you don’t have to be worried about venting your portable air conditioner. These systems also work properly in a room with no windows.

This article explains in detail a commonly asked question “How do portable air conditioners work without a window?”. Read the full article to learn about the 4 different methods of venting a portable air conditioner if the room has no windows in it.

What Is a Portable Air Conditioner?

Portable air conditioners are self-contained portable systems that cool down a small space or a single room. These systems are equipped with wheels or casters so that they can be easily transferred from one room to another.

The installation of a portable air conditioner is very easy and you can do it by yourself without getting help from professionals. These systems are usually placed on the floors and the system contains a vent that is connected to a nearby window.

Misconception

People have the misconception that portable air conditioners must have to be vented out through windows. But it’s not true. Windows is not the only option for ventilation there are also other suitable options like venting through sliding doors, walls, ceilings, etc.

The main purpose of the vent in the portable air conditioner is to discharge the heat produced by the system to the outdoor area. This technique ensures that you are not heating the same area you are attempting to cool. So, you can do this by implementing other methods also. The portable air conditioners also work efficiently without windows.

How Does a Portable Air Conditioner Work?

The portable air conditioner draws in the hot and humid air inside the system.
The liquid refrigerant, which facilitates heat transfer, is already there inside the evaporator coil.
When the indoor air comes in contact with the refrigerant, heat transfer takes place. The refrigerant absorbs the heat from the indoor air and gets converted into gas. After this the system circulates the cool air inside the room and the refrigerant in the gaseous form is transferred inside the compressor.
The compressor transforms the refrigerant into a high-pressure high-temperature gas and sends it to the condenser coil. While the refrigerant is compressed, heat is generated which needs to be exhausted. The portable air conditioner consists of an exhaust hose to transfer the heat to the outdoor air.
Inside the condenser coil the condensation process begins and the refrigerant again converts into liquid form.
While passing through the expansion valve the pressure of the liquid refrigerant decreases and low-pressure liquid refrigerant reaches the evaporator coil. Thus, the portable air conditioner removes heat from the indoor air and transfers the heat to the outdoor area to cool down the room.

How Do Portable Air Conditioners Work Without a Window?

If there are no windows in your room, still your portable air conditioner vents well and works properly. There are several other techniques to vent your portable air conditioner.

During its operation, the portable air conditioner absorbs heat from the indoor air and supplies cool air inside the room. However, the heat produced during its operating mechanism needs to be exhausted. So, for proper functioning, a portable air conditioner needs a vent to release the heat to the outdoor area.

Alternative Solutions

Venting Through a Sliding Door

How Do Portable Air Conditioners Work Without a Window

You can easily vent your portable air conditioner through a sliding door if you don’t have a window in the room.
A sliding door with a kit is easily available in the market to vent out the warm air to the outdoor area. Inside a kit, you will find a vent panel that slides into your door track and a vent hose that fastens to the panel.
You can easily fit this vent panel on your door and get your AC working. You must have tightly sealed the area around the hose pipe’s entrance to prevent the leakage of warm air inside the room.
Usually, the hose pipes are not very long so, you have to place the system close to the door so that it can easily release warm air to the outdoor area.

Venting Through a Ceiling

To vent the portable air conditioner through a ceiling you have to make a hole in it to accommodate the hose.
After inserting the hose through the hole, you must seal the remaining openings.
For easy installation you should also go for ceiling vent kits to simply insert the vent hose through the ceiling. After inserting the vent hose into the ceiling vent aperture, make it tight using a screw or, duct tape.
For this work to do you need a person with technical knowledge.

Venting Through a Wall

Venting through a wall is another recommended option to vent your portable air conditioner. This is a permanent method and most house owners prefer this method to release warm air from the air conditioner to the outdoor area.
In this method you have to make a hole on the wall and the diameter of the hole must be the same as the diameter of the vent hose. To do this work, you should get help from professionals.
Drilling a wall made of stones and bricks is a difficult job. After inserting the vent hose inside the hole, you must have to seal it properly to keep away dirt, dust, insects, and other particles from coming inside the house.

Venting Through a Dryer Vent

Venting through a dryer vent is another option to vent your portable air conditioner.
In this, the vent hose of the AC is connected to the exhaust hose of the dryer.
This option is not recommended by professionals because the exhaust hose of the dryer is usually smaller than the vent hose of the portable AC system. To connect both hoses you have to apply pressure on them which causes damage to both systems.

Conclusion

The venting of a portable air conditioner is a major factor that needs to be considered while purchasing a new one. The most common way to vent a portable air conditioner is through a window. But if the room in which you are installing the system, has no windows then it is not a major issue. There are several other ways through which you can vent a portable air conditioner.

The safest and a permanent way of ventilating your portable air conditioner is through the walls. However, it is a little bit difficult to make a hole in the wall and you need to get help from professionals. The other ways include venting through a ceiling and venting through a sliding door. But it is always recommended not to vent through a dryer vent as it is dangerous and also causes damage to the systems.

FAQS

What maintenance does a portable air conditioner need?

A portable air conditioner needs regular maintenance to function properly.

The air filters need to be cleaned at regular intervals for optimal performance. Use detergent and warm water to wash the filters. After the filters get fully dried you can reinstall it in the system.
The water collection tray needs to be emptied and cleaned frequently.
Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean the outer side of the system and to keep the portable air conditioner in tip-top shape.