Living in the summer months without an air conditioner can be downright torture for most people. But, buying central air conditioning can cost a fortune. The solution? A small air conditioner that will fit inside most windows in your home. An air conditioner works by removing the warm air from your home, adding a substance like Freon to it to cool it down, then pumping the cool air back into your home until the desired temperature is reached. Installing a window air conditioner can be a pain. Often times people resort to calling a specialist to do it for them. The truth is, with a little patience and tools, the job can easily be done by yourself.
The first step you must take when installing a window air conditioner is to determine what window you will use. Your window must slide – either up and down or left to right – so the air conditioner will fit. If you have a window that you must “crank” open, the air conditioner will not fit in the opening and you won’t be able to plug up the extra space. After you have selected the window you will use, measure every dimension available and write it down a piece of paper. When you go to the store to purchase the AC unit, you must have the dimensions available to determine which AC unit will fit inside your window.
When reading the instructions below, refer to the included directions that came with the air conditioner for what each part means.
The first thing you must do is install the mounting brackets so the AC unit has something to sit on as it extends outside the window. To do this, screw one end into the window sill, then adjust the center screw of the bracket to ensure the air conditioner is level. Now, open the window all the way. Slide the air AC unit over the window sill and rest it upon the support brackets.
Close the window as far as it will go – until it hits the unit. Pull out the built-in extensions of the air conditioner as to create a rough seal around the window. Drill small holes into the window frame and fasten the extensions to the window frame. If angle brackets were supplied by the manufacturer, use them now to further secure the extensions to the window frame. Find a narrow strip of foam to plug the gap if there is any extra space between the extensions and window frame. Finally, make sure to tilt the AC unit back a bit to ensure that extra water will drain outside – not in! Use a caulking gun to caulk the outside perimeter of the unit to further ensure that the air conditioner is secure in it’s place. Plug in the unit and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Installing a window air conditioner can be a daunting task at first, but in reality it isn’t that hard. By following the instructions set out before you here, you will be able to enjoy a cool home instead of suffering in the heat.
