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I live in an apartment and need to install air conditioning to cool down one room (about 20 m2), from time to time (1-3 hours per sunny day, for a total of 3 or 4 months a year - typical European continental weather).

I cannot modify the external part of the building (by punching though a hole or modifying the window) so I was thinking about installing a single hose system and reusing the kitchen stove hood exhaust (just in case my English is incorrect: I am thinking about the hole in the wall to which one would normally attach the device which sucks in cooking odors).

Is this in principle a good idea?

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  • Why not just use a window mounted air conditioner unit? Are you limited by the window design (e.g. tilt/turn windows)?
    – iLikeDirt
    May 9, 2015 at 15:05
  • I am limited by the fact that I must not change the external view of the building (among others, it is forbidden to attach anything outside, like a split AC)
    – WoJ
    May 9, 2015 at 18:02
  • This would be easy to make work... as a heater (other way 'round, not so much).
    – Mazura
    Aug 8, 2015 at 3:02

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It sounds like you are attempting to make your own version of a space air conditioner. These are an air condition broken into two parts. The first part is an outdoor box that is the size of a brief case and then the other part is the fan that blows the cool air. The two pieces are connected by about 10 feet of semi-flexible tubing. They plug into a standard outlet and are meant to only cool small areas such as a room or office. We used them all the time in Afghanistan. We could retrofit anything to hold one - tents, conex boxes, sheds... You would not need to cut holes in the walls for the tubes. Should be able to run them through the stove hood as long as you don't turn the fan on. I think it was called a chuga or something. Works create and they were not too expensive.

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  • I do not have, unfortunately, any possibility to reach the other side of the exhaust (to place the outdoor box). I can only plug the pipe into the hole in the wall.
    – WoJ
    Apr 9, 2015 at 13:41
  • Oh ok, sorry about that. Venting the warm air will be a hassle for you. I assume the air flow rate of the hood is slower than the air condition, which may cause problems.
    – Jesse
    Apr 9, 2015 at 13:50
  • I had this concern too but since I have never closely looked at an air conditioning box (they are not common where I live, due to the weather) I assumed that the hot air would be pushed out as it has some pressure.
    – WoJ
    Apr 9, 2015 at 13:52
  • You are correct, but if you get too much back pressure the fluid will overheat and you can blow your compressor. Where I live they have special air conditioners now meant for your purpose.link The air exiting the duct is at a high flow rate though. May be able to retrofit your hood to accommodate. Good luck!
    – Jesse
    Apr 9, 2015 at 13:55
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I'd have to say no & it's a bad idea...unless NONE of your windows open. Which, I find impossible & if they're stuck shut the Landlord must fix them. A Window Fan is all you're duplicating & that would be cheaper & better than the hose. The kitchen exhaust fan is too small & will burn-out quite quickly. The only other plan, outside of getting an actual Window Air Conditioner that actually conditions the air, would be to use a 2nd fan in the room to blow through a hose & into the kitchen vent for a much more forceful & direct removal.

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