This is the story of how I lost $300 and got this bloody lip. This is the story of every New Yorker’s worst nightmare happening to me. This is the story of dropping my air conditioner out the window of my third-floor apartment. It is hot and it is also humid, and when I leave the windows open to my tiny studio apartment, the putrid smell of garbage seeps in from the outside, so I finally give in and go to P.C. Richard to buy an air conditioner. I want to get one that is less than $150 and I leave with one that costs $300, either because the salesperson, Brian, is super-good at his job or because I am terrible at saying no. I do manage to say no to installation, however, because it costs $50 and I am a feminist who can definitely install a 100-pound air conditioner herself. “Do you think I can carry this five blocks by myself?” He laughs in my face. “Maybe if you stop every block!” “I’m just trying to be an independent woman!” “Fine, but do it right!”

I snag a cab and manage to haul the AC up two flights of stairs to my apartment. It is so hot, and I am already developing a bruise in the well of my arm where the appliance’s weight pressed into me as I dragged it upstairs. I hate this air conditioner but I love it so much! Think of how much I will love it when it has turned my apartment into a comfortable icebox. As it turns out, I will never get to experience love like that. Also, I should’ve taken Brian’s advice. After installing the side panels, I hoist the air conditioner onto the window sill and attempt to get it locked in place. It teeters a little bit, which gives me a scare, but I manage to balance it and close the window. It’s not aligned right. I open the window again and attempt to rebalance it. Suddenly, everything is happening in slow motion. It is sliding, literally at about an inch a minute, out of my grasp and into midair. I blindly grasp at it, helplessly screaming, “No! My cat’s like, “What is wrong with her?”

The air conditioner slides out of my hands and takes a layer of skin with it. It plunks onto my downstairs neighbor’s patio, in a pool of standing water. It takes me about a full minute to realize I am bleeding from several places. I’m coated in sweat and I’ve started crying hysterically without really meaning to. My whole mouth is bleeding and my fingers are bleeding and I’m leaning out the window of my tiny gross studio apartment being like, Why did I decide to live alone? Why didn’t I just ask someone to help me? Why is everything the worst? Also, I haven’t eaten dinner yet, so I’m, like, real hangry. /Ecx0lfefMD— Jessica Roy (@JessicaKRoy) May 29, 2015 I run downstairs to the bodega beneath my building, whose owner acts like my surrogate dad. He sees my face and is like, “What’s wrong?” I tell him the saga and burst into tears. “At least it didn’t hit anybody?” he offers. My neighbor is in the bodega, and he asks me where I got the AC from because maybe they’ll take it back. “P.

C. Richard,” I say. God, that’s, like, the worst place to get it from.” Tha I call P.C. Richard and ask for Brian. “Hi, it’s Jessica. I’ll give you one guess what just happened to the air conditioner.” “What?” he asks, stifling a laugh. air handling unit types pdf “I dropped it out the window!” I’mbad credit financing for ac unit “Are you crying?” Brihvac units online salesan asks, totally weirded out. , like, upset! I’m guys won’t, like … refund me, right?” his head, I am positive he thinks, What is wrong with this crazy bitch? A lot of things, to be honest, but first and foremost what is wrong is that I dropped the $300 air conditioner out the window an hour after getting it.

“Let me talk to my manager,” Brian says. He puts me on hold for 30 seconds. “There’s nothing we can do,” he informs me. “It’s not our fault you dropped it.” Tough but fair, Bri. Tou Finally, I give in and call my landlord. I’m, get it together, Jess. "Hi, um, I live in 3 and I … dropped the air conditioner out the window," I say to my landlord, whom I’ve only spoken to maybe twice. “Did it fall through the roof of the store?” he asks, immediately making me question the structural integrity of my building. “Uh, no … but it’s in a puddle on the second-floor patio, and I need to get it.” He tells me the person who lives in that apartment, a member of his family, works nights, so we can’t retrieve it until tomorrow. “Everything will be okay,” he says. “We will fix it in the morning.” My beloved AC is still in that puddle. I do not know if it works. Somewhere, my old pal Bri is posting on Facebook about how stupid I am.

Air-conditioner accidents in New York are actually pretty rare. Last year, one fell out of a window on Lexington and hit a woman in the head, but she recovered. It’s been 25 years since anyone has been killed by a falling air conditioner, but alongside falling on the subway tracks or getting bedbugs, it still looms large in New Yorkers’ minds as one of their biggest urban fears. This is my story, and I hope you will read it and decide to just settle for a fucking fan.You purchased a window air conditioner to cool your room or apartment. Time to install it! Luckily, it only takes a few minutes and you'll be cool soon. Follow our step-by-step guide to make installing your window AC as easy as possible. Step 1: Find the Center of Your Window Step 2: Add Weather Strip if Provided Step 3: Install Side Panels Step 4: Lift Air Conditioner into Window Step 5: Install L Brackets Step 6: Extend and Connect Side Panels Step 7: Secure Unit and Start Cooling

Make sure you select a window close enough to an outlet. Most window AC's have power cords between 5 and 6 feet long. See what side of the AC the cord extends from, and choose an outlet the cord reaches. Also have your owner's manual out to follow along with the manufacturer's directions. Expert Tip: Be careful removing it from the box. The back of the unit can be sharp. Remove all the pieces from your box to confirm all the parts were sent. Measure the width of your window, and mark the center with a pencil. Marking the spot will make installation easier and ensure the side panels evenly reach both sides of your window.If a weather strip is provided from the manufacturer, install it now. These strips help block any air that may pass through tiny cracks and protects your window from possible damage when you're installing or removing of the AC. Not all models will have these weather strips, and your AC will work fine without one. Slide the panels into the appropriate place on your unit.

Slide them all the way in and then secure the adjustable panels into your window AC using provided screws. Connect all the screws to avoid any gaps—which can let warm air, allergens, and pollution into your home. Expert Tip: It’s best to use 2 people for this step. Even if you can lift it yourself, it's safer to have an extra set of hands to close the window and secure the AC. Pick up your AC and center it in your window. Then tightly close your window on top of the AC; there should be a spot where the window easily slides into place. Most of the unit's weight will be outside, so be careful lifting it into place. Once you close the window, your AC should be securely in place. The hard part is done! Now you’re just securing everything and finishing up. Installations vary at this stage based on the manufacturer, but most models include at least one L bracket to hold the window securely in place. Screw the L bracket or brackets to the top of the opened window.

This prevents the window from being pushed up, which is the main concern once window ACs are installed. If your AC doesn't come with a bracket to hold your window in place, we highly suggest you use one from your tool collection. If provided, add the window padding to the sides of your open window (top picture above). If no padding came with your model, just extend the side panels to reach your window (bottom picture above). Then attach both side panels to your window using the screws from your manufacturer. Select manufacturers provide brackets and screws that connect the AC to the interior window sill. This is an extra level of security, and some manufacturers don't find it necessary. But if they're provided, screw them in now.Plug in and turn on your AC. You should immediately feel it cooling your room. Keep in mind these are general tips for installing a window AC, and your model may have slightly different directions. We hope you enjoy your new window air conditioner.