Window Air Conditioners: Guidelines and Warnings Stephen Varone & Peter Varsalona Summertime, and the livin' is … dangerous? It could be, if window-mounted air conditioners aren't properly installed in your building. While New York City doesn't consider a/c units as serious an issue as cracked bricks or loose masonry, a poorly installed one can fall and injure or kill someone. Boards and property managers must make sure the units at your co-op or condo are adequately secured. What does "adequately secured" really mean? The first thing to know is that window air conditioners do fall under Local Law 11/98. While not specifically mentioned, they're covered under the existing administrative code (C26-105.3), which stipulates that exterior walls and appurtenances must be maintained in a safe condition. The Department of Buildings (DOB) scrutinizes facade inspection reports closely, and can reject reports that fail to affirm the stability of window-mounted air conditioners, or which have photos showing potentially unsafe units.

Installation GuidelinesThe DOB website provides a plain-English page of guidelines for safely installing window air conditioners. Step one: Make sure the right-sized a/c is being used. It should have enough capacity to cool the room and have a dedicated outlet with the proper amount of electrical current.The window and window frame in which the unit will be mounted should be secure and in good condition. The air conditioner should be braced from underneath with metal brackets, mounting rails or similar supports, or firmly fastened from inside with supporting angles. The metal brackets and angles should be attached to the exterior of the building and be strong enough to support the size and weight of the unit. While these are considered best practices, there is no requirement under Local Law 11 that buildings over six stories are absolutely required to use metal brackets.Anything used to adjust the position of the air conditioner, such as shims, should be independently secured to prevent shifting caused by vibration, wind or ice.

Tip: The air conditioner should remain in place when the window is opened, or secured so that the window cannot be opened accidentally. Tilting the unit for drainage is okay as long as it isn't at a steep angle.samsung window air conditioner warrantyFooting LooseDangers come not only from an improperly secured air conditioner itself, but also from any loose objects used to support it. window box ac unitBricks, wooden blocks, phone books or (as in one case we've seen) videocassette tapes should never be wedged between an air conditioner and the window sill. air conditioning unit newItems such as flower pots, satellite dishes and bird feeders should not be placed on top of the unit.Aside from these guidelines, there are factors specific to each installation, such as the size and weight of the a/c, the width of the window, the depth of the windowsill, the condition of the window frame, whether the unit is installed on the top or at the bottom of the window opening and how much of the air conditioner extends outside the window.

Given the number of air conditioners in a multistory building and the problems that ensue (including gaining access to apartments, and the fact that air-conditioner installations aren't permanent and may change from year to year), it is impractical if not impossible for the engineer or architect conducting a Local Law 11/98 inspection to check every window-mounted unit. One protocol is to have him or her inspect at least one securely installed window a/c (which must conform to the guidelines above) that building management has established to be a standard for the building. When signing the inspection report, management is asked to confirm that all other air conditioner installations meet or exceed that standard.Don't Do Do-It-YourselfUnder this arrangement, management must establish installation guidelines and procedures and make sure all residents comply. For example, management can establish a rule that window air conditioners can be installed only by someone deemed qualified, such as the building superintendent, a maintenance person, a technician from the store where the unit was bought, or perhaps an exterior contractor.

Residents might be asked to complete a simple form verifying that a qualified installer was used.To maintain uniform safety standards, it's not a good idea to permit residents to install window air conditioners on their own, especially on street-facing facades. Managers will doubtlessly face resistance from residents and boards questioning why they need to hire an installer to put in their air conditioners when they can do it themselves. The issue, however, is not unlike apartment alterations. Most residents accept that they cannot renovate their apartments without board approval. Similarly, without established a/c guidelines that require a qualified installer, some residents will no doubt hastily shove a unit in a window, close the sash, and be done with it. The more apartments in the building, the greater the risk some air conditioners will not be adequately secured.While individual residents will have to assume responsibility for ensuring their air-conditioner installation conforms to building standards, managers and boards will still be required to monitor and enforce compliance.

Such measures as marking air conditioner locations on building elevation plans and conducting spot checks should be part of the maintenance staff's procedures. Boards, of course, are already aware that if a poorly installed unit falls and injures or kills someone, the corporation will be held liable. Stephen Varone and Peter Varsalona are principals at Rand Engineering & Architecture. For the complete article and more,  join our Archive >>While the VA loan process consists of multiple steps, the appraisal process can prove the most frustrating for some service members. The VA utilizes a set of Minimum Property Requirements that must be addressed before a loan can receive the agency’s guarantee. Those MPRs cover a range of important things and are in place to ensure the safety and health of military home buyers. The VA wants homes to be “move-in ready” with minimal repairs or work necessary. In fact, major repairs or health and safety issues have to be resolved before a loan can close.

Out of the gate, there are some major issues that can spell trouble for a VA appraisal. Here’s a look at five common ones. Homes that do not have adequate heating systems will never pass the VA appraisal. For a home to be approved there must be an efficient and acceptable source of heat that can provide residents with a comfortable living condition. For this reason, homes that employ the use of a wood stove as the main heat source must have a secondary heating system that can maintain a minimum temperature of 50 degrees in plumbing areas of the home. Logically, for a home to be considered move-in ready, there must be working electricity. Appraisers will pay attention to whether a home provides acceptable electricity for lights and has the correct equipment to deliver results. VA appraisers will check that there aren’t any holes in the roof that can lead to leaks and other defects. If left unchecked, these shortcomings can have a huge impact on the value of a home, often leaving homebuyers in a bind if small problems snowball into big ones as the house gets older.

For most military members looking to buy a home, a broken window is the least of their worries. But VA appraisers feel otherwise. Because broken windows affect both the heating bill and the home’s perception within the neighborhood, all broken windows must be repaired. Prior to approval, sellers must provide section one termite clearance, as termites can eliminate a home’s candidacy in the VA loan program. Additionally, appraisers must report any evidence of fungus growth or dry rot if found. With all this in mind, there’s plenty of hope. A good Realtor can make a world of difference. The VA has some strict, set-in-stone requirements and standards when it comes to appraising a veteran’s prospective home. Agents and sellers burned by the process often see it as punitive and arbitrary. But these measures are in place for a good reason. The focus of the program is ensuring the health and safety of veterans and their families. The VA isn’t going to guarantee a loan on a home with major issues that could jeopardize the safety of its inhabitants.