Why Does a Portable Air Conditioner Need to Be Drained?

Portable air conditioners are convenient multiuse appliances that help keep you cool in summer and dehumidify rooms in winter. Today, we’re going to discuss common questions regarding why portable air conditioners need to be drained.

Why does my portable air conditioner collect condensation? As your portable AC cools the room, it extracts moisture, or water vapor, from the air. This moisture condenses as water in a tank inside the unit. The portable air conditioner then releases cold, dehumidified air to be circulated about the room. Why does my portable air conditioner need to be drained? When condensation builds up inside the portable AC’s tank without being drained, water can overflow and leak out of the unit. As with any moist environment, the tank filled with stagnant water can also become a breeding ground for mold.

How can I drain my portable air conditioner? The humidity level of the air in your room will determine how often your portable AC needs to be drained. While all portable air conditioners require drainage on a regular basis, they differ on which method they use for drainage. These methods include:

• Manual bucket drainage
  • Unit either has a detachable tank that can be removed and emptied or a built-in tank with a hole through which water can be released when the unit is tipped over
• Drain hose
  • Hose can be placed out of a window or into a bucket to drain condensate, sometimes with the assistance of an internal pump that allows the tank to be emptied vertically or horizontally
• Automatic evaporation
  • Moisture is automatically drained via the same exhaust hose that expels air from the room

Note that even with units featuring auto-evaporation, you might still need to manually drain your portable AC if you’re in a high-humidity environment.

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