It is best to seal your wall air conditioner from the outside. An uncovered wall-unit air conditioner is like an open window to the outside. Window air conditioners can be easily removed during the winter months, but wall units typically are mounted in a more permanent fashion. As such, wall-unit air conditioners need to be sealed for the winter months for maximum insulation and heating efficiency. Covering the Vents A wall air conditioner has a number of places where cold air can come into the room in the winter. Simply covering the vents does little to prevent heat loss and dampen drafts, as a wall air conditioner has numerous openings to the outside. Rather than just covering the vents for the winter, you will see improved insulation if you also cover the unit from the outside. Plastic Sheets or Tarps Plastic sheets or tarps can be cut to fit around the outside of the air conditioner. Secure them using bungee cords or duct tape, and be sure to completely wrap the exposed portion of your wall air conditioner.

If you have a larger unit, you may need to use multiple pieces of plastic or several smaller tarps to adequately cover the entire unit. Make sure all of the vents and grills on the sides and bottom of the unit are completely covered. Interior Plastic Covering the inside of your unit helps trap any air that might have slipped through your outside cover before it enters your home. A tarp over the air conditioner, secured using a bungee cord and sealed with duct tape, may work well to insulate your unit, but is unsightly. You may want to consider covering the inside of your air conditioner with plastic, then hanging a framed piece of artwork over the unit. Vent Covers If you are certain you only want to cover your wall-unit air conditioner vents for the winter, you can fashion small covers out of fabric and a plastic sheet. Purchase a piece of fabric slightly larger than the vents you want to cover. Use fabric adhesive to adhere the fabric to the plastic sheet. Once the adhesive dries, cut the fabric and plastic so you have a piece of fabric with a plastic backing that is slightly larger than the vents.

Adhere the cover to the air conditioner vents using hot glue or double-sided tape; this allows you to remove the cover in the warmer months. Blocking the Draft from the AC Unit? Good Questions: Blocking the Draft from the AC Unit? Kristy has a good question: A few months ago, I moved into in a small apartment with a built-in wall air conditioner. I live in Colorado, where the weather is starting to get cold and windy, and I have discovered the wind blows right in around the wall unit. Any suggestions for sealing, insulating, covering, or otherwise blocking the draft?(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first. Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to: We did an earlier post on this issue - click here to check it out - we linked to a product and there are some great suggestions from readers in the comments. That said, we're always up for the latest info and ideas on a problem that many of us have to deal with as the weather gets chilly - please add your ideas and suggestions for Kristy to the comment thread...thanks!

Photo: Chilly Willy via ohiopike About Mitsubishi Air Conditioners Mitsubishi Air Conditioners and heaters include not only the world renowned Hyper heating and air conditioning technology but are environmentally friendly and have allergen filtration. Mitsubishi Air Conditioners and heaters allow up to 8 room connections with the multi zone ductless air conditioner systems. air conditioning outside unit partsThe Mitsubishi Ductless Air Conditioner Heat pump Inverter systems surpass the competitor by always keeping the focus on providing the highest warranty in the market with the most up to date ductless features, matched with the air conditioner and heater industry's highest customer service.portable a/c units on sale Mitsubishi Air Conditioners incorporate eco-comfort technology, dual and triple-allergen filtration, and are whisper-quiet. ac unit for addition

Eco-comfort technology makes these Mitsubishi Air Conditioners smarter in how they use energy and minimizes their impact on the environment. Mitsubishi Ductless Air Conditoners have advanced multi-stage filtration systems dramatically reduce allergens and help eliminate odors. Are you an Installer? Become a Preferred Installer, It's Easy and Free! Click here to Learn More! What Mitsubishi Air Conditioners are about... Mitsubishi Air Conditioners Ductless Air Conditioning and Heating home comfort products are amongst the highest rated in the HVAC industry. Mitsubishi Air Conditioners have carved a way for setting the standard for what a ductless air conditioner system shoud be. "Mitsubishi ductless tells all."To help filter air as it circulates, these return air grilles each accommodate standard 1" filters, available separately. They feature all-steel construction for durability, along with dual electrocoated/powder-coated finishes to help provide excellent corrosion resistance.

If someone asked you how many wall chargers you have for a USB-powered device, chances are you could probably list off a few from the top of your head. Most devices sold today, including wireless hard drives and smartphones include a charging cable that terminates with a common USB plug. With its widespread compatibility, this allows users to charge their devices anywhere a computer or wall charger is located. This is where the NewerTech Power2U Ac/USB Wall Outlet comes into play, offering a cord-only charging solution for portable devices putting the charger inside the wall, never to be misplaced again. The NewerTech Power2U AC/USB wall outlet priced at $29.95 integrates two standard USB ports into an AC outlet, capable of charging most devices on the market. Aimed primarily at smartphones that devour battery life in a matter of hours or days, the Power2U outlet puts a charger at any area inside your home or office where devices frequently get charged. This means you don't need to worry about lugging your only charger around to multiple spots, just bring your cable with you.

Another nice perk is the charger no longer takes up a valuable AC-plug in a kitchen or bedroom, leaving it open for other devices. NewerTech Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet Specifications: The NewerTech Power2U wall outlet looks like a standard flush-mount AC-outlet with two ports integrated into the side of its decorative wall cover. The two USB ports are hidden with spring-loaded covers which are dual purpose. First they keep out dust and debris when devices aren't plugged in, keeping the port itself safe. Next it acts as an on-off switch, keeping the USB-port cold when it is not in use. Both are safety related, since this device is designed to be installed inside your wall permanently. The Power2U unit is rather large when compared to your basic three-prong 15A outlet. The body is nearly the width and length of a standard electrical box itself meaning that some care will be required when choosing the proper spot for this in-wall charger. Looking behind a few outlets in our office, we found two scenarios where the Power2U wouldn't fit.

The first was an outlet with a large bundle of wire brought in from additional outlets in the circuit and tied together behind a standard wall outlet. Normally this setup wouldn't cause any problem for a standard outlet, but with the extra length, the Power2U couldn't fit. Another scenario we found were basement outlets located on the perimeter wall. With our office built using metal studs maximizing room size, the wall cavity was about half the depth as usual, meaning a standard outlet would fit but not this particular model. In most areas though, the Power2U will fit, so just plan ahead and scope out an area with adequate clearance. It is super easy to install the NewerTech Power2U AC/USB wall outlet even if you don't have a lot of experience with home electrical work. The first step in any project working with AC-current is to always double and triple check that the outlet you are working on is turned off at the circuit breaker. Plugging in a clock radio with the radio on is a good trick if the outlet you are trying to disable is far away from your breaker panel.

Just listen until the stereo turns off, and you know you have found the proper circuit. If you have a multimeter on hand it is also good to verify there is no voltage at the outlet as well. With the power turned off, remove the old outlet cover by loosening the center screw on the wall plate. With the plate placed to the side, next remove the top and bottom screws that hold the outlet into the electrical box. Carefully pull out the outlet, slowly bending the wires that are attached. Next remove the wires, making note of the correct wire positions. On a standard wall outlet configuration with the grounding plug facing down, ground is on the bottom, white/neutral is on the left, and black/hot is on the right. If your installation has the grounding plug facing up (the outlet looks upside-down) the configuration is reversed. Next remove the wires and attach them to the NewerTech Power2U AC/USB wall outlet by loosening the set screw and securing the wire underneath it. After all of the wires are attached to the new outlet, slowly push the assembly back into the electrical box.

You may have to slowly bend some of the wires towards the top and bottom of the outlet so they clear the sides of the box. Once the outlet is in position to be secured by screws, tighten them all the way and admire your work. From here the only remaining setup is pushing the wall plate over the outlet and cleaning up any drywall dust that may have come dislodged. The NewerTech Power2U AC/USB outlet worked with many devices we tested around the office. It had no trouble charging our Seagate GoFlex Satellite wireless hard drive or a new iPhone 4s. Inserting the USB cable into the outlet required a work, holding back the spring loaded cover with a fingernail to orient the plug correctly. Besides that the entire process was rather painless. This type of outlet isn't designed to replace every standard outlet in your house. Not only would it cost a fortune at over 30-40x the price, but nearly all of them would go unused. For most homes the main areas would be near your bed for charging your phone or devices while you sleep, a countertop in a kitchen where your devices might rest, or even a media area where you are playing music off a phone frequently and need to keep it topped up.

the main intention though is putting one where your phone or USB-powered devices frequently rest so you can always keep them topped up. NewerTech came out swinging with another great product aimed at making life easier for everyday users. The Power2U AC/USB wall outlet solves an issue many of us have run into where either the one charger than came with your phone is somewhere else, but you still need to charge your phone. It also fixes the problem of your charger taking up valuable real estate on countertop outlets. By integrating two USB plugs into the outlet body itself, the Power2U puts a charger in any primate location in your home or office. Another benefit is comparing its price of $29.95 against the cost of purchasing another charger. Considering that the Apple iPhone charger costs $29 each, it can be a savings for some people. Installation was a breeze, although given the safety concerns of working with electricity, it is best to leave this installation to a professional if you don't feel up to it.