Author Topic: Best Window Air Conditioner?  (Read 1863 times)

zygote

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Best Window Air Conditioner?
« on: May 27, 2018, 10:17:16 AM »
I live in a small NYC apartment with no central air. We're on the top floor, so it gets pretty hot in the summer. We have two window AC units, one in the living room and one in the bedroom. Our old units lasted 8-10 years, but ever since they died, we are finding that the new ones crap out within 2-3 years. They all die the same way - they keep blowing air, but the air that comes out just isn't cool enough. We have to run the bedroom AC full strength on 60 degrees just to get the room temp to come down from 80 to 75, and it's only May! Not good for our comfort or our energy bill.

Any tips on brands or specific units that are energy efficient and will last? We usually spend $200-$300, but would be willing to spend more if we could be sure we'd get a longer life out of them. Also, any tips to keep them working for longer?

I'm sure it doesn't help that we leave them in the window year round, but that's normal here (and what we did with our old units that lasted years). They are really difficult to take in and out because there's furniture in the way,* and there is nowhere to store them during the winter. I do make sure to clean the filter whenever the light comes on, but NYC is disgusting and I should probably be cleaning it more often. Other than that, I'm at a loss about what maintenance I can do when they're in the window.

*I will admit I have always paid someone to install the units because I am afraid of dropping them out the window due to the awkward positioning. I'm going to try and install the new ones myself, but am still not comfortable taking them in and out frequently for maintenance.

CindyBS

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Re: Best Window Air Conditioner?
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2018, 08:54:39 AM »
We have a couple of the ones that the unit stays in the house and is wheeled to the window.  Then you hook it up to the window with tubes like the ones that vent from dryers. 

The big upside is they look a lot nicer than regular window units and don't need to be in for a long time.  We've have heat waves, hooked them up to the window, then a week or two of cooler weather and we put the tubes away and wheel it into the corner.

The downside is that they do collect water in a tank that needs to be emptied.  For us, we just roll it onto the porch and empty it off the edge into a flower bed.  It would probably be harder in an apartment and you would need to work out a strategy.   Also, they are heavy, hopefully your apartment has an elevator. 

Here is an example of one (not the one we have). 

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-BPACT08WT-Portable-Conditioner/dp/B01DLPUWL2/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1527519120&sr=1-4&keywords=air+conditioner+portable

zygote

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Re: Best Window Air Conditioner?
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2018, 12:28:31 PM »
Thanks for the tip! I don't think anything like that would fit near our windows, and I don't know where we'd put it when not in use. But it's good to know for others with bigger spaces/if we ever move!

Cranky

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Re: Best Window Air Conditioner?
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2018, 12:59:07 PM »
Maybe check Consumer Reports? It's possible that you were just lucky with the units that lasted so long.

JLee

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sokoloff

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Re: Best Window Air Conditioner?
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2018, 02:29:45 PM »
I have two window units from LG that are going on 15 years now, one from Goldstar (might be old LG?) that’s 12, and a couple that came with the house 10 years ago. All are working fine and only the large Goldstar was more than about $125.