Portable air conditioners that work with patio doors

Portable air conditioners are freestanding, rather than installed in a window or doorway. All air conditioners require some sort of ventilation as they draw warm air and water vapour out of the air and release cooler, drier air. Using a window or door is preferable, as it defeats the purpose to expel warm air back into a room that needs to be cooled. Many air conditioners work with sliding patio doors, but window units are more common because, once installed, air conditioners should not be removed. An airtight seal needs to be maintained, so it is less useful to install the air conditioner in a patio door because every time the door is opened the air conditioner would need to be reinstalled.

Sunpentown sells a plastic window/door kit that works with their portable air conditioners, such as the WA-1300. The air conditioners come with foam window kits as standard, but for those who wish for greater stability and the ability to attach the unit to a sliding door, optional kits are available. Three additional pieces come in the kit and fit many doors, although taller doors may require additional parts. The air conditioner unit can cool an area up to 430 square feet. While the unit does work as a dehumidifier, it does not require water to be drained very often as the water in the machine is used to help cool the unit and evaporates much of the water collected, which is then expelled through the ventilation hose.

Like Sunpentown, Edgestar offers an accessory kit to hook its portable air conditioners to sliding patio doors. The AP14001HS is a heater and air conditioner, which can heat or cool a room up to 525 square feet. The unit has a dual hose ventilation, which provides for a greater area it can heat or cool, in comparison with the Sunpentown, which has a single hose for ventilation and is capable of cooling a smaller area. The unit comes with a remote control for easier use.

The ACW 500CH is an air conditioner and heater in one, and, unlike the other two air conditioners listed, the included ventilation system works with most patio doors. While it is designed for windows, the included ventilation system is plastic and extends to the same dimensions as Sunpentown's optional large window and door kit. No water draining is required as the machine is very efficient in its use of water vapour.