View All GE Room Air Conditioners Looking for air conditioners for your hotel, motel or multi-family property? GE Zoneline is trusted by thousands of property owners for their reliable performance and profitable properties, today and for years to come. Shop GE Commercial Air ConditionersSticking outside in all their boxy metallic ugliness, dripping onto passers-by, and blocking light and views indoors, window mounted air conditioners are as ubiquitous a feature of NYC apartment life as fire escapes and water towers.  (For more info, check out BrickUnderground's guide to all things window a/c).PTACs are usually installed when a building is constructed and hooked up to a building’s hot-water system.  Hot water produced by the boiler flows into the PTAC, and circulates the resulting heat into the apartment.  The PTAC has a separate chamber containing coolant that produces cool air.  They are vented to the outside through a cutout below the window typically covered with a metal grill, similar to a through-wall a/c, says Gary Cottam of Cottam Heating & Air Conditioning. 

2. Choosing the right through-wall unitFriedrich, LG, GE, Amana, and Frigidaire are the most popular brands.  There are standard calculations  to determine the number of BTUs you need--room size, ceiling height, amount of sunlight, number of occupants, and proximity to the kitchen.And don’t forget to jot down the voltage and amperage of the electrical plug, along with the capacity of the outlet the a/c will use.  If you’re buying a unit that requires more electrical power than your existing outlet can handle, you’re going to need an electrician to upgrade your wiring.  ac units for the houseAnd that will require lots of permits along with permission from your landlord, or co-op or condo board.3. how to disconnect an air conditioner unitInstalling a through-wall a/c where none has gone beforeAlthough cutting an opening through the masonry of an exterior wall is physically a relatively simple undertaking that costs around $2,000, like most things connected with New York City real estate you’ll have to get the requisite building and construction permits, permission from your landlord, co-op, or condo board, and maybe even an architectwhat is outside ac unit for

,  says Ranjit Singh, president of Cool Air Inc.Arline Kob, a principal at Key Real Estate Associates, which manages co-ops in New York, says that she’s “never known a co-op board to allow the installation of a through-the-wall unit where none exists.”  The board would be concerned about façade uniformity and breaking the seal of the building’s exterior. If your board is through-wall-friendly, you will be expected to install an exterior grille that matches existing ones and lines up to them, says property manager Michael Wolfe of Midboro Management.  The grilles will also need to be flush with the building's facade and the building's architect or engineer will need to review the proposed installation.In addition, says Kob, "the resident and future buyers, not the co-op, would be responsible for maintaining the newly installed sleeve and the wall into which it was cut.  That includes damage to surrounding apartments that may result.”If you live in a landmarked building or district you’ll have to get the go ahead from the Landmarks Preservation Commission too. 

Good luck with that, especially if the altered wall will be visible from the street.  “Landmarks would never allow it,” says Kob.Because a PTAC is hooked up to the building’s water, the units need to be rigorously maintained to get rid of clogs that can cause leaks. These can go unnoticed for long periods of time, causing floors and walls to buckle and often damaging apartments below the one in which it’s housed. Damage from PTAC units is, in fact, among the most common apartment insurance claims in New York City, says Jeff Schneider of Gotham Brokerage, with an average claim size of $5,000.In addition, PTAC units are prone to the musty, mildew-y odor known as 'dirty sock syndrome', which is generally thought to be caused by bacteria and mold accumulating on heat pumps.  The PTAC’s dual heating and cooling functions make them susceptible to it. Frequent professional cleaning can help sometimes, but the problem has no good solution; the very nature of the PTAC unit makes it susceptible.  

Summer's coming: Here's what you need to know as a/c season nearsThe Appliance Doctor: Quick fixes for impatient New Yorkers in a high-end appliance worldIs spending $350 to get your a/c cleaned worth it?Care for some mold with that a/c?Dear Ms. Demeanor: Irreconcilable air-conditioning differences3 ways to get around a/c-unfriendly window barsAsk an Expert: Best apartments for central a/c?The cost of cool: Tipping advice for a/c seasonWhy you mite not want to use your a/c just yetYour window unit could make you sick. Before you install a window air conditioner in a room, consider some of the harmful effects it can have. Mold, for example, can be worse in a window unit than a central AC system. Other possible problems apply to air conditioning in general, not just window units. Respiratory Illness Window unit air conditioners work by drawing heat and humidity from the room to lower the ambient temperature. The dehumidifying effects can also cause some drying of the mucus-coated lining inside your nose and allow airborne viruses to enter your system.

A study published by the International Epidemiological Association in 2004 found higher sickness rates attributed to upper respiratory illnesses in women working in air-conditioned offices as opposed to women working in offices without air conditioning, though results were considered preliminary, due to limitations of the study's data. Allergy Irritant The humidity the window air conditioner draws from the air doesn't magically disappear; it deposits on the cooling coils inside the unit. This moisture plus dust creates an attractive environment for mold-growing spores. Failing to remove and clean or cover the window unit during the winter allows the accumulation of mold inside the cabinet. Neglecting to clean the filters inside the unit or installing inferior filters can allow dust and debris to pass through it. Breathing these mold spores can trigger allergy symptoms, such as coughing, watery eyes and a runny nose. Mold can also trigger breathing restrictions in asthma sufferers. Inspect and clean the coils as needed.

Outdoor Air Infiltration A high-quality window air conditioner that's properly installed should not permit unfiltered outdoor air into the interior space. However, any breach in the seal between the air conditioner unit and the window can introduce outdoor air, along with allergens and other air pollutants. Additionally, a malfunctioning or poorly designed air conditioner may not filter outdoor air sufficiently, pulling outdoor air directly into the room. To prevent these problems, make sure the air conditioner unit is fully sealed around the window opening and the unit is designed to filter all conditioned air. Also be sure to use a high-quality filter or supplemental disposable filter in addition to the unit's standard filter, to remove as many air pollutants as possible. Irritate Exiting Eye Conditions The allergens blown into the air by your window unit air conditioner can worsen allergic conjunctivitis, also known as Pink Eye. An inferior filter allows dust mites and animal dander to pass through the window unit’s blower and pollute the air.

These allergens irritate the lining of the eye, turning it pink or red. Air conditioning can also increase the suffering of individuals diagnosed with blepharitis. The cold air blowing into the room can accelerate tear evaporation and aggravate sufferers’ dry eye symptoms. Environmental Hazards Both window unit air conditioners and central units use refrigerant to cool your room. Depending on the age of the unit, it could use chlorofluorocarbon cooling agents that could leak from the sealed system and damage the earth’s ozone. Improper disposal of these older units could result in fines up to $25,000 issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. Even units using hydrochlorofluorocarbon cooling agents can harm the environment, although not as damaging as those units using chlorofluorocarbons. Check with your municipality for disposal facilities before you throw away your leaky unit. References The New York Times: Really? The Claim: Air-Conditioning Can Cause ColdsCardiff University: Summer ColdSharecare: How Does My Nose Protect Me from InfectionsIEA: Workplace Air-Conditioning and Health Services Attendance Among French Middle-Aged Women: A Prospective Cohort StudyCalifornia Energy Commission: Window Air ConditionersHello Daily News: Air Conditioning: Too Cool To Be Good For You?