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We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
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As summer nears, you know, at some point, it will be so hot you’ll need an air conditioner. Whether you live on the southern tip of Florida or the northern tip of Washington, you’ll want relief from the heat and humidity.
There are basically three choices for cooling your home — central air conditioning, window AC units or portable air conditioners. If you live in a place that doesn’t have central air conditioning, a window unit may be the way to go. And you can install such an air conditioner yourself, even if you’re not the most experienced DIY-er: It mainly takes a buddy, some basic tools and a little heavy lifting. Here’s how.
Before you purchase and install a window air conditioner, you want to know what type of window you have — standard windows that open by lifting them up, slider windows that open to the side or casement windows that crank open. Second, you need to measure the opening of your window. Armed with the type and size of your window, you can then figure on which sort of window unit is the right air conditioner.
You only need a few basic tools and materials for window air conditioning installation. In addition to the unit itself, you need:
Once you’ve followed these seven steps, your window air conditioner is ready to be plugged in and turned on.
Window air conditioning units are usually installed for a certain period of time — the hottest months of the year. When summer ends, you can easily remove the air conditioner and, once again, be able to open and close the window.
Of course, you can leave the window unit in year-round, though that’ll impede your being able to raise and lower the window.
Individual AC units can also be installed into an opening cut into a room’s exterior wall. Common in motels and older apartment buildings, this sort of arrangement is more of a permanent solution: The unit stays in place, even when not in use during the winter. However, installing a “through-the-wall” air conditioner is more difficult, and more of a project for a professional to do.
If you don’t want to install your window air conditioner yourself — or you’re able to go with a through-the-wall unit — you have options. If you’re purchasing a new unit, you could have it installed by the retailer. Conversely, you could hire a handyman to install it for you.
Air conditioning installation costs vary by location. But generally, the average range is between $140 and $500 for each unit being installed, according to HomeAdvisor. Here’s how the price breaks down.
While the thought of installing a window air conditioner yourself may be intimidating, it is definitely a do-able DIY project that two people working together can achieve — saving as much as $500 (not to mention the time waiting around for an appointment with a pro). Simply go step-by-step through the above points and you’ll soon find yourself in cool comfort during the hot summer months.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Bankrate.com does not include all companies or all available products.
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