No, air conditioners do not bring in fresh air from the outside. That's not how they were designed. What actually happens is that your air conditioner uses a fan to draw air into the unit and disperse it through a structure. This results in recycled air.
Portable Air Conditioners
Portable air units are stand-alone systems perfect for cooling individual rooms. The keyword here is “portable.” They can be moved from one place to another and often have an exhaust hose that expels the hot air outdoors. Still, they don't pull in outdoor air for cooling purposes.
Most air conditioning units contain filters that will block larger particles (like large dust particles) from entering inside and damaging the unit, but air purification is not their main task. That is why they cannot catch smaller particles like pathogens, allergens, or fine particle pollution1.
Using a portable air conditioner in a room without an exhaust vent can lead to inefficient cooling, increased humidity levels, and potential damage to the unit due to overheating. It may also result in higher energy consumption and discomfort due to inadequate ventilation.
Vent through a door: If there are no windows available for venting, you may be able to vent the air conditioner through a door. Simply cut a small hole in the door and install a vent cover. Vent into another room: If there's another room nearby with a window, you may be able to vent the air conditioner into that room.
As well as preventing ventilation, removing the hose will result in a build-up of moisture within the room. This humidity can later cause dampness and mildew to form on your walls and ceilings, creating an uncomfortable or uninhabitable environment.
The energy consumption is massive, and you can expect bills to skyrocket. They're weak: A good portion of the energy consumed goes into the exhaust system of a portable unit, which reduces its ability to cool. That means on a hot Florida day, you're not even getting as much cooling as you need.
While portable ACs can be vented through a door, wall, or ceiling, they are most frequently vented through windows. Although it isn't unsafe to run your portable AC without venting, it is counterproductive.
In our portable air conditioner tests, we measure how long it takes the appliance to lower the temperature in a test chamber from 90° F to 85° F. We found that it takes at least 20 minutes—and often much longer. By comparison, the best window air conditioners can cool a room by 10° F in about 15 minutes or less.
No, air conditioners do not bring in fresh air from the outside. That's not how they were designed. What actually happens is that your air conditioner uses a fan to draw air into the unit and disperse it through a structure. This results in recycled air.
Yes. The water is accumulated in an internal drain pan. This water is evaporated and sent out the exhaust hose in the form of water vapor. Occassionally, the unit will need to be drained in humid environments.
Yes, it is safe to sleep in a room with air conditioning as long as the AC unit is kept clean and receives regular maintenance.
In short, the answer is no, air conditioners do not bring in fresh outside air. Rather, it takes the air inside your house and puts it through a heat exchange process. So, how exactly does it work? Generally, air conditioners move unwanted heat out of your home, thus lowering the temperature inside your home.
Almost all portable air conditioners come with a pre-filter, which reduces large microbes, dust and pet hair but the cleaning effect is fairly minimal as it will only capture the largest particles.
Single hose portable air conditioners work by pulling stagnant air from inside the room. The motor inside the unit then cools the air for circulation throughout the space. The unit also takes the excess warm air and moisture and funnels it through the hose and out the window.
Generally, portable air conditioners can run continuously for 8 to 12 hours, depending on the factors mentioned above. However, it is essential to give your unit some rest to prevent overheating and ensure its longevity. Experts recommend turning off the unit for 15-20 minutes every 3-4 hours of continuous operation.
A portable AC unit can fail to properly cool off your space if it is not powerful enough, the room is not properly sealed, or the unit is dirty. Unfortunately, units love to act up on the hottest days of the year.
You also have to leave windows open to allow in a constant stream of air for the cooler; if humidity is high outside as well, the evaporative cooler can't function optimally. Air conditioners can work in any environment.
One effective way to vent a portable air conditioner without a window is by using a sliding door vent kit. This kit comes with all the necessary components to vent the hot air outside through the sliding door opening.
Portable units are generally not cheaper to run when compared to central AC. However, the good thing is that you can tremendously lower your energy bills if you tactfully use your portable AC.
There is no separate vent to worry about, and more noise is directed outside compared to a portable air conditioner. In addition, window air conditioners are often more efficient than portable air conditioners allowing them to cool a larger space at a lower cost.