There are many ways that you can ventilate your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose. The most common method of exhausting your portable-AC unit is through window or doors, but people will often question if it is possible to use a dryer vent/hose for portable-air-conditioner units. Dryer vents are typically housed inside of your laundry room, meant for your clothing dryer. This vent leads from your machine to the outside of your home. Like your portable AC, a dryer also needs to remove moisture and heat in order to function. Following this train of thought, it does not seem outrageous to wonder whether or not you can use a dryer hose for portable-air-conditioner units. In order to connect your portable-AC hose to your dryer vent, however, you must first know: “What size is a portable-AC hose?” The size of a portable-AC hose ranges, which means that not every single hose will be compatible with a dryer vent. Portable air-conditioner hoses do, however, come with attachments that can connect multiple pieces of ductwork—even if they do not have the same diameter size! Ensuring your ductwork is attached correctly, however, is one of the most vital components of ducting. If your hosework has gaps or leaks, your portable AC cannot work efficiently. Before you can even question if you can use a dryer vent for a portable air-conditioner, you must first understand the relationship between duct size and how it relates to connecting your hosework. Then, you will be able to ventilate your unit, whether it is out of a dryer vent or directly outdoors!
“Air Ventilator Black”
“PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear”
Why Do Portable-AC Units Need to Vent Outside?
Portable ACs must be vented outside in order to expel the heat that is created during the cooling process. If the unit does not vent outside via exhaust hose, the portable-air-conditioner exhaust would circulate back into the room that is being cooled—negating the entire air-cooling process. If the heat and moisture exit the unit but blow back into the same room that the portable AC is cooling, it will only succeed in raising the temperature again. This ventilation is conducted by the portable-air-conditioner vent/hose. The portable-AC hose is an essential part of the portable air-conditioner that ensures that exhaust is removed from the unit. Commonly, people will funnel their unit’s exhaust out of windows, doors— and even through walls or ceilings! The options for ventilating your portable AC are limited only by your creativity. As long as the heat and moisture does not linger in the area that is being cooled, this is proper ventilation. Your unit does not, per se, have to expel these byproducts to the outdoors; as long as the area to which it is exhausting is outside of the room you are trying to cool—this is considered “outside.” Whether you use—for your portable, stand-up air-conditioner—window vent-work or ducting that connects to a vent in your wall, you must remove the exhaust from your room in order for your portable AC to work. So, why do portable-AC units need to vent outside? Simply put, to ensure that your device is working efficiently! If your unit is cooling and heating your room at the same time, the machine will work even harder to lower the temperature. This will cause the unit to create even more heat, perpetuating the cycle of temperature flux! This is why it is imperative to vent your portable AC outside: to guarantee the efficiency of your unit.
What Size Is a Portable-AC Hose?
A portable-AC hose can come in a variety of inside diameters and lengths, depending on the model of your unit. However, most portable-ACs will commonly utilize a range of hosework with diameters from 4-inches ID (inside diameter) to 6-inches ID. For a portable-AC exhaust hose, 5-inch ID size is also a typical find. There is also bound to be an occasional, portable air-conditioner that needs a rare portable-air-conditioner hose-diameter. The size of your portable-air-conditioner hose is classified by inside-diameter and length, much like how 3-dimensional objects are measured by length, width, and height.
As hoses are cylindrical objects, their width and height are identical (the same case pertaining to any circular object). Length is its own separate measurement that still pertains to hosing! Hoses, instead, are standardized by diameter—more specifically, their inside diameter. Companies like Ducting.com notate their hosing by inside diameter. Why do suppliers use inside diameter over outside diameter, though? This is because the inside of your hose fits over the outside of whatever fixture you are attempting to attach the hose to. Just like how a bolt tightens around a nut, the inner wall of your hose is flush against the outer wall of your desired opening. With this in mind, it is very important to know the inside diameter of your portable-air-con. ducting hose, especially if you are opting to replace it. The length of your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose is already predetermined by your unit, but length—however—can be customizable when you are seeking a replacement. The length of your portable-AC duct is not as strict as its inside diameter; you can elect for an extending hose on portable-air-conditioner units. This does not mean that you cannot adjust the inside diameter of your hosework, however. Adjusting the diameter of your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose is a separate topic that will be addressed later on.
As of now, it is clear that a portable-AC hose can come in many different inside diameters. You might have a portable-air-conditioner 4-inch exhaust-hose, a 5” AC-vent hose, or a 6-inch flexible-duct for portable-AC. You may even have a hose that has an even smaller, or even larger inside diameter. As the diameter of your portable-air-conditioner vent-work is already decided by your unit, it is typically a good idea to abide by this preset measurement, unless you have a special case. Either way, all of your ducting needs can be fulfilled by Ducting.com’s great variety of portable-air-conditioner venting.
The PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear Duct Hose is a thermoplastic, lightweight hose that can withstand chemicals, moisture, and abrasion. This makes it the ideal portable-air-conditioner vent/hose. Simply put, there is little that the PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear cannot do! This hose features flexibility and compressibility that can help your ductwork adapt to tight spaces. The PVC Flexduct Light-Duty can be bent and twisted around obstacles that might hinder the layout of your hosework. It can also be compressed at a ratio of 6-to-1, making transportation convenient. As stated prior, this hose is composed of highly-durable PVC, which can resist water-vapor, chemicals, and flex-fatigue—among other things. Having a flexible, durable portable-air-conditioner vent/hose is imperative to your unit. Portable ACs constantly manage air (both hot and cold) as well as moisture. They also need to have their exhaust removed, as mentioned beforehand. Having a flexible and durable hose allows you to circumvent obstacles that might deter your unit from proper ventilation, as well as resist the fumes that are being removed. Knowing whether or not your portable-AC-unit exhaust-hose is a 5-in. air-conditioner hose or a 6-inch AC-hose is an essential step towards replacing your current ductwork with a longer-lasting replacement!
Can a Dryer Vent Be Used for a Portable Air-Conditioner?
Yes, a dryer vent can be used for a portable air-conditioner! This is possible if your dryer vent and your portable-air-conditioner exhaust-pipe are the same diameter, or if you have an attachment that can adjust your hose’s ID size. If a dryer vent has a 4-inch outside diameter, it will be compatible with a portable-air-conditioner with 4-inch vent-work. If you have an accessory that decreases your hose’s diameter, this could allow a 5-inch, flexible hose for portable-air-conditioner units to fit onto your dryer vent, as these vents are typically around 4 inches in diameter. There are, of course, exceptions. Utilizing your dryer vent is another way to expel your portable AC’s exhaust. If you do not have windows or doors—or perhaps just do not want to use them—dryer vents are a great, convenient alternative. Dryer vents are designed to ventilate the exhaust from your clothing dryer. They connect to the exterior of your home so that the heat and moisture produced from the dryer can be expelled outside. As these vents have a similar function as a portable-air-conditioner vent/hose, it is surely not a problem to run your portable-AC through dryer-vent-work. As long as the openings of your hosework and your fixture have the same-size diameter, connecting your portable-AC to dryer-vent-work is an adequate option for exhausting your unit. Having a snug fit between your portable-AC hose and your dryer vent is necessary for ensuring there are no leaks. If your hose and vent are not secured tightly, air will leak out from the gaps between the two openings. Air will be lost as it exits the portable air-conditioner, lessening the pressure inside of the hosework. With less pressure, there will be less air-movement inside of the hose, causing the unit to decrease in efficiency. This is why it is important to ensure that your portable-AC hose is sufficiently secured to your dryer vent. In order to use a dryer vent for portable-AC exhaust, there must not be any gaps between the connecting hoses.
For hosework with plain ends, Ducting.com sells connectors and clamps that will attach any piece of hosing to any fixture. Both our screw clamps and bridge clamps are composed of durable stainless-steel. A bridge clamp is a band that is off-set so it can be fitted over the steel-wire helix of a hose. The bridge clamp can accommodate for the raised-lip the steel wire creates, ensuring a more secure connection for your hosework. A screw clamp works exactly how it sounds: a screw is utilized to tighten the stainless-steel band and attach a hose to any fixture or connector.
This type of clamp can be utilized on cuffed ends—fabric ends on hosework that do not contain a wire helix and therefore can be pressed flat for secure connection. With this method of clamping, you can efficiently connect a PVC hose, a fabric hose, or any hose in general from a portable AC to a dryer vent. Our Air Ventilator hoses also feature a belted-cuff end that can clamp hosework without the use of clamps or connectors! This belted-cuff end is a belt that is situated at the mouth of the hose, capable of cinching the Air Ventilator onto any fixture you desire. Just like the belt from where it gets its name, the special end of this hose can be tightened around an opening to ensure a snug connection. Like the PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear, the Air Ventilator Orange is also an ideal portable-air-conditioner vent/hose. Unlike the PVC Flexduct, however, the Air Ventilator Orange exhibits more flexibility and compressibility with a compression ratio of 9-to-1. The Air Ventilator Orange is a PVC-coated, fabric hose that features excellent bendability. While it does feature great resistance to chemicals, moisture, and abrasions, it is not composed of thick PVC like the PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Clear. This means its durability is not up to par with our PVC hoses. However, this does not mean that the Air Ventilator Orange is not incredibly durable! These hoses can withstand most external abrasion, chemicals, and moisture, making them great hose for a portable AC. Dryer vent-work can be used to remove heat from your portable air-conditioner as long as they are the same size diameter, unless you have attachments that can enlarge or reduce your duct ID-size at its ends. As mentioned, the Air Ventilator Orange features a belted-cuff end. This belted-cuff end can be used to connect a hose to a fixture with a slightly smaller ID-size. If you were connecting a 6” ID Air Ventilator to a 5.9-in. exhaust-hose, the belted cuff end would be able to secure these hoses together, despite the 0.1-inch difference in inside diameter. If you wanted to drastically decrease the diameter of your hose, you could also do so with Ducting.com’s special, reduced cuffs. These are custom ends that can be attached to our fabric hoses upon request. Whether it is through the use of special ends that decrease the size of your hose’s ID or not, it is possible to connect your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose to your dryer vent. Using dryer vent for portable-AC units is possible, but what if you need to increase the inside diameter of your hosework? You might be asking yourself, “Can I use a smaller hose on portable-air-conditioner units?”
Can I Use a Smaller Hose on Portable-Air-Conditioner Units?
Yes, you can use a smaller-diameter hose on a portable air-conditioner. You can do this by using a hose with special attachments that can decrease the size of your ductwork. For instance, if you are looking for a smaller, portable-AC hose-replacement for a 5-inch AC-hose, you could use a 4” ID hose with a funnel cuff in order to accommodate an opening with a larger ID size. The funnel cuff—which is a custom end for our fabric hoses at Ducting.com—can be enlarged to fit a fixture with an ID size of up to 2 inches larger than the hose. This means that if you have a 6” air-conditioner hose and you wanted to swap it with a smaller one, you could replace it with a 4” ID fabric hose with funnel cuffs. These special ends can be applied to any of our fabric hoses upon request. Using a funnel cuff is a fantastic method of altering the size of your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose. In this way, you could use a 4” ID Air Ventilator Black with funnel cuffs as a replacement for your 5-inch diameter air-conditioner-exhaust hose. Realistically, however, why would you want to use a smaller hose on your portable AC? Perhaps your unit is not working efficiently as a result of low pressure inside of your current hosework. As you cannot adjust the volume of air that is being exhausted from your portable AC, utilizing a smaller-diameter hose will increase the pressure inside of your ductwork. The same amount of air will be vented through a smaller area, increasing pressure and therefore efficiency. In this case, opting for a smaller-diameter hose will benefit your unit. If you, perhaps, have a device with a 5.5” portable-AC exhaust-hose and cannot find any adequate ductwork to replace your current hose with, you could use an Air Ventilator 5-inch portable-air-conditioner hose with funnel cuffs. These are all such cases where you could utilize a smaller hose for your portable air-conditioner. Whether you need to replace your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose with a smaller one, or if you need to attach your hose to a larger fixture (such as connecting to a portable-air-conditioner dryer-vent), you can use a smaller hose for your unit. Through the use of special ends—available on our fabric hoses—you can easily increase and decrease the inside diameter of your hosework!
So, can a dryer vent be used for a portable air-conditioner? The answer is yes, if your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose’s inside diameter happens to match the outside diameter of your dryer vent. Even if this does not happen to be the case—if you want to connect a 5-inch AC-vent/hose to your 4-inch dryer-vent—you can do so with a hose with a reduced-cuff end. Ducting.com sells fabric hoses that are available with many different types of custom ends, some of those being belted-cuff, funnel, and reduced-cuff ends. These will help you adjust the inside-diameter size of your ductwork in order to fit over any fixture you desire. There are benefits for increasing and decreasing the ID of your portable-air-conditioner vent/hose. Altering your hose to accommodate your dryer vent—if it does not already—is one such benefit! Using a dryer vent is an alternate method of exhausting your portable air-conditioner. As you must remove heat and moisture from your unit, it is within your best interest that these byproducts end up outside of the room you are cooling. Otherwise, your portable air-conditioner would not be able to do what it does best: cool! Using Ducting.com’s fabric, portable-AC hosework with special ends can accommodate any specific adjustments you may want to make for your hosing, especially if you are considering using your dryer vent to exhaust your portable AC.