Window air conditioners (sometimes called ‘room air conditioners’ or ‘window units’) are small AC units that are installed through the windows of the room you are trying to cool.  Because they can be purchased at many retail locations, they are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to install without a contractor. They can appear to be a good option for the budget-conscious consumer. However, room air conditioners have some drawbacks and before installing several of these in windows throughout your house you should probably be aware of the following factors: 1.  Lower efficiency – Window air conditioners are 30 to 40 percent less efficient than even the most basic, minimum efficiency central air conditioning systems.  The government regulates efficiency standards for central air conditioning systems in the US, but has not done so with window air conditioners.  Because they are less efficient you could potentially see an increase in your energy bill only cooling a few rooms. 

Many people mistakenly think window units are more environmentally friendly since they are smaller; but because they are so inefficient, they actually put an additional, unnecessary load on the local power grid during peak cooling times. 2.  Less natural light – Window units take up substantial window space which cuts down on the available natural light in your living space. Because many bedrooms are designed with only one window this can virtually eliminate much of the natural light coming into the room, forcing the use of more electric light and effectively negating any attempted energy savings.  With the window units installed, it also makes it difficult to open the window for fresh air and can cause air circulation issues. 3.  Noise – Window air conditioners tend to be louder than central AC systems since the entire mechanism is right there in the room with you instead of outside your house or in the basement. This can cause problems for people attempting to concentrate while working or studying, trying to sleep or watching television.

4.  Poor air quality – A room air conditioner unit has only a small filter that is capable of filtering only the air within the room you’re cooling.  This will not effectively remove the odors, allergens and dust particles from your living space.  For proper air quality, you would be much better off with a central air conditioning system that has a high quality air filtration system. Does it ever make sense to install a window air conditioner? If you need a quick, low investment, temporary solution for a small space, then a room air conditioner should work fine.  However, if you are trying to cool more than a few rooms for more than a month or two, you would be better off with a central air conditioning system. If you’ve had a window unit in the past, what did you like or dislike about it? What Is SEER And Why Is It Important? Portable Air Conditioner: Window vs Floor Unit in Decorating on April 23, 2010 by Staff Writer When comparing a portable air conditioner window unit versus a floor unit, you have to consider a few aspects of your apartment lifestyle.

Before you purchase one unit or the other, compare these characteristics:ac unit companies More Apartments Allow Floor Unitsoutdoor ac unit not running Many apartment complexes ban portable air conditioner window units because of their bulk and easy visibility from outside of the apartment. cost of air conditioner unit replacementYou should review your rental agreement to see if window units are banned because if they are, you are unlikely to get permission to install one in your apartment. Portable air conditioner floor units are much more likely to be allowed in an apartment because their required vent space is usually only about 4 inches in diameter, the size of a vacuum hose. You can vent a floor unit through a window, a sliding door or a hole in the wall, but you must not cut holes in the wall without your landlord’s permission.

Venting through a window or sliding door, though, will require only about four inches of space (you plug the rest up with wood) and is less noticeable than window units. Window Units Usually More Effectively Cool a Room Portable air conditioner window units are generally stronger than portable floor units because they are larger and require more room for ventilation. However, which unit better cools a room really depends on the individual unit’s BTU measurement. The higher the number, the stronger the unit and the more effective it is at cooling a room. The maximum BTU a window unit can have is greater than the maximum BTU the floor unit can have, but it is possible to get a floor unit with a higher BTU than some window units. Floor Units Are Easier to Install Neither the portable air conditioner window unit nor the floor unit are incredibly difficult to install, but because the window units are generally a bit less portable and much larger, it can be more difficult to properly screw in the unit and make sure there isn’t excess space around the unit.

A floor unit only needs a hose to stick outside of the apartment, so you can either stick it right into a small hole in the wall designed for this purpose or stick it into a block of wood that covers the rest of the gap in an open window or sliding door. However, even if you get permission from your landlord, making a hole in the wall is a difficult and intricate job, as you don’t want the hole to be too large, so making the hole can pose some difficulty. Both Units May Be More Convenient Although you will have to make sure the ventilation hose connecting to the outside is properly fastened each time, the floor unit offers more convenience than the window unit because it more easily moved and reinstalled in a different location. However, if there’s a room that you always want to keep cool, like your bedroom, getting a more stationary window unit might be the more convenient option so that you don’t have to continue to install and uninstall the unit throughout the season.