To vent a portable air conditioner without a window, use a door, a chimney, a dryer vent, or through the wall or ceiling. While each method gets you the air conditioning you need, you'll need to consider what works best in your space.

A portable air conditioner is a great way to keep cool when you live or work in a small space during the hot summer months. But to work properly, a portable AC needs to be vented outside. This can be tricky—but not impossible—when you are working in a space without a window.

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How to vent a portable air conditioner without a window

If you don't have central air in your home or office, a portable air conditioner can make a huge difference in the hot summer months. However, portable ACs generally require a window to operate, which may pose a challenge if your space doesn't have one.

If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry—you still have options that don’t involve lots of sweat. Here are some alternative ways to vent a portable air conditioner without a window.

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Vent through a door

Your first (and easiest) option is to vent your AC through the door. This works best with a sliding glass door but can work with other types of doors as well. You can pick up a door venting kit at any hardware store.

These kits come with a 6’ x 6-8” block that fits into your door frame, allowing your AC to draw air from outside. While this works well for doors to the outside, the door method may be tricky with interior doors because it can be difficult to draw enough cool air from another hot room.

Vent through a wall

You also can cut a hole in an exterior wall to vent your air conditioner. This is a permanent solution to your portable problem, so make sure that you know what you are doing, and that you really, really want a hole there. Here’s what you do:

Measure and mark where you want to drill a hole in the exterior wall. Make sure there isn’t anything behind the wall that might be harmed during the drilling process. Water pipes, electrical wiring, and ducting should all be checked. Your hole should be the same size as your AC vent hose, so make sure to measure before you cut

Hold your drill perpendicular to the wall and start drilling

Remember to drill the four points (top, bottom, left side, right side) first. At this point, you can continue drilling holes around the edge of the shape you’ve drawn until they all connect, or you can use a jigsaw if you are comfortable

When you are done, use a vacuum to remove all of the dirt and dust left from the drill inside the wall

Install a vent cover on the outside of your house to keep insects and other pests out

Once you are done drilling the hole through your wall and placing the vent, apply caulk to seal any cracks

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Vent through the ceiling

If you are operating in a space with a drop ceiling, you have the option to vent your AC through the ceiling. Here’s how to do this (but make sure you're confident with power tools first):

Remove the drop ceiling panel where you want to vent your AC

Cut a hole perfectly sized to your AC hose in the panel

Fit the hose into place

Seal the edges of the hose into the panel

Replace the panel in the ceiling

Alternatively, you can purchase ceiling venting kits that have premade vented ceiling tiles—which can save you some time and aggravation.

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Vent through a dryer vent

Your dryer vent is another good option for venting a window. The dryer vent is already in your wall, and it is often the same size (6-inch diameter) as standard portable AC units. In this case, you can just attach your AC to the existing vent.

However, this does restrict the location of your AC unit (often in a garage or laundry room), and it may not be the room you are hoping to cool.

Vent through a chimney

If you have a fireplace that is no longer in use, consider placing the AC unit inside it right beneath the chimney. You can attach the vent hose inside the chimney walls to channel hot air up the chimney. You can even extend the hosepipe further up to exhaust heat efficiently.

Do not try this with a fireplace that you use. If there is an excess build-up of soot or contaminants, it can cause a chimney fire or other hazardous mishaps. If you’re even thinking about using your fireplace, it’s best to skip this option.

MORE: Cintas fire protection review

Window venting alternatives—pros and cons

Here is a quick guide to the pros and cons of each method for easy reference:

Method	Pros	Cons
Vent through a wall	Provides a permanent vent for continued use	Hole must be cut properly, risk of hitting wiring or pipes, can not be undone easily
Vent through a door	Easy to install kits, can be removed easily	Only works well with sliding doors
Vent through the ceiling	Easy to install kits or DIY	Must have a drop ceiling
Use the dryer vent	pre-installed	Location, can't do laundry while AC is in use.
Vent through a chimney	Easy and convenient	Can be dangerous if the chimney has build-up or is in use

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Does home insurance cover an air conditioner?

As a general rule, your home insurance would cover damage to your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) unit if it is damaged by one of the perils covered in your home insurance—a tree falling on your AC unit after a storm, for instance.

A portable air conditioning unit is considered personal property, and not part of your home’s structure, so it would be covered by the same policy that covers your other personal property—like furniture and appliances.

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FAQ

Does a portable AC unit have to vent outside?

To work properly, yes. A portable AC unit needs to vent its heat and exhaust outside to draw in and cool the air.

Can a portable air conditioner be vented through the floor?

Venting through the floor is a possibility as long as there is space underneath where you don’t mind the hot air circulating. If your home has a basement or a crawlspace, this can be done safely.

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