Bob

So we've got a bunch of window AC units, but none in the living room as the windows are pretty narrow...getting sick of using a weedy fan...thinking of getting one of those portable AC units that you stick the tube out the window.

Anyone used any and got recommendations?

How bad are they to run?

Much hassle with the cheaper ones that don't auto evaporate the water? Thinking they might get to be a chore, but the ones that auto clear the water are quite a bit more pricey...

So any other thoughts?

SultanOfSwing

How narrow are the windows? We used to live in a house that had approx. 17.5" windows in the living room, which were too small for the AC unit we had at the time, which I think was 19" across.

We were able to find a unit that was 16/17" or so, that fit in the window as long as we removed the concertina 'ears' and jammed it in with kitchen roll and the foam strip. Got it in Wal Mart. Can't remember the model number but it was a Haier. I can look up the model info when I get home, we still have the box for keeping Christmas decorations in.

Was that of any help to you?

tonrob

Portable units - bought one once. Cost over twice as much as a window unit and was basically a waste of time. It's for sale though, and very lightly used if you're interested!

Our old house has narrow windows so we thought we couldn't find a unit to fit based on the minimum widths as described on the box/product features. After one uncomfortable summer I took a tape measure to Home Depot to look at the display models to find out that you can wedge them successfully into windows that are narrower than the minimum aperture advertised for the unit. YMMV - but worth looking at more closely if you haven't already.

SpoogleDrummer

We have one at my office, no idea how much it cost but it's noisy as hell and has to go off every time the phone rings as we can't hear what the other person is saying, I certainly wouldn't want to try and watch TV with it in the room. I don't know where it is so can't check the name as it seems to have been put away for the winter but it's certainly one to avoid, unless you're deaf then it'd be ideal as it cools fairly well.

Bob

The window itself is 17.5"...the problem we have, the storm window/net over laps and we can't yank it down, so AC unit would have to fit in 15" opening...hence thinking of a portable one as I've not seen a window unit fit?

Haier does seem to be a name that comes up a lot though

SultanOfSwing

I'll have to measure mine when I get home, if I can find it. It might just fit if you take those concertina sections off. It wasn't a bad unit all the same, kept the house reasonably cool. We had a second regular sized unit in the kitchen window at the back of the house too though.

Those storm windows are a pain though. I'm glad we moved and have central air now

Bob

Cheers for checking if you can find it

And yeah, those storm windows are a pain...wouldn't be so much hassle if it weren't for those things

tonrob

Hmmm.... the narrowest space we needed to wedge one into was 18 inches, although the unit itself was advertised as only fitting into 20 inches or something.

Hell - you could have my free-standing unit for nowt if you can be bothered to drive over here and get it. As I said - didn't find it as good as a window unit but beggars can't be choosers I suppose.

Rete

Just a thought but if your lower window is tall enough, why wouldn't a vertical a/c unit work?

SultanOfSwing

Sorry mate, couldn't find the unit to measure it last night. Buried somewhere in our garage I suspect but I can try again tonight if needs be.

I know it'll definitely fit a 17" window with some room either side, whether that is 2" or not I don't remember though. If the 15" is height (the thought just occurred to me since we are dealing with storm windows), the unit will definitely fit that.

neil

We used to have one that didn't automatically get rid of the water, luckily I was able to rig up some plastic tubing from the unit, down to the basement through where the heating pipes came up and out of a basement window - worked a treat.

AmerLisa

We have one, we've had it for almost 6 years now. Although we only use it in our master bedroom, it works good, unless its boiling hot outside (last year we had a day that it was 105! ) If that's the case we have to turn it on first thing in the morning and leave it running. Our bedroom is huge (17x17) and even with doors shut and windows shut if its really warm it has a hard time cooling that whole room down. But at least our electric bill really hasn't gone up a whole lot with running the ac for a few days straight.

I'd rather have central ac....

Bob

Might take you up on that if we can't figure something out

Not looked into vertical units, but the window doesn't open that high, it sticks and it's older than dirt and I don't want to break the thing pushing my luck

If you could find out, that would be great, but it's not like I need it in a hurry, so whenever you get a chance would be great

hobbes79

One week of nice weather and you're already figuring out how to cool down

Great day yesterday

SultanOfSwing

That describes the situation here in NE Illinois quite nicely. Last week was beautiful and sunny.

This week - pissing down left and right, and is in the 30s today . We did get some pretty cool thunderstorms over the weekend though, I did enjoy those.

Beats the sh*t out of snow any day though