# Portable Air Conditioner



## texasman (Jun 25, 2012)

Im looking to get a portable air conditioner for my room the texas heat is scorching my room.  Dont really like the idea of having the hose exit out of the window.  My question is can i do like a dryer vent and exhaust the a/c unit that way.  Thanks for the help.


----------



## joecaption (Jun 26, 2012)

Why not a window unit instead?
Does not take up floor space, far less likly to leak on the floor.
There's been several people on other DIY sites that now have to replace there hardwood flooring because of leaks.


----------



## texasman (Jun 26, 2012)

The windows in this house are very old and open up horizontal instead of vertical i plan to replace them all but don't have the money right now.  So that's why i need a portable.


----------



## moshei (Jul 10, 2012)

I guess you have no choice but to buy a portable A/C as your out of budget to replace the window. Just make sure to choose durable and standard A/C, also on the brighter side you can bring the A/C in case you wanted.


----------



## lloyd (Jul 12, 2012)

Yes, you could do the dryer vent as long as it's not too restrictive and the hot air ejects properly. If you have air conditioning already and you have poor air flow in said room, you could have a booster fan installed in the duct feeding the room.


----------



## Air-N-Water_Eric (Jul 13, 2012)

There is a particularly relevant video from the this old house archive: 
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20057387,00.html

Also, many portable air conditioners come with a fitting that is designed for through the wall installation. Remember to find some sort of flap type opening (like those on many dryer vents) that will prevent hot air and other debris from entering your portable air conditioner.

It's worth noting that portable AC window kits are often designed for windows that open both horizontally and vertically so you might be able to save yourself a lot of time and hassle by not cutting a hole in your wall. Here's an installation video so you can get an idea of how they vent through a window: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6ZZjYkNE1I[/ame]


----------



## CallMeVilla (Jul 14, 2012)

I installed a portable AC unit in a sliding patio door by purchasing a used pet door insert that ran floor to top of the opening.  The "doggie door" was at the bottom.  I removed the door and fabricated a galvanized sheet metal piece with a hole in the middle the size of the exhaust fitting from the AC unit.  A little silver tape (not duct tape) and the unit was air tight, functional, and still let light in the room.

That is probably more than you want to tackle.  You would have to cut a lot of the pet door insert off.  Your best bet is to check with the manufacturer of the unit you want to buy.  They face this problem all the time  . . . and will have a solution for you.

Stay cool.


----------

