Portable air con - vent into the loft?

ahar · 18 May 2017 at 09:54

Was thinking of getting a portable air con unit for upstairs (and no, I don't want a split unit installed) but my Windows make it a little tricky to get the vent hose sealed properly.

Then I thought about the loft. It's not quite high enough to stand in but runs the length and breadth of the house so is a pretty big space.

Anyone tried this? I'm only likely to use it a few days a year (hence not wanting something installed permanently) so are there any potential pitfalls?

Maundie · 18 May 2017 at 10:57

Wouldn't it create a damp issue in the loft?

Have you got a chimney that goes up through your house, pipe the aircon exhaust through the loft into the chimney stack

psd99 · 18 May 2017 at 11:53

just put it out of the window
anything else is more hassle than its worth tbh

a1ex2001 · 18 May 2017 at 13:23

psd99 said:
just put it out of the window
anything else is more hassle than its worth tbh

This, if you're using a portable AC unit why go to the hassle of anything else, if you want neat tidy and efficient you already know you need a split unit.

Bickaxe · 18 May 2017 at 13:48

I bought http://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-aluminium-laminated-flexible-ducting-hose-silver-10m-x-152mm/86676 (had to be 152mm to fit the bracket on the AC unit).
Gave plenty of length so I could pipe it into the room I wanted without moving the unit but you do get condensation on the hose.

Just putting the supplied vent hose out the window, the unit gave fantastic cooling in that room (vital for using the Vive in the summer).

ahar · 18 May 2017 at 16:03

How well do you have to seal the windows - mine are a bit awkward to sort. I was thinking the only real alternative is a piece of perspex with a hole cut out

silverblack · 18 May 2017 at 16:45

I had one and looked for a kit that could be fitted to the window but they are all manufacturer specific.
The other idea i had was to cut a hole in the roof for the the exhaust hose and then out of a vent to the outside in the loft.
Eventually sold it as it was only used a few days a year.

Bickaxe · 19 May 2017 at 03:29

ahar said:
How well do you have to seal the windows - mine are a bit awkward to sort. I was thinking the only real alternative is a piece of perspex with a hole cut out

I just put the vent hose out with an extra 30cm or so to direct the warm air away and with the window pulled close to hold the hose in place.
The hose I had supplied with my unit is about 1.5m long and is a fairly rigid plastic when extended. Would be a problem if windows opened differently or were any higher.

Glaucus · 19 May 2017 at 04:47

ahar said:
How well do you have to seal the windows - mine are a bit awkward to sort. I was thinking the only real alternative is a piece of perspex with a hole cut out

essentially not at all, but obviously the efficient will be bad.
I have no seals and it cools the room lovely, but then elec is included in rent, so not bothered by the efficiency.

it would be fairly easy to fashion something up if you have a few tools and a bit of marine plywood or plastic.

ahar · 19 May 2017 at 14:22

thanks - will try it with the window open a bit and then break out the jigsaw out that doesn't work