Can a window mounted air conditioner be put indoors?

Question

The window mounted air conditioner is not allowed in the window in my apt. complex (in my lease agreement, as the building is to be kept uniform on the outside).

I would like to use the window mounted unit indoors...I understand there's a little hole in the bottom to drain condensed water (I have a drip tray for that).

What I don't understand is that there are 5 vents in the unit:

1. one on the front which puts the cool air in the apt.

2. one on the back which puts the hot air across the coil outside (which I have jerry rigged a cardboard/dryer vent style to the window (which has another cardboard type cutout for the window)

3. what are the other 3 vents for? (one on top, one on each side)

The reason I ask is the unit blows hot air through the front...right now I have the 3 vents on the top and sides, all going together with the coil on the back to one dryer hose...what am I missing?

Answer 1

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Ditch the window unit and buy  portable floor unit.

They are compact and not so unusual to see sitting in your living room.

Check out the links below to get you started in your search for one near you maybe.

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Answer 2

No not easily, there is a water vent in the back that drips water outside.

Answer 3

No, you cannot use a window air conditioner inside.  The condenser needs to release the heat it gathered in your home to the outdoors.

They do make indoor units that have a hose for venting to the outside, but they tend to be expensive.  The only other way you could do it is if you have a air conditioner with a water cooled condenser, but my guess is you'd have a difficult time locating one of those, and perhaps an even more difficult time hooking it up.

My best suggestion to you is.....MOVE!!

Just so you understand it, the part of the A/C unit you see (the side with all the controls is the part that contains the evaporator.  The evaporator is where the heat of your home is picked up,  this heat is transferred (by the refrigerant...commonly erroneously called freon) to the condensing unit which is the part that sticks out of the window.  Once released, the refrigerant returns to the evaporator to start the whole process all over again.  The refrigerant changes states (liquid to gas back to liquid) which is how this feat is accomplished.

Final note.  Freon is the trade name for DuPont company's line of refrigerant.  Over the years it has become synonomous with refrigerant just like the term crescent wrench is used instead of ...open end adjustable wrench.

Genetron and Isotron area also brand of refrigerants made by other companies.

Hope this information has helped you.

p.s.  all those vents you referred to are for air to circulate around the condenser coil thereby helping the condenser get rid of the heat picked up in the evaporator.

Answer 4

Leave the 3 vents alone, I believe they help cool the air conditioner.  When I put mine in a window I do nothing with those ones.  Make sure nothing drinks the drip water, and not on your carpet.  Also make sure your machine is sucking in enough air to cool itself, dryer hose may not be big enough.

Answer 5

Yes it could, but the cost involved would be higher than just getting an potable unit.

Answer 6

the other three holes are for your thumb and first two fingers if you feel like a little indoor bowling.

That way you don't need a bowling ball either.

Answer 7

MAYBE YOU COULD build an inverted bay to sit the unit just  inside the open window.

Answer 8

LOL.  I had the same problem since I live in a condo.  Since the hot weather was approaching I got worried because last year we went through the summer without an air conditioner and I was hating life.  

Back you your question.  Your current air conditioner will not work indoor because it will be counter intuitive because the hot air will be dispensed in the same room that its trying to cool.  That is why it needs to sit on the window so the heat expels outside and not inside.  

I had to buy a portable air conditioner which looks like a small mini fridge and it has a hose (it looks kinda like the one from the dryer) and it has an attachment for the window.  This works wonders because 3 weeks ago we had a weather of 102 and I was sitting pretty in my room at 80 degrees.   check this link out and you could get more info if you like.

I bought the NewAir AC -12000E and it cools very well and its the cheapest and it got good reviews.   it shipped in about 5 days.

Answer 9

The top and side vents, which usually hang outside the window, are intakes to supply air to blow across the condenser coil at the back of the unit.

You forgot youve got an intake on the front of the unit too, which circulates the room air, thru a filter on the front of the unit, up thru the vents to blow into the room.

As others have already mentioned, you really are trying to use the wrong kind of unit here... You really should look into "portable air conditioners", or a "split" ac system.  A typical window unit is not made to run the exhaust out a 'dryer' vent...you're causing a bottle neck it isnt made to handle.

Good Luck

Answer 10

No. They are meant to move the heat from one place to another. Hot air will be coming out the other side and will make the room even hotter than it was.