If you don't have an air conditioning system in your home, or if yours has gone out, then you may be in the position of putting in a window AC unit. The good news is the job is much easier than you may realize. You can put the window AC up temporarily or permanently, depending on your needs. Following the instructions in this article will help you get your window AC installed quickly and with very little hassle.
Instructions for installing the window AC
The first thing you need to do is choose the best window. You want to go with a window closest to the main area you want to keep cool. The window needs to be in good shape and it should be near an electrical outlet.
Generally, it will be easiest if you are able to install the window AC into a double hung window. This will allow you to simply put the unit in place securely and pull the window onto the unit when you are done. If you are putting it into a side opening window, then you will need to have a piece of plexi-glass cut to fit the area where you will have an open space above the AC unit. If you're in a bind, you can use a piece of plywood for the time being, but it won't look as good.
A window AC can have a lot of weight to it, so if you go with a heavier model then you may want to use mounting brackets to support the unit. If your AC came with side panels then you want to attach the panels to the sides of the unit before you mount it onto the mounting brackets. Make sure the unit fits in the brackets correctly.
Once you have the unit secured stretch out the panels and secure them in place with screws and shut the window on the unit. You want to make sure you don't leave gaps around the bottom of the AC unit by filling the gaps in with a weather stripping foam.
Once you follow all of the above tips, it is time to give your new window AC a try. Plug it into the outlet, turn it on and adjust the temperature to where you want it. You may have to adjust the temperature a few times to find the comfortable temperature that works well for your needs.
If you have put a window AC in your home due to your air conditioning going out, you will still want to get an air conditioning service tech out to fix your unit. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with your system and the fix may not be as bad as you think.