Air Conditioner

Cmyki · #1 Posted **Mar 19, 2018, 6:01 PM**

I learned the hard lesson last summer living in a Condo facing west.

Prepping myself for this year's summer season.

When is the best time to buy one?

Best place to find good pricing?

Which brands should I consider?

TIA

240glt · #2 Posted **Mar 19, 2018, 6:11 PM**

^ I your unit roughed in for a split a/c unit already ? If so you're looking probably round $2k to start to get it installed.

If not, are you fine with just conditioning one room or are you trying to a/c the whole place ? Best option if you're just doing one room is to go get a floor standing model that you duct to a window. Don't waste your money on a 6000 BTU unit, spend the extra and get a 10-12k one. It'll be more expensive but you won't have to run it as much. Expect to spend anywhere from $600-1000. Brand really doesn't matter too much, but I'd look for the one with the lowest decibal rating.

If you're looking at central options you need a split and your costs will escalate quickly depending on how many zones you want to cool.

Cmyki · #3 Posted **Mar 19, 2018, 10:00 PM**

I'm absolutely leaning towards a portable AC unit as I might consider relocating (renter).

Cypherus · #4 Posted **Mar 20, 2018, 1:11 AM**

Ultra tower facing west. Purchased the portable air conditioner, "Danby", with 14000 BTU from Costco around Spring last year for $400 before tax. It went up to $500 in summer. Life saver. Came with a sliding door bracket. Went to home depot to buy weather stripping tape and a small plexi glass window to fill in the gaps after taping the sliding door bracket to the frame. That way I can still go in and out on the balcony.

WarrenC12 · #5 Posted **Mar 20, 2018, 4:04 PM**

God I'm so glad to have built-in AC. It's only getting hotter in the summers here. If you can fit the "window shaker" style of unit anywhere, they are a lot more efficient. I understand that's probably a no-go in most stratas though.

240glt · #6 Posted **Mar 20, 2018, 4:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

God I'm so glad to have built-in AC. It's only getting hotter in the summers here. If you can fit the "window shaker" style of unit anywhere, they are a lot more efficient. I understand that's probably a no-go in most stratas though.

Yes we have central A/C in the house and it is magnificent.

A lot of condominium buildings won't allow a window shaker, that's the only issue with those. Otherwise yes it's the cheapest and easiest solution. THe nice thing about the portable is you can move it around easier

Cmyki · #7 Posted **Mar 21, 2018, 8:36 PM**

Nice! Is it quiet?

Is the usually a sale for AC units as summer season comes up? Trying to figure out whens the best time to purchase.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cypherus

Ultra tower facing west. Purchased the portable air conditioner, "Danby", with 14000 BTU from Costco around Spring last year for $400 before tax. It went up to $500 in summer. Life saver. Came with a sliding door bracket. Went to home depot to buy weather stripping tape and a small plexi glass window to fill in the gaps after taping the sliding door bracket to the frame. That way I can still go in and out on the balcony.

nwood64 · #8 Posted **Jan 21, 2021, 6:11 PM**

Now I have the same problem right now. I want to prepare for the summer since the winter. I liked some options for your air conditioners, I will look at them one of these days. Thank you.
My uncle works in this field and he said that the air conditioner like the guy above is quite good and I bought the same one. However, after a while it broke down and I was very upset, my uncle said that it was quite strange because it was quite high-quality and advised me to look at the article on The Tool Scout after which I figured out the problem and solved it myself, even without any knowledge in this matter. The air conditioner resumed its operation without any problems.
Now I want to install a second air conditioner in the second room of my house before the summer.

Mistrales · #9 Posted **Dec 11, 2021, 1:27 PM**

Before buying a conditioner, you should ask yourself how many rooms you want to cool/heat with this device. If you have more than one, you should purchase a multisplit-system, often more expensive than the standard split system, consisting of two outdoor and indoor blocks. In multiple-system several inner blocks, installed in different rooms, are connected to one outer one. Indeed, it is possible to buy a mobile conditioner and move it to premises, where needed heating cooling. Also, before buying, you should pay attention to the noise level of your air conditioner and its energy efficiency.