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Default portable air conditioner? Window/Water issues

In the 1990s I had a window air conditioner in a room that bore the
brunt of serious summer storms. This was a closed-in porch that was
built poorly in the 1950s. We had serious water come in through the
window with the air conditioner- soaking and rotting the drywall and
insulation at least 4 times over a period of years. imagine water
puddling on the window sill and streaming into my house. At one point
ice formed underneath the siding.

I had the entire back of my townhouse rebuilt and 9 new windows
installed. However all contractors refused to build eaves/overhang
onto the house, so I still can get rain pretty hard against the glass.


Call me irrational, my wife sure does, but I have such a fear of water
coming in again that I never put the air conditioner back in and keep
the windows closed at night and whenever I'm out of the house. Result:
no more water problems.

Now, It's clear I need to get a window unit back in there.

I want something with absolutely the smallest opening we can get and
preferably something I can pull out of the window in case of severe
weather. The old unit struggled at 5000 btus.

I like the idea of the portable AC unit. I know traditional AC people
cringe. I saw brands like Royal Sovereign and WindChaser in the $300
range. Anyone know about reliability with these brands?

Are there other options for someone looking for the smallest possible
chance for water to get in the house? I don't want to focus on one
solution if others exist.

thanks,

Don

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Edwin Pawlowski
 
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Default portable air conditioner? Window/Water issues


wrote in message


I like the idea of the portable AC unit. I know traditional AC people
cringe. I saw brands like Royal Sovereign and WindChaser in the $300
range. Anyone know about reliability with these brands?


They don't work as well as regular window units and they cost 3X as much.
Newer AC's are lighter and can be pulled out quickly if need be. Properly
installed, you should get no water. I've had different ones in different
windows for 40 years and never had a leak or drip. It must be level.

You may want to consider an awning over the window. Keeps the rain off of
it and keeps the AC cooler.



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Chris Lewis
 
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Default portable air conditioner? Window/Water issues

According to Edwin Pawlowski :

wrote in message


I like the idea of the portable AC unit. I know traditional AC people
cringe. I saw brands like Royal Sovereign and WindChaser in the $300
range. Anyone know about reliability with these brands?


They don't work as well as regular window units and they cost 3X as much.
Newer AC's are lighter and can be pulled out quickly if need be. Properly
installed, you should get no water. I've had different ones in different
windows for 40 years and never had a leak or drip. It must be level.


Some should be slightly tipped down towards the outside to ensure that
the condensate drips out the back instead of overflowing out the front.
1/4" should do it.

It's generally better to have a custom hole cut for the AC than trying
to adapt it to a window opening, because a pre-existing window opening
is usually vastly too big, you're trying to balance the thing on window
jambs, and their flashing arrangements seldom work well.

Ours are openings cut thru stick/vinyl siding, fully flashed and properly
vapor barriered, just like a window, with supporting brackets to ensure
that they don't move, and insulation stuffed in the gaps.

One of them is screwed in place using angle iron. It ain't going nowhere,
and neither of them have ever leaked moisture. But they are under eaves
with too many trees around for direct wind impact.

You may want to consider an awning over the window. Keeps the rain off of
it and keeps the AC cooler.


A good idea if you're insisting on a window opening.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.
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Pete C.
 
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Default portable air conditioner? Window/Water issues

Chris Lewis wrote:

According to Edwin Pawlowski :

wrote in message


I like the idea of the portable AC unit. I know traditional AC people
cringe. I saw brands like Royal Sovereign and WindChaser in the $300
range. Anyone know about reliability with these brands?


They don't work as well as regular window units and they cost 3X as much.
Newer AC's are lighter and can be pulled out quickly if need be. Properly
installed, you should get no water. I've had different ones in different
windows for 40 years and never had a leak or drip. It must be level.


Some should be slightly tipped down towards the outside to ensure that
the condensate drips out the back instead of overflowing out the front.
1/4" should do it.

It's generally better to have a custom hole cut for the AC than trying
to adapt it to a window opening, because a pre-existing window opening
is usually vastly too big, you're trying to balance the thing on window
jambs, and their flashing arrangements seldom work well.

Ours are openings cut thru stick/vinyl siding, fully flashed and properly
vapor barriered, just like a window, with supporting brackets to ensure
that they don't move, and insulation stuffed in the gaps.

One of them is screwed in place using angle iron. It ain't going nowhere,
and neither of them have ever leaked moisture. But they are under eaves
with too many trees around for direct wind impact.

You may want to consider an awning over the window. Keeps the rain off of
it and keeps the AC cooler.


A good idea if you're insisting on a window opening.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.


Second the through wall mounting recommendation. When mounting through
wall you can use proper flashing techniques to prevent water getting in
that are not possible with a window mount. You also don't loose the
light from and use of the window.

Pete C.
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Default portable air conditioner? Window/Water issues

thanks, yes, neither contractor I got quotes from would do the wall
opening for the A/C unit, so when I had the work done, that wasn't
done. They had excuses about AC units changing in size, etc. I needed
the work done in a reasonable time and the one cost- under

The puddling problem was based on the shape of my window sill- water
was not coming in from the AC Unit, it was coming in from the rain and
sitting in the window, um, seat and then leaking into the house or
streaming over the side. the new window is much better, but I have not
left them open during a rain.

I talked to my realtor about this and she just said, "all houses that
face that side have those problems." nice way to give up the fight.

Thanks for all these replies and I will see if there are other options
available. I've investigated a LOT of different options, like new
central air, but I don't believe that's an affordable option in the
near future. If I had $25k I'd start my kitchen.

Don


Pete C. wrote:
Chris Lewis wrote:

According to Edwin Pawlowski :

wrote in message


I like the idea of the portable AC unit. I know traditional AC people
cringe. I saw brands like Royal Sovereign and WindChaser in the $300
range. Anyone know about reliability with these brands?


They don't work as well as regular window units and they cost 3X as much.
Newer AC's are lighter and can be pulled out quickly if need be. Properly
installed, you should get no water. I've had different ones in different
windows for 40 years and never had a leak or drip. It must be level.


Some should be slightly tipped down towards the outside to ensure that
the condensate drips out the back instead of overflowing out the front.
1/4" should do it.

It's generally better to have a custom hole cut for the AC than trying
to adapt it to a window opening, because a pre-existing window opening
is usually vastly too big, you're trying to balance the thing on window
jambs, and their flashing arrangements seldom work well.

Ours are openings cut thru stick/vinyl siding, fully flashed and properly
vapor barriered, just like a window, with supporting brackets to ensure
that they don't move, and insulation stuffed in the gaps.

One of them is screwed in place using angle iron. It ain't going nowhere,
and neither of them have ever leaked moisture. But they are under eaves
with too many trees around for direct wind impact.

You may want to consider an awning over the window. Keeps the rain off of
it and keeps the AC cooler.


A good idea if you're insisting on a window opening.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.


Second the through wall mounting recommendation. When mounting through
wall you can use proper flashing techniques to prevent water getting in
that are not possible with a window mount. You also don't loose the
light from and use of the window.

Pete C.


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