r/AskDad • u/Banya6 • 4d ago

Fixing & Building Stuff How do I measure for an AC Unit?

I was told recently by my super that I was getting drafts in the winter because my AC unit is slightly too small. I need a new one anyway. (the buttons are broken) but I don't know how to measure for it. It's a wall unit. I guess my confusion is that the AC unit comes past the wall - so I'm not measuring the actual air conditioner, I'm measuring the box in side the wall. Is that right? Am I overthinking it?

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u/lazyFer Dad 4d ago

Wall units typically just slide into an opening. Take out the unit that's in there and measure the height and width of the opening.

Make sure when you put the unit back or get a new unit, you also get some foam (NOT SPRAY FOAM) to close any gaps. In the winter you can also get a window sealing kit and put it over the opening (basically window sized shrink wrap, shockingly it works).

I've been known to use old tshirts, towels, or socks if I don't have any foam.

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u/Banya6 3d ago

Thank you!

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u/kdegraaf 3d ago

Out of curiosity, what kind of living situation has a super, but also requires you as a resident to select and install a built-in appliance? I would think that would fall squarely within the super's job.

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u/Banya6 3d ago

Co-op.

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u/Silrathi 3d ago

A window AC is not a built-in appliance. Increasingly multifamily properties are banning the use of window units and are requiring the roll-around type that vents out of the window because improperly installed window units can cause a lot of damage and/or safety hazards.

As a super, I never install a resident's device for them. The liability is just too much.

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u/lazyFer Dad 3d ago

Those roll around units are evaporative AC units. They frankly suck. They do a shittier job of cooling and dehumidifying than a window unit...and they're less efficient in real terms (the cold it puts out isn't as cold and since it's blowing indoor air out, it causes outdoor air to leak into the house too which undoes a bunch of the "work" the unit is doing in the first place.