Questions about window air conditioners.

[Drunken Irishman]

I'm having trouble fitting it into my window, would it be possible to just sit it on a bookcase next to the window? Does part of it have to be outside? And does it get hot on its base, thus creating a fire hazard?

Thanks in advance.

[Critters2]

1. It has to be outside for a couple of reasons:

1. It circulates your air outside. It has to has someplace to remove your air to. But more importantly...

2. It drains the humidity that it removes from your air outside. You'll notice air conditioners dripping water...that's the humidity it's removing from the air. This is what makes an air conditioner different from a fan. That moisture needs to go outside.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Yeah, I kinda figured.

Well shit. Thanks, anyway.

[Critters2]

5. Sorry. Is there anyone you could get to help you install it?

Installing a window AC by yourself is wicked hard. I have three of 'em, cuz I hate hot water heat (which I love and would NOT give up just to have central air). But I also have Trustees who help me remove 'em each fall and install 'em each summer. Can't imagine doing it myself...well, not without dropping 'em out the window!

[Drunken Irishman]

6. I'll have to call a cousin or someone to help me.

[Critters2]

7. Good luck. I'm considering getting one of these for my guest room,

which doesn't have AC right now...




It's a portable ac. It just sits on the floor, and has the hose sticking out the window, with a fitted screen thing around it. Like a dryer vent. Much easier than installing a window unit.

[hedgehog]

3. An air conditioner removes the heat from a volume of air and dumps it somewhere.

Two airstreams are involved. The heat from one goes into the other. Ideally, you take the heat from the inside air stream and move it to the outside air stream. If you don't have the exhaust side of the Air conditioner outside, you're just spending money to make part of the room air hotter and part colder.

[GOPisEvil]

4. Yes, part of the unit HAS to be outside.

It's a heat exchanger, so it must be able to exhaust warm air and draw in fresh air to cool. Also, condensation must have a place to drain out of the unit.

For the application you are talking about, there are portable a/c units that sit on the floor and have a vent tube that is placed outside the window.