An Air conditioner as an indoor appliance creates a cozy and conducive environment. It helps to absorb heat and acts as a shield from hot air.
While this is true, you may wonder if it is essential to vent ACs and how you should vent them.
Yes, the air conditioner acts as ventilation to reduce hot air circulation in an apartment or building. Vents are not only crucial for houses but also required for any closed space with an air conditioning system. Aside from reducing hot air circulation, AC vents serve as a filter for smoke particles, dust, and other gasses emitted from the AC.
Does An AC Room Need Ventilation?
Of course, the primary function of air conditioners is maintaining good air quality through proper ventilation using extract hoses.
The type and design of an aircon dramatically affect the performance and cool water dispensation.
Air ventilation codes and standards help maintain the ventilation standards in a building, be it a school office or other enclosed buildings.
Before an AC room becomes ventilated, all state and local building codes must be studied and followed precisely.
Natural air can be sufficient in countries with good humidity and temperature levels, and buildings may not require air conditioners to supplement air ventilation, cooling, or thermal comfort.
However, an HVAC system unit installation occurs when these conditions are not in place. AC rooms need ventilation to aid air circulation and maintain air quality.
| Natural Ventilation | HVAC System |
|---|---|
| Have a high level of humidity and temperatures | It helps to control the excess moisture content of indoor air entering the building. |
| Helps in supplementing outdoor mechanical ventilationHave unit ventilation and individual heat pumps for creating a cozy and conducive room through ducts. | |
| It uses operable windows and wind direction to its advantage for air circulation. | Minimizes the circulation of contaminated air by filtering debris, dust, and polluted air |
Tips To Vent AC Closet Doors
Before venting AC closet doors, they are pro tips you should consider so that you can have the best experience even as you install your HVAC system.
When followed, these tips bring about high efficiency and satisfaction.
- Ensure the exhaust hose is at least 8 inches high or low on a flat surface.
- Avoid installing AC door closets in areas prone to air contamination.
- Give a space of 30 feet apart from unhealthy environments.
- Install AC vents close to the window or doors of your building.
- Install AC vents in cool and dark areas with low humidity.
- Do well to strictly adhere to l local authority’s building codes on installing AC units.
- Consider the recommended measurement for the HVAC closet you want to install. For instance, the HVAC closet spread 6 to 8 inches on each side should have a 1-inch clearance at the back and an 8 to 12-inch clearance in front for electrical connections.
- Ensure that the closet door and HVAC unit are not the same widths. The former is always some inches wider than the latter.
How To Vent AC Closet Doors?
HVAC closet doors act as noise inhibitors. The HVAC unit makes a lot of noise which is why closet doors act as noise pads to help reduce the noise and work on the vent.
As a bonus, the closet makes your room more accessible and cleaner. AC closet doors and designed to enable ventilation for air conditioners using louvered doors.
Louvered doors are a sure bet for this because they help manage the heat emanating from a gas-powered AC; hence the combustion air is produced from indoor air.
Louvered doors become necessary because you can modify them into bi-folder or sliding barn doors, which help reduce the sound on the doors and act as vent pads.
Location Details For Venting Your AC
The air vents on the aircon are installed with exhaust hoses. The hose must lie eight inches high or below on a flat surface.
It would be best if you also resisted installing your AC in areas where it is prone to air contamination.
To better explain this, imagine installing your air conditioner close to a refuse dump or a poultry farm.
The air circulated in such an area is already contaminated, and it is impossible for air-conditioners not to pick up and circulate the contaminated air.
Do aircon even have control over the quality of the air they circulate? Of course not. They are only responsible for maintaining the quality of air circulating in the room.
Therefore, for your health and that of your family, install your AC vents at least 30 feet away from environments that could pose a health challenge.
Respiratory tract diseases have been associated with poor air quality. Contaminated air can also cause headaches, fevers, and flu.
You should permanently install an aircon close to a window or door in an exposed environment.
You can also install aircon vents in low humidity areas and avoid low exposure to the sun and too much cold.
It is worth noting that where you choose to install your AC is essential because it helps you reduce cost, minimize the installation procedures, and also helps to maximize the efficiency of the aircon when installed.
Vent Needed For Door So Air Can Recirculate
Airflow in an apartment can be recirculated by adjusting the air vents and installing a vent diffuser or Victorian-style vent covers.
#1. Adjusting Air Vents
Before attempting to adjust the air vents, you must, first of all, know the location of your vents to determine how to adjust them.
For instance, if it’s in a warm environment and is located outside on the floor, you can adjust the vents in a way that helps you maximize and allow the cool air in the aircon to flow upward and vice versa for adjusting air conditioner vents in cold weathers.
You can adjust the cold air by pointing down your air vents if they are located on the ceiling.
By doing this, the warm air in your vent, facing downward, will rise as it recirculates in the room. This whole process of adjusting and readjusting air conditioning vents is a way of maximizing air.
#2. Installing Vent Fuse Or Victorian Style Vent Cover
Air vents are primarily used as a filter for debris and draft and double as an air duct protector responsible for air circulation.
However, the vent diffusers or Victorian-style vent covers help in airflow diffusion. Air Vent deflectors are highly efficient in redirecting and recirculating air correctly.
You can also redirect air from vents by closing the vent fuse and covering it with an adjustable vent deflector to reduce airflow or even block air.
On the other hand, metal vents recirculate air when you close at least 10 percent of the air space with magnetic vent covers.
The magnetic vents shut out excess air in the air ducts, conserve air, and prevent damage to the AC unit.
However, the closed air ducts must be monitored from time to time and should not be kept closed for too long.
Ideally, every room in the home should have return air vents. However, these vents may be less or more depending on the size of your home, rooms, type of AC, and ductwork.
Another tool for determining the location of your AC vents is the AC assessment. It outlines the type of AC unit you should get and the size and cost it will incur.
Also, you can seek professional advice on the locations for AC unit installation.
Final Thoughts
Air conditioner ventilation helps to reduce hot air circulation inside a building. They also serve as smoke dust and gas-particle purifiers.
AC rooms are ventilated to maintain the quality of air in a building. However, air conditioners aid recirculation. You can adjust the air vents to suit the weather conditions or install vent diffusers.
