How to Install Air Conditioning Units

If central air conditioning isn't feasible or affordable for you, window unit air conditioners are the next-best alternative. They aren't difficult to install yourself, though it will take some physical strength to position the unit into the window. Make sure to use a proper support bracket for the unit, since relying on the window frame itself to hold the weight could damage the frame.

Things You'll Need

• New window air conditioning unit of appropriate size for the window and the room Metal support platform or brackets for the air conditioner (if it doesn't come with one, you can buy one separately) Power drill Pilot bit Screwdriver bit Handful of 1/2-inch drywall screws Adhesive-backed weather stripping

Instructions

1. Open the window and measure the width of the opening. It should be wide enough to accommodate the full width of the air conditioner, with enough space left on the side for the built-in baffles to expand a little.

2. If the air condition came with a mounting platform, install it according to the instructions. If it didn't come with a platform, you should buy one separately from any home improvement store; basic aluminum models are widely available. (Making your own platform of wood isn't advisable, as the wood may rot from the moisture of the condension from the air conditioner.)

3. Set the air conditioning unit on the sill, with the control panel facing in toward you and the power cord inside the room. Carefully slide the unit out onto the support platform or brackets, until the whole back end is sticking out. The bottom lip of the front panel should butt up against the bottom border of the window. Lower the window pane so that it tucks behind the top lip of the air conditioning unit. Spread the side-baffles out so they touch the two sides of the window frame.

4. With your drill and pilot bit, put pilot holes into the wood window frame through the screw holes in the air conditioner's top and bottom lips and side-baffles. Switch your drill to a screwdriver bit and use it to sink the drywall screws into the holes. Test to make sure the window cannot be opened above the unit.

5. Press your adhesive-backed weather stripping all around the perimeter of the unit, where it meets the window sill. Make sure it's a tight seal all around. Plug in the unit and turn it on. Check to make sure the condensation is dripping outside the house and not seeping in; if so, take the unit out and re-adjust the support brackets according to the instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• When choosing an air conditioner, have the dimensions of your rooms handy and compare them to the air conditioner specifications; it should tell you how big of a room it can effectively cool. Before you install the unit, make sure there is an eletrical outlet within reach of the unit's electrical cord.

• Be careful lifting the window unit; use your legs, not your back, and if it's a large unit, have someone help you.

References

• More information is available here.