If you have a wall-installed air conditioner that serves only as an eyesore anymore, you can yank it out and seal the hole yourself. Just make sure to get appropriate siding or other material to patch the exterior of the house when you’re done. If you can’t find an exact match, you can have paint computer-matched to your existing color. Here’s how to remove an air-conditioning unit and patch the hole: ½-inch sheetrock quick-dry joint compound drywall tape replacement shingles to match 2-by-4-inch boards batt insulation 1 sheet of plywood 220-grit sandpaper miter box or circular saw cordless drill drywall saw utility knife mud knife taping knife wonder bar 1. Remove trim around the unit on the inside and cut away caulk on the outside. 2. Remove the front of the unit. 3. Remove the motor and fins from the inside. 4. Remove the metal shell, using a wonder bar to pry away from the opening. 5. Frame the opening with 2-by-4’s. Measure and cut a piece of drywall to the opening dimensions.

6. Screw the drywall into the 2-by-4 frame. Apply a thin layer of joint compound in the gaps. 7. Press tape into the joint compound and cover with another layer of compound. ac unit for windowCover screw heads with compound to fill depressions. average price to fix car acSpread a second layer of mud to joints, feathering out to minimize seams. how much is a window ac unitLet dry and then sand mudded area smooth. 8. Insulate the opening with fiberglass insulation with an R-factor of at least 13. The paper side goes toward the interior of the home. Note: Don’t compress the insulation as you install it. The insulation value actually comes from the air space between the fiberglass strands, not the actual fiberglass. 9. Measure and cut a piece of plywood to the opening dimensions.

Screw into the 2-by-4 frame. 10. Nail in siding/shingles to match the existing exterior. 11. Caulk around the edges of the siding/shingles to seal the seams. 12. Paint inside and outside as desired. Published on January 21st, 2016 | With professional maintenance and routine care, manufacturers typically estimate a 10-15 year lifespan for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. So, when the time comes to replace your home’s malfunctioning or outdated model, give some thought not only to making room for the new unit, but also disposing of the old HVAC unit responsibly. Before taking any premature actions to remove the defective machinery from your property, research the applicable state or federal regulations. Depending on where you live, specific bureaucratic parameters dictate where and how HVAC units should be discarded. Certain parts might need to be removed, or a qualified technician must extract the coolant before disposal. Remaining pieces should be transported to a designated waste site.

For more information on these laws, contact your local sanitation department. Often, recycling companies will voluntarily retrieve the HVAC unit from your house, and deliver it to an drop-off location. If you choose this option, ensure the recycling vehicle can accommodate large appliances — like cooling towers, chillers or generators — and expel them through environmentally responsibly channels. In addition, remember that most old air-conditioning equipment contains the refrigerant R-22, which emits ozone-depleting gases into the atmosphere. Ask the recycling technicians to remove this chemical in advance. Some companies charge fees for proper HVAC disposal, while others waive the expenditures to promote eco-friendly initiatives. Another solution is to find out if a particular HVAC manufacturer will handle the removal process. When purchasing an updated unit, inquire whether the company you bought the new model from will haul your old clunker to an appropriate garbage lot.

If you plan on personally transporting your run-down machinery to a landfill, discuss the logistics of this option with your sanitation department beforehand. Then, detach all environmentally hazardous components prior to discarding the HVAC unit. Contact your home’s utility provider to determine whether any bounty programs are offered. In this case, the electric company will buy back certain appliances that meet fixed qualifications — based on size, condition and working order, for example. While this initiative isn’t applicable for entirely broken HVAC systems, if your unit meets these stipulations, a company representative will clarify the drop-off or pick-up procedure. If your air-conditioner is currently on the fritz, and it’s time for an upgrade, follow these strategies to reduce your household’s carbon footprint. Did we forget any other environmentally friendly tips worth mentioning? Feel free to share your personal suggestions in the comment section below!

Frankie Rendon is the digital marketer/PR guy for Arctic Air. Prior to entering the internet marketing realm, he worked for a non-profit organization where he fought to address the needs of the under-served indigenous population of Latin America in efforts to improve overall quality of life.Appliance Recycling & Removal Appliance Recycling & Removal Service COLLEGE HUNKS HAULING JUNK® is the preferred service provider for appliance recycling and environmentally friendly appliance removal and disposal in the nation! No need to lift a finger because we do all the work. Our uniformed team will remove and recycle your old appliances from anywhere on the property.: Below are examples of the most common appliances we remove and recycle for our clients. All old appliances are properly recycled and disposed of in accordance with local and federal guidelines. Air Conditioning Units (AC Units) We can help with so much  more than just appliance recycling: Click here to see a full list of items we accept