Portable Air Conditioners Without Exhaust Hose

Air conditioners are excellent solutions to keep ourselves cool amidst the heat of the summer months. However, without proper care and maintenance they can go up in flames, causing irreversible damage to your home and property. According to a 2016 National Fire Protection Association report, A/C units cause an average of 140 injuries, 20 deaths, and more than $80 million in property damage every year.

That being said, you can eliminate the risk related to fire by ensuring you maintain your air conditioner properly and have a professional visiting your house to assess it regularly. So you may be asking, “Can a window air conditioner cause a fire?” Here are some common causes for AC units causing a fire, so you know how to keep your air conditioner – as well as yourself and your loved ones, as well — safe from harm.

1. Faulty Wiring

It’s paramount to have a heating and AC repair service provider insulate your AC unit’s wiring with electrical tape and replace the rusted ones. Make sure they leave nothing uncovered. Even a small patch that is not insulated can cause an electrical spark. For added safety, you may skip multiple extension plugs and wires and opt for a single fully insulated wiring. In addition to this, protect your wires from heating up by not placing them on doorways or wallpapers or under carpets or rugs.

2. Overheated Appliances

The load on the system is quite high during the summer months, with electrical appliances like air conditioners being in constant use. Add to that the possibility of fluctuations in the electrical voltage and you get a ticking bomb. To avoid any nasty situations such as a fire incident, it’s best to be safe than sorry and switch off your air conditioner periodically.

3. Wrongly Calculated Amperage

One of the most frequent mistakes when installing an air conditioning unit is the amperage, which is often miscalculated. The problem lies in the fact that the AC unit is not measured relative to the electrical capacity. In other words, your electrical wiring does not match the amperage of the AC unit. Also, beware of prong tools that have been replaced to fit the plugs. Many times, this shift can lead to a fire surge.

4. Delayed Maintenance

Dirt accumulates in the coils and vents of the air conditioner and blocks the smooth flow of air, which increases the risk of the AC unit choking. A fire break out is more than likely to happen in this case. That’s why it’s recommended to service your air conditioner both before and after the summertime.

5. Flammables Within Reach

Check the AC unit’s site before you install it for appliances, bushes, leaves, and other kinds of debris near the outdoor unit. These can increase the risk of your AC unit catching fire.

6. Foul odors that are being ignored

If your AC unit gives off a bad smell, you should not look the other way. It might be a sign that indicates burning wires, which can happen in both newly installed and older air conditioners. In this case, switch the unit off. If you;re using your smartphone (or another Wi-Fi device) to regulate the thermostat’s temp, be extra cautious as it will be extremely unlikely to be able to spot the problem on time.

What to do if your window AC unit catches a fire

Avoid using water to put out the flames as it will only make things worse. The oxygen in the water will fuel the fire and cause it to increase in intensity. It’s best to use a piece of cloth or sand to extinguish the fire until the firefighters arrive.

Conclusion

If you want to act proactively, never let inexperienced technicians install or maintain your window air conditioning units. Non-professional technicians working on your unit boost the possibility of a fire incident as they are not trained to overcome or spot a potentially hazardous situation.

A portable air conditioner is one that doesn’t require permanent installation. Usually standing about 28 to 34 tall and with wheels to facilitate portability, these air conditioners can be very useful depending on your needs. They are lightweight enough to be useful in a number of situations.

But they can remain an enigma, especially for those who have never used a portable air conditioner before. One of the biggest questions we get is, is there freon in portable air conditioners? The simplest answer to this question is that all portable air conditioners use a refrigerant that must not leak.

How the Process Works

A portable air conditioner uses a refrigerant called freon to cool the air in the room and exhaust the hot air outside. The refrigerant therefore changes states to allow the easy transfer of heat; it draws warm air into the cooling chamber of the conditioner and passes it over the coils of the evaporator. Freon will then absorb the heat from the warm air and evaporates, thereby cooling it. The cool air is then blown back into the room.  

The vaporized freon then flows to the compressor section of the conditioner where it is compressed. During the compression, the temperature and the pressure of the refrigerant is significantly increased. The freon will then flow to the condenser coils which will absorb the heat, effectively cooling them. It then flows to the evaporator and the cycle is repeated until the desired temperature is achieved.

The Dangers of Freon

Freon is very important for portable air conditioners to work properly, since they play a critical role of removing excess heat from the air in the room. But there is a reason the refrigerant used in any portable air conditioner must not leak. In its gaseous state, freon is often odorless and tasteless, which means you may not be able to detect the presence of freon in the air. But when inhaled, freon can cause dizziness, heart palpitations, as well as headaches and irritation to the eyes, lungs, and skin. It’s even been known to reduce the supply of oxygen to the body’s vital organs.

Therefore, it goes without saying that you should always make sure that the refrigerant in your portable air conditioner is not leaking. If you think for any reason that the air conditioner’s freon is leaking, you will need to remove it from the house and have an expert repair the appliance before reusing it.

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Portable Air Conditioner

Under normal circumstances, a portable air conditioner will work as expected, but because there are so many different types available in the market, it can be difficult to choose just one. The following are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing a portable air conditioner:

• BTU and subsequently the size of the room you want to cool. The BTU will tell you how powerful the unit is. The higher the BTU, the larger the area the air conditioner will be able to cool effectively.
• Single or dual hose design. Single hose designs can be easier to install, whereas double hose designs can expel more warm air thereby pulling in more air to cool the room faster.