Kara Zorn on May 1, 2014 62 Comments When shopping for a portable air conditioner, it is normal to have a few questions. After over a decade of getting to know this versatile product and offering one of the largest selections of portable AC units online, we want to be able to answer all of your questions before you even have to ask them. Based on our experience, here are the most frequently asked questions about portable air conditioning units, along with their answers. What is a portable air conditioner? Do all portable air conditioners need to vent? What happens to the moisture that is pulled out of the air? How noisy is a portable air conditioner? What factors should I consider when looking for a portable air conditioner? Do portable air conditioners require any unusual power accommodations? Are portable air conditioners energy efficient? How long is the exhaust hose that the portable air conditioner comes with? Can I vent a portable air conditioner out a dryer vent? Can I cool my garage using a portable air conditioner? Can I use a portable air conditioner to cool my server room? If you have any questions that you don’t see listed here, please leave us a comment below or give our product experts a call at 1.800.297.6076. 1. What is a portable air conditioner? A portable air conditioner is an air conditioner that is mobile. Unlike window, through-the-wall, or central air conditioning units, portable units do not require permanent installation. Commonly, these units have caster wheels for easy portability, are relatively lightweight and are generally about 28″ to 34″ tall. 2. Do all portable air conditioners need to vent? The short answer is yes. Much like any air conditioning system, all portable air conditioners need to be vented in some form or fashion. Portable air conditioners pull in warm air, cool it, and expel the cooled air out of the front of the unit and the remaining warm air and moisture out of the back of the unit. It is this warm air and moisture that needs to be vented out of the room you are currently cooling. The easiest and most popular way to vent your portable AC unit is through a nearby window, which is why each and every portable air conditioner we offer on our site includes an easy-to-use window snap kit. 3. What happens to the moisture that is pulled out of the air? Since portable air conditioners pull moisture as well as heat out of the air, many people are concerned about where the water goes. Many units, specifically all EdgeStar and Koldfront portable air conditioners, have self-evaporative technology. This innovative technology internally processes and evaporates the collected moisture and then exhausts it out of the back of the unit. In climates that are extra humid, some water may collect in a reservoir located inside the unit. In this case, you can either manually empty the reservoir when it is full or use the integrated gravity drain. With that said, due to recent advancements in portable air conditioner technology, the need to drain is increasingly rare. 4. How noisy is a portable air conditioner? Because of the differences in personal preference, this can be a hard question to answer. Since portable air conditioners contain both a compressor and fan, they sound similar to a window air conditioning unit, which most of us have heard at one time or another. With that said, you want to pay attention to a portable air conditioners decibel rating (dB level) which is located on each product description page. Most units fall anywhere between 48 dB (which is the same noise level as falling rain) and 60 dB (which is the same noise level as a normal conversation). 5. What factors should I consider when looking for a portable air conditioner? BTUs/Room Size — A portable air conditioner’s BTUs tell you how powerful the unit is. This directly affects the room size and how quickly the unit will be able to cool. The higher the BTU, the larger the area the portable air conditioner can efficiently cool. Single or Dual Hose Design — Single-hosed units expel warm air and moisture and are easy to install. Double-hosed units, which are also fairly easy to install, expel warm air and moisture while simultaneously pulling in more air to cool. Read More: The Differences Between Dual Hose vs. Single Hose 6. Do portable air conditioners require any unusual power accommodations? All of the portable air conditioners that we carry operate on 115 Volt / 60 Hertz. This is standard household voltage. These units come with a “three prong” grounded plug. 7. Are portable air conditioners energy efficient? A good rule of thumb is to look at the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) of the air conditioner you are purchasing. The higher the EER, the more energy efficient the portable air conditioner is. Also, by cooling specific areas, your portable air conditioner gives you the freedom to use your central air conditioning system less, if at all, which will significantly lower your energy costs. 8. How long is the exhaust hose that the portable air conditioner comes with? Exhaust hose lengths vary by model, but generally they are 4-7 feet in length. They are made of a temperature-resistant plastic reinforced with metal. 9. Can I vent a portable air conditioner out a dryer vent? Generally, this is not recommended by the manufacturer, especially if the diameter of the vent hose is greater than the diameter of the dryer vent. A standard dryer vent is 4″. Most portable air conditioners have 5″ exhaust hoses. Some units have smaller diameter vent hoses, and these units may be vented out a dryer vent. However, you should not use the external part of the dryer vent that has flaps, as the compressor is not strong enough to push these flaps open. If you need to cover that exterior opening of the vent, we recommend using a screen. 10. Can I cool my garage using a portable air conditioner? Although it is not typically recommended that you do so, there are a few factors that, when manipulated, can accommodate this cooling set up. We would recommend you read the following article for more information. Read More: Using a portable air conditioner in your garage 11. Can I use a portable air conditioner to cool my server room? Although these are not industrial machines, this is an excellent use for a portable air conditioner. Even with central air, computer server rooms have more robust cooling needs than other parts of the building tend to require. A portable air conditioner, such as EdgeStar’s AP14009COM, works well to boost the cooling in a server room.
Victoria Baumhardt says December 1, 2014 at 9:24 pm I am moving. How do I find a inside cover in white for the portable ac vent in the wall? Reply
Gini says February 19, 2015 at 6:33 pm I have sliding window frames, w/ 4 in. sills…48in. tall…will the window kit work with my setup? Also, I’m in AZ and humidity is not generally an issue; in fact it is usually the opposite problem–too dry. How does the unit work WITHOUT humidity to pull in to cool? Reply
ann evans says June 24, 2015 at 10:35 am Hi, I’d like to cool and heat my patio area; (at least lower the temp in summer and warm it a bit in winter). It’s covered but (mostly) open on 2 sides and is approx. 12×15′. Is a portable unit even feasible? How would I handle the hose? Any suggestions really appreciated!! Ann e Reply
Alan Richardson says March 28, 2017 at 5:56 pm Ann, No, a portable air conditioner wont do you any good. Your best bet is a quality commercial pedestal fan. As long as you keep the air moving it always feels cooler. Plus it keeps the bugs away with constant breeze. I use one on my large deck and works great. Now many of my friends have made the investment in a fan. I through a grill cover over the motor housing to protect it from the weather. Reply
Jaime L. Barcelo says July 3, 2015 at 1:00 pm I would like to know if the compressor shuts off when temperature is set at at lets say 73* f. Reply
Allan Michaels says June 1, 2018 at 4:11 pm I have a lg 8150 portable air conditioner, what I would like 2 know is ifthe display panel shows 80f even though the set tempis about 74f that is a problem rightI Reply
Lois B says August 29, 2019 at 9:40 am I have double vertical sliding windows in my apartment. Do I install the hose through the outside window. Seems to make most sense. Thanks! Reply
Doug Berg says July 10, 2015 at 8:58 pm I have casement (crank-out) windows throughout my home. Can a portable air conditioner be used with them? How? Reply
Jeff Flowers says July 13, 2015 at 12:32 pm Hi Doug, Check out this article here about how to install a Portable air conditioning unit in a casement window. https://learn.compactappliance.com/portable-air-conditioner-crank-window-installation/ Reply
paul sobutka says June 26, 2016 at 7:05 am Do you have a setup for an exhaust on roll out windows? Reply
Ruth S. says July 17, 2015 at 1:45 pm Recently purchased portable a/c and find the window panel is too large for my window. It is two pieces and slides to increase or decrease width. When decreased to appropriate window size, the panel partially covers the exhaust hole in the panel. I can cut the slide portion of the panel, but that means it may not fit other windows. Any suggestions? Thanks,RES Reply
Tony says September 8, 2015 at 1:26 am I need to regulate temperature in a basement room (about 10′ by 10′) that I use for a cellar. It is extremely damp in our basement so I need a unit that will regulate both temperature and humidty, and I need to be able to control those separately. We have no windows there, so I aim to vent exhaust into the cieling. This is an actual cieling however, not a drop cieling. Is this okay to do? I’m worried about the moisture that the unit evaporates into exhaust could cause mold growth inside our walls. Is this a legitimate concern? Our house is 2 stories, so there is a large distance between the cieling in our basement cellar and the top floor attic. The current dehumidifier I’m using has a pump and a line that I run to our pay dry tub. Is there an AC unit that would expel water this same way while exhausting hot air through a vent to the cieling? Reply
Gene says September 25, 2015 at 4:42 pm Can you store it Danby portable air conditioning unit outside during the winter Reply
Ann says November 2, 2015 at 9:24 am Do I have to vent my AC when I am using the heater portion? And, can I buy an extension hose so that I don’t have to set the AC on something to vent it out the window. Reply
sally addington says February 24, 2016 at 6:41 pm I would like to cool our camper. 7 x 24 ft using a generator. How many watts does a small conditioner use? Reply
Doris Murn says April 2, 2016 at 2:12 pm WIs it ok to use a portable unit in a finished attic? There is one ac vent in the attic that is connected to the main house ac but the attic still gets extremely hot during the summer months. What is your suggestion? Thank you Reply
Janet says April 29, 2016 at 3:55 pm Can you use portable AC in kitchen with a sliding glass door. Reply
Janet says May 2, 2016 at 1:26 pm Can I use a portable AC in kitchen with a sliding glass door? Reply
Janet says April 29, 2016 at 3:56 pm Can I use a portable AC in kitchen with a sliding glass door. Reply
Janet Engle says May 2, 2016 at 1:27 pm Can I use a portable AC in kitchen with sliding glass door. Reply
Berdie says May 10, 2016 at 11:23 am Having trouble connecting my hose. I don’t think it came with nuts or screws, Was wondering if I could purchase a new hose or maybe you could tell me what I’m doing wrong, Worked last year. Reply
Berdie says May 10, 2016 at 11:55 am Can’t connect hose to window. I have a KoolKing. Don’t have nuts or screws. Worked last year. Should I purchase a new hose, if I can? I have sliding glass. The vent keeps falling forward. Try to fix then the hose falls out. Can I buy a longer hose? Reply
Tim says June 2, 2016 at 12:35 am I am in need of more refrigent for portable ac. Where do I find it? Reply
Alan says June 22, 2016 at 8:13 pm I would need to vent portable A/C out a horizontal sliding window ~3′ up from the floor. I need to have the unit close to the wall so how far does the hose stick out in the back? Also, can I vent out the side of the unit and up to the window? I’m asking these questions because there is a door to the balcony perpendicular to that part of the window needed to vent and I need to place the unit a bit to the right of where it would vent out the window so that it doesn’t block the doorway. Thanks Reply
Sharon Mckeever says July 25, 2016 at 11:34 pm My unit is filling up with more water than usual what can that be coming from Reply
Judi says August 5, 2016 at 3:04 pm Can I vent my portable ac hooked up to the bathroom exhaust vent? Reply
Vivian says August 12, 2016 at 12:42 pm Just bought a finally 12000 but a portable air conditioner.Do these ac’s alos have a heating mode? How much electricity does it take to run the unit? How much savings should I get using this unit? Reply
Sharon Bird says August 13, 2016 at 5:59 pm I can’t locate the remote for my Koldfront air conditioner. Is it possible to purchase another remote? Reply
Christina says September 1, 2016 at 12:41 pm I porchase one last year but know i connected and it shows this with the traingle ! And it doesnt want to turn on what can i do to make it work Reply
Kelley M says September 6, 2016 at 9:38 am is there a possibility of being able to vent this in a popup camper without having to cut a hole anyplace? Reply
MickiC says January 30, 2017 at 6:24 pm Enclosed glass patio no where 2 vent Need a a/c that doesn’t need 2 vent Does it have 2 b emptied like a dehumidifier Have Dyson small portible a/c & heat need bigger Room is abt 20×10 Reply
John Ferrell says April 26, 2017 at 5:18 pm Thanks for saying that portable air conditioners pull in warm air and cool it. If I had known this when my AC broke I might have had an easier time dealing with the heat in my house. Maybe I should ask a professional for assistance when I am trying to get a portable air conditioner installed. Reply
Dennis says May 8, 2017 at 4:09 pm I second Judi: Can I vent my portable ac hooked up to the bathroom exhaust vent? This would be a semi-permanent installation. So the idea would be to cut into the duct just above the bathroom fan and tap the AC exhaust in there. To ensure the hot air didn’t just come out into the bathroom, I’d install a grill with shutters in place of the standard bathroom fan grill. So we’d close the shutters, turn on the AC, and the hot air would vent up the bathroom fan duct. I foresee two potential issues: 1. IIRC bathroom fan ducts are typically 4″ — not 5″ like most portable AC exhaust hoses. 2. It’s about 30 feet, maybe a tad more, from the fan grill to the outlet–and that’s a horizontal run, not vertical. 3. I have no idea how much CFM a portable AC cooling vent puts out; IIRC a bathroom vent fan is something like 50 CFM and I assume a portable AC puts out more. I’d be willing to install a helper fan in the duct, if that’s a thing…not sure if that’s a thing though. The other question is where to vent the cool air. We could put the portable AC on a high ledge just outside the bathroom and let the cool air come out the portable AC’s existing duct. Or we could put the portable AC in the bathroom itself (letting us close the bathroom door for quieter operation) and vent the cool air into the intake for our forced-air heater blower (which can also be run without the heater on); I assume this would distribute the air better than the AC’s blower alone could do. One alternative to all of the above would be to try to find the duct for the vent just before it exits the wall to the outside, and tap into it there. In case you didn’t guess, the deal is that we live in a condo where we can’t make any new holes through the exterior walls, so the obvious logical answer of a mini-split system is out. Right now we have our portable AC (largest size you can buy) vented through a plexiglass window that replaces the screen for our crank-out window. This works fairly well, especially because it’s a 2-hose AC. We’d lose the benefit of the second hose if exhausting through the bathroom vent duct hole, but we’d also be able to close the well-sealed dual-pane window, so the net effect might be a wash. Reply
Alejandra Martin says May 21, 2017 at 9:46 pm We just bought a portable a/c, and the window slider kit is too short for our large windows (horizontal slider). Max height is 48.5 and our windows are 58. Can we add something to complete the covering? Reply
Nancy Brown says June 16, 2017 at 11:24 pm This is the same problem we have. Which one should we buy? Reply
Dolly Ortiz says June 19, 2017 at 5:51 pm My unit is 11000 btu, I have to use an extension cord, what kind do I buy. Reply
Tre says June 19, 2017 at 6:16 pm I’ve had a portable air conditioner for almost 4 years It’s now just blowing hot air can it be serviced ? Is it worth it or should I purchase another unit? Does it simply need freon or Puron? Reply
Todd S. says June 26, 2017 at 4:21 pm AC units do not “pull in humidity” to cool the air. They work like a refrigerator, in that a thermal gas or liquid flows at relatively low pressure through the internal air space where the units’ fan is moving the air through. Being much colder than that air causes the chilled pipes and vanes to absorb the heat energy from passing air. The now warmer thermal agent is pulled through the system into the compressor, where it is composed into a much higher pressure, this causes the temperature to dramatically increase, then it’s pumped at pressure through the radiant pipes and vanes that are in those parts of the unit for expelling heat, where the then cooler air absorbs that excess heat, and it’s carried outside, either by hose (portable) or direct airflow (window mount). The material then moves towards the end of the radiator where it passes through a pressure valve (keeping high pressure in the radiator, low pressure outside of the radiator). This transition from high pressure to low makes the gas expand, dramatically reducing it’s temperature, and starting the cycle again. The moisture AC units ‘produce’ is condensation from the warm indoor air moving past the cooling pipes and vanes, as water vapor cools, it can reach condensation level, and revert back to a liquid from its vapor state. Hope that helped… Reply
Andy says July 7, 2017 at 1:28 pm Can i vent my portable ac through the floor to a vented crawl space ? Reply
Marnie Kilner says October 4, 2017 at 7:54 pm Hi Quick question. When I shut my portable air conditioner down for the season and drain any water if any, I like to run the fan for about a half an hour to help dry inside. Can I run the fan without the venting hose or do I have to keep it connected. Looking forward to your reply. Thank you Reply
Lizz Stephenson says January 13, 2018 at 8:36 am Can someone answer some questions for me like a portable air cooler how long will 1 tank thats 10L run the cooler for also will it leak or drip some water from cooler and does it need a vent or something for hot air. Im in a rental unit it has no fans and 1 airconditioner for lounge but not bedrooms so please any answers or suggestions for best/cheapest way to cool bedrooms please please. Reply
Simply Jarrett says March 1, 2018 at 9:15 pm Kelly, you asked “is there a possibility of being able to vent this in a popup camper without having to cut a hole anyplace?”. I live in a converted school bus, which is now an RV! And I use a portable LG A/C, with remote, that I once had in my home. Here are a few pointers regarding using portable units in RV’s and campers… – You’ll almost certainly require “shore power” (electric camp hookup) to power the unit, unless you’ve got an impressive solar and battery setup. – almost all portable units are on wheels. I removed mine (easy job, as they pop in, like on swivel office chair wheels), and bolted it to a shelf (floor would work too), so it would be cooling the hottest air (hear rises) in the RV. – I did cut a hike in my bus wall, to accommodate the vent, because I’m wanting this to be permanent. BUT, you only need some sort of opening to accommodate the 5″ venting tube. They look just like your dryer exhaust flex tube, just slightly larger. I’m sure you can rig up either a removable panel with the end if the vent house attached, to run through a window, etc, very simply and easily. You need not use the large tube attachment/panel board, meant for use on residential windows. A square piece of thin plywood or paneling, just a little later than the vent tube will suffice! – you DON’T WANT to not vent the AC unit though!! It will never cool your camper! The exhaust pipe shoots out A LOT OF HEAT it’s pulled from the inside of your camper, which if not center will only heat up the space you’re trying to cool. Venting, whether with supplied attachments, rigged window board, floor opening, etc, it’s A MUST. – my unit was meant to cool a house room UP TO 260 sq ft. My bus is not all that will insulated, and of course made if sheet metal, and single pane windows, yet this unit keeps it FRIGID throughout the bus, even in the HOTTEST Tennessee summer months!! I keep the thermostat on 72 degrees, and even opening the doors a million times a day, it’s never warm inside! Your popup camper will be COOL and comfortable, using even a small portable unit! – note…. My unit has multiple settings, but no heat (had I known I’d be using it in a bus one day, is of bought a unit that had heat). It has fan, cool, and dehumidify… Then low fan and high fan settings, with a very accurate thermostat, and beloved remote control (Velcro’d to the bedroom wall, next to the bed). I use the DEHUMIDIFIER seeing a LOT. Especially in winter, as campers, buses, RVs, etc are horrible about condensation inside of them. I don’t like walking up covered in dew! The dehumidifier handles our highly humid southern weather (all seasons) perfectly! And the fan seeing is great when cooking, as it helps pull out all the cooking smells, steam, and extra heat! Best of luck to you, and I hope the info helps you! Reply
Darlene Butetto says March 24, 2018 at 5:41 am We have a downstairs bedroom living room I would like to have an AC in our bedroom. The windows are small attic windows towards the top of the ceiling. My question is is it OK to vent the hose up that high? Would it create more noise? Would it not work at all? Reply
SHINA AKERELE says April 21, 2018 at 4:26 am WHAT IS THE COOLING TEMPERATURE RANGE OF MOBILE AIRCONDITIONER Reply
Barbara brill says May 2, 2018 at 12:24 pm I have a completely glassed in balcony, with some screened-in sliding .glass windows. The area is 23 feet wide, narrower at the ends, and approx. 125 squ. feet. My problem is, rules forbid cutting through the screens. I need to lower summer temperature for my cactus plants (with SSE expxposure, temp goes up to 110%F in summer.) So, how to cool off my plants. Barbara B. Reply
Jan says May 6, 2018 at 8:17 am We purchased a Hesense AP10 model. We would like to use it in our glass room while we are out of town for 6 months just to keep the moisture out.. Is this unit capable of doing this? We tried the timer but once the unit shut down timer was no longer set. Reply
Helen Shope says May 6, 2018 at 10:26 am Can you cut the hose to make shorter so it is closer to window instead of out in room so far. Have pushed as close as I can with out cutting hose. Reply
Rose says August 2, 2018 at 12:22 pm Hello, I need to know how long may I let my A/C unit working?? It’s a 8,000 BTU and is in the living room/kitchen. Thank you for your reply. Reply
H willms says June 4, 2018 at 3:27 pm I have a delonghi penguino portable a/c. It has a fan setting. Can i run ONLY the fan without using the exhaust system? Reply
Donna says June 21, 2018 at 8:15 pm Can I still use my sliding glass door with a portable a/c unit installed there? Reply
Natalia says July 2, 2018 at 9:33 am Recently purchased a Danby 14,000 BTU portable air conditioner. It is draining 2 liters of water every 45 minutes! Seems super excessive. Is this normal/? Reply
Sasha Frank says July 15, 2018 at 8:27 pm I have two portable air conditioners and I’d like to transport them in my SUV. Can I transport them by lying them down on their sides?or lying them on the back of the units? Is there any danger of the Freon spilling out, or any other problem in transporting them that way. Please advise, thank you. Reply
Linda ....... says August 1, 2018 at 10:28 am Can the hose be higher than the air conditioner itself and still work properly Reply
Brian Ham says August 22, 2018 at 2:38 pm Hi, We have a Whynter ARC 14s that is awesome. We live in Texas use it year round. My wife has allergies and likes to sleep cold. I replaced our home ac filter with a Merv 12 and it made a big difference. The Whynter is in our bedroom so now she has issues again. Could I replace the original filter with a cut down home ac filter with better filtering or make one to fit inside the intake duct? Thanks so much for your advice! Brian Reply
wizbang_fl says November 16, 2018 at 2:38 pm The challenge with portable a/c units like this that use hoses is that if you have a single hose unit the unit creates a vacuum in your inside area to be cooled, because the heat being exhausted is not replaced by any air source. (think a 2 litter bottle full of water and flip it upside down the bottle gets a vacuum which means it pulls air in through other areas or inefficiently cools. neither is ideal. 2 hose units are better as they pull in air to run over the heat exchanger and pushes the hot air out of the room. (no vacuum of hot air) your inside air runs through the condenser to chill and goes back into the room. This is better than single hose but the hoses are also commonly not insulated so the hoses taking air in to the evaporator and hot air exhaust aren’t insulated that the exhaust hose quickly will feel very HOT and in it’s own way becomes a heat source. I found that by wrapping insulation around the hoses I could improve the efficiency of the ac unit, but still is meh. If you can get a window ac in your window that is the most efficient option, it may not be pretty but at the end of the day it is going to be better at cooling compared to results any portable unit can produce. portable ac units are only suggested as 2 hose and only if having a window ac is completely not permitted where you live. Reply
Samstores says January 15, 2020 at 3:34 am Questions shared in this blog post about portable air conditioners are great. It would help people who are looking to buy a portable air conditioner. Reply
Audey says September 11, 2020 at 1:51 pm Just turning my portable air conditioner on while the hot air go out the vent instead of turning the whole conditioner on a number? Reply
