Category: Air Conditioning

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How to Reduce the Humidity in a Air Cooler?

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Why Air Conditioning Can Makes You Cough and What To Do About It

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should you run a dehumidifier and air conditioner at the same time

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Windowless Air Conditioner Solutions -Mini Split

How do you get air conditioning into a room that does not have any windows?

In a series of articles, we are presenting different options for air conditioning when you have a room that doesn’t have any windows.

We explore through the wall air conditioners, portable evaporative coolers, HVAC options, mini split, PTAC, and more.

In this article we are talking about the mini split as a windowless air conditioning solution.

Mini Split Windowless Air conditioner

Mini split air conditioners are a windowless air conditioner solution that are a very close cousin to a traditional HVAC central heat and air unit.

The difference is that mini split air conditioners are more of an afterthought and usually go into a house after the house has already been built.

Where HVAC systems are built into the house and ductwork is installed as the house is being built.

That’s not always the case, but it is true most of the time.

Just like a HVAC system, the compressor of a mini split is outside of the house.

The compressor runs to an air handler( or multiple air handlers) inside of the house via conduit on the outside of the house. And on the outside of the walls inside of the house.

That is why we say that many split air conditioners are more of an afterthought because they are installed via the outside of the walls.

Mini splits are a much more sophisticated way of getting air conditioning into a room with no windows then say a portable evaporative cooler.

But the price and the installation of a mini split is considerably more also.

Mini split air conditioner Benefits

There is a number of benefits to using a mini split air conditioner:

1. Quiet

Since the compressor of a mini split air conditioner is outside of the house, the only noise coming from the air conditioning is the light sound of the air handler.

This is a good solution if noise is a problem. For instance, a recording studio for a podcast room needs silence as a prerequisite.

With the mini split air conditioner, you can achieve less noise.

2. Individual temperature settings

Another big advantage of mini split air conditioners that even HVAC systems don’t have is the ability to set the desired temperature for every room individually.

Since each room has its own air handler with a mini split, the temperature of each room can be sent differently.

Mini split downsides

1. Installation

The installation of a mini split air conditioner requires quite a bit more than other types of portable air conditioning.

Installing a mini split is more like installing two air conditioners because you have to install the outdoor compressor and the indoor air handler.

They also have to be connected via conduit.

Other factors to consider are that electricity has to be run to the compressor which means a new circuit.

And a condensate line has to be installed to drain the moisture outside.

2. Maintenance

Maintenance is also a huge part of owning a mini split air conditioner.

Two separate parts of the air conditioner required two separate maintenance.

The air handler has to have filter replacements and cleaned at least once a year.

The compressor outside requires disassembling to clean and also needs at least a yearly cleaning.

And the condensate lines need checking and unclogging if a problem appears.

Summary

A mini split air conditioner is a good solution for a room that does not have any windows.

A good solution but one that comes with a big price tag and requires installation and maintenance.

But they do have the benefit of being extremely quiet when noise is as much of a factor as getting cool air into a room without windows.

Windowless Air Conditioner Solutions – Evaporative Cooler

Riddle.
What kind of room has no doors or Windows? A mushroom. Haha.

But what kind of room actually has no windows?

I can think of a few… A recording studio, the basement, storage shed, garage, laundry room, converted closet… It starts to be a pretty big list when you start trying to think of all the kinds of rooms that don’t have Windows.

There’s all kinds of scenarios where rooms are built without windows for one reason or another. And it seems that these rooms pretty much always lack Air conditioning.

So what do you do when you have a room with no windows but you need air conditioning?

One Windowless Air Conditioner Solution is a portable evaporative cooler

If you’re doing a search on Google for a windowless air conditioner, evaporative coolers are pretty much the only suggestion that you will get.

So what exactly is a portable evaporative cooler?

An evaporative cooler is an air conditioner that uses a fan blowing over water to cool the air with evaporation.

Kind of similar to the feeling you get from the wind blowing over a pool.

A cool breeze.

What makes a portable evaporative cooler a good option for a room that does not have any windows?

It’s because they do not exhaust heat in any form.

Other portable air conditioners or window air conditioners use a refrigerated air cooling method that creates a large amount of heat that exhausts either through a hose or by sitting in the window.

But when you do not have a window, you do not have anywhere to exhaust the Heat.

Portable Air coolers come in different size packages. Larger ones have wheels for mobility while smaller ones are more like the size of a small ice chest with a handle that you can carry it around by.

Portable evaporative cooler downsides

1. Water

The number one maintenance that a portable evaporative cooler requires is filling it with water.

And of course the mess that comes along with filling it with water.

Some air coolers have removable basins that you can fill under a faucet similar to a humidifier, other types you have to externally fill the water by carrying the water to the machine.

And most modern air coolers have a compartment to put ice into them.(optional)

There are larger portable air coolers that have a garden hose hookup so that you do not have to continuously carry water to the machine.

2. Mold and bacteria

Related to the first required maintenance of filling the air cooler with water,

Is the necessity of dumping the water that is not used out of the air cooler when you are done.

Stagnant water can start growing bacteria and getting moldy in as little as 48 hours.

So it is a requirement to keep an air cooler clean and dry when it is not in use.

Turning on an air cooler that has germy stagnant water in it,

will distribute all the germs and bacteria in the water, into the air where you will breathe it.

Airborne mold can cause symptoms similar to the flu or pneumonia.

And there’s also a disease called legionnaires that originates from bacteria growing in water.

Nothing you want to mess around with.

3. Don’t cool very well in humid climates

Another issue with evaporative air coolers is that they use humidity as a source of cooling off the air.

But when the air is already humid, adding more humidity to the air makes the air feel hotter .

And that kind of makes using an evaporative cooler pretty much useless in the high humidity months or if you live in an area that has a higher year-round humidity.

Summary

A portable evaporative cooler is a windowless air conditioner solution.

While most air conditioners require that you have a window to exhaust the heat that they create while cooling,

Evaporative coolers do not create any heat at all. So in turn they do not require a window to vent any heat.

But they do require a little more maintenance in that they have to be continually filled with water.

And they must be cleaned and left dry when not in use.

And one of the biggest issues with evaporative coolers is that they do not work in high humidity.

Which describes a large portion of the world as well as a couple of the months in summer where temperatures are at their hottest.

Windowless Air Conditioner Solutions – Through the Wall

Finding a solution to cool off a room with no windows is not always the easiest thing to do.

Adding in other things into the equation like needing a room to be quiet besides cool, can add a whole another layer of difficulty.

One solution for a windowless air conditioner is using a window air conditioner through the wall

Using a window air conditioner straight through a wall can be a solution:

A. if you have a room with no windows but at least one of the walls is an outside wall.

In other words you have a wall that is on the other side of the wall, outside of the house. The same kind of wall that you would normally have a window in.

(This is a good place to point out that if you are willing to cut a hole through your wall to put a window air conditioner in it,

Installing a window instead, maybe the better play.}

You can always put a window air conditioner into a window and when you don’t need the air conditioner, have a window for light or fresh air, etc.

B. Or you have a wall that leads to an area that is suitable for exhausting Heat into.

In this scenario, one of the walls in the room that you need air conditioning in leads to a storage area, like a garage or a permanent storage area that won’t be affected by the exhaust.

Keep in mind that you will also have to have a bucket underneath the air conditioner to capture any dripping caused by the condensation the air conditioner creates.

Why do you need a wall that leads outside?

Window air conditioners exhaust heat out of the rear and drip condensation water through a drain hole.

They are also excessively noisy on the side of the air conditioner that sits on the outdoor side of the air conditioner.

Every once in awhile I will hear somebody ask why can’t they just bring the window air conditioner inside of the house and set it on a table

And that would be an awesome solution if it weren’t for the amount of heat that a window air conditioner creates through the rear while pumping cold air out of the front.

The result will not only be canceling out the cool air with the heat, it would raise the humidity in the room and cause condensation to form all over everything around it.

Not to mention the noise from the compressor in the air conditioner would drown out all the other sounds in the room.

Obviously cutting a hose to the wall is not the easiest ideal to come to terms with.

Especially if you are talking about a wall inside of the house.

But there are all kinds of scenarios where people use storage areas and other types of rooms that don’t have windows for offices and crafting rooms for instance.

Summary

A window air conditioner can still be a windowless air conditioner if you have a wall that you can put the air conditioner through.

The stipulation is that the outside of the wall is either outdoors or is in an area where the exhaust coming out of the rear of the air conditioner will not affect anything.

Putting an air conditioner through the wall is a good solution in certain circumstances.

But obviously not for all circumstances.

Getting air conditioning into a room with no windows is a problem that requires thinking outside of the box.

Windowless Air Conditioner -What Are Some Options?

What do you do for AC when you do not have any windows?

What kind of air conditioner would qualify as a windowless air conditioner?

This is a problem that can come up when you are using a renovated basement as a living space.

It can also be an issue when you are in a room that is inside of another room.

For instance, my family recently built a separate closed in shop inside our garage to use as a crafting area and a studio area to record music and videos in.

The walls of the shop consist of a brick wall that leads to the outside, a wall that’s connected to the inside kitchen and two walls that are inside of the garage.

The air conditioning option that we decided on was to put a window air conditioner through one of the walls that leads into the garage.

It’s a good solution because we don’t use the garage much other than to park the cars and store tools and such.

And the heat that is exhausted from the window air conditioner goes into the garage. And it’s really not a problem. The condensation drips into a bucket.

That’s just one example of something that can be done to get AC into a room with no windows.

There are a few options for getting air conditioning into a room that does not have any windows.

1. Through the wall air conditioner
2. Evaporative cooling
3. Mini split AC
4. Tying in new ductwork and creating a new zone in your central heat and air set up.
5. Portable air conditioning that duct into the ceiling

1. Through the wall air conditioner.

A through the wall air conditioner can be a simple as putting a window air conditioner through the wall instead of into a window.

Another type of through the wall air conditioner is the air conditioner units that you see in a lot of hotels. These air conditioners are called PTAC air conditioning or packaged terminal air conditioning.

PTAC air conditioning require a much larger hole through the wall than a window air conditioner. But they are also commercial air conditioners that can perform well in a very large room.

The main thing you have to have for this to work is for one of the walls to be a wall that is connected to the outdoors. Or like in the example above, a wall in which you do not care whether the heat from an AC exhaust there.

Through the wall air conditioners can also be purchased as combination heater units which as you know, is perfect for the other half of the year.

2. Evaporative cooling

Evaporative coolers come in many portable styles that do not require a window to sit in or to exhaust heat out of.

But they do require frequent refills of water or a continuous water line connected into the air conditioner.

Evaporative coolers work better in dry climates. And are not a good ideal for areas that have a lot of year-round humidity.

And not the best solution if you have to carry the water long distances or up and down stairs.

But for apartments where there is less than adequate AC throughout the building, evaporative cooling is an option that doesn’t take any modifications to the walls or ceiling.

In a lot of ways, evaporative coolers are the best option for a windowless air conditioner.

3. Mini split

Mini Split air conditioners are a type of HVAC system ( central heat and air) that can be installed into a room or a whole house that doesn’t require any windows.

With this set up, there is a compressor that is installed outdoors and routed to as many rooms as you desire through external hoses.

This gives you an HVAC type effect without the cost of installing an entire HVAC system and ducting the entire house. Which can be very expensive in an already finished home.

Mini splits also give you the advantage of being able to heat the same rooms.

4. Splitting an HVAC zone

Running ductwork to a room with no windows can be an option.

This can work okay if you have a room where there are multiple vents that don’t warrant it.

In other words you have a room that doesn’t need as many vents and you want to route One to a different room.

I’ve seen this work where someone took the ducting off of one vent inside of a kitchen/dining area and extended it to reach into a garage that was modified to live in.

This left him with one vent in the kitchen, and one vent extending into the garage.

Which of course, left less cooling in the kitchen, but added cooling to the garage.

This is a fairly simple modification that will work to a certain extent.

Just don’t expect a huge result because you were basically taking the cooling from one room and cutting it in half to use it in two rooms.

Don’t expect to call in a professional for this. This is definitely a gamblers project.

But it’s a fairly simple operation that you can do yourself with some duct tape, some extra duct, a sleeve to connect to the existing duct, and a new vent for the room that you’re running the duct to.

And if you don’t get the result you want, it will be pretty easy to remove it and return it back to the way it was.

5. New HVAC zone

Adding a new zone to your existing HVAC is a possibility if you have a system that is big enough to handle the extra room.

Adding a new HVAC zone will require installing a zone control panel, new thermostats, and adding zone dampers into your existing duct.

In other words, having a professional price it and do the work for you.

6. Exhausting a portable air conditioner into the Attic.

Portable air conditioners typically require a window to exhaust the heat from the air conditioner out of.

But what if you have a windowless room that needs AC?

This idea can work if you have a room that has an attic that is connected to the ceiling.

If so, you do have the possibility of exhausting your portable air conditioner into the Attic instead of out of a window.

The Attic is an area that is generally very warm already. And usually comes with some type of vent for the hot air to escape.

So adding a little extra heat from the exhaust of a portable air conditioner is not going to be a problem.

This method will take a little bit of modification to your ceiling. Which if it’s done right, will look intentional and not add a huge eyesore to your room.

The idea is to put a vent into your ceiling and run the hose from the portable AC into the vent, instead of a window.

So finding a vent that matches the connection of the hose on your portable AC is going to be the best. Not only for what it looks like but for sealing it up.

Summing it up

Finding ideals for a windowless air conditioner can be a little bit of a challenge.

The most obvious windowless air conditioner is going to be in the evaporative cooler.

Evaporative coolers do not need a window to exhaust any heat out of.

But they do require continuous refills of water.

And they do not work too well in humid conditions.

Some other ideals to get AC into a windowless room;

1.Put a window air conditioner through the wall,

2.Use PTAC air conditioning ( hotel air conditioners)

3.Have another HVAC zone installed.

And if you like to think outside of the box,

4.You can split an existing HVAC zone,

Or exhaust a portable air conditioner into an attic instead of through a window.

Remember, any modifications you do to your ceiling are going to be there whether you end up using an ideal or not.

This article is in no way professional advice.

These are just things that I have seen done that will hopefully spark your own imagination, and help you get your windowless room cooled off during the summer.

Is There a Silent Window Air Conditioner?

Window air conditioners are an excellent way to cool off a room provided you do not want the room to be extra quiet.

That’s because the cycling of the air conditioner becomes a backdrop to your life anytime that the air conditioner is on. Yes it’s kind of annoying.

Is there a silent window air conditioner?

There is no such thing as a completely silent window air conditioner.

A window AC that creates zero noise is a impossibility because of the fact all the parts of a window air conditioner that make noise are located in the same “all-in-one” unit.

The running motor noise that a window AC makes is literally behind the vents where the cool air blows out of.

And there’s no way to have a refrigerated type air conditioner without having a condenser and compressor cycling on and off.

There is a reason that anytime you do a search on Google or a silent air conditioner you find yourself on a search result page of top quietest air conditioners.

A window AC is a all-in-one unit.

And when I say “all in one”, I mean all the components that make an air conditioner work, including the compressor and the fan.

And although there are other noises that a window air conditioner make from time to time, the compressor and the fan are the main running sound that you hear when you operate a window AC.

Window air conditioners use the same type of technology that a central heat and air unit (HVAC) uses.

But the reason that a central heat and air unit seems to cool the air very quietly inside of a house is because the compressor is located outside of the house.

The distance between the part that blows the cool air in the house and the outdoor compressor is far enough from each other that you do not hear the compressor noise.

But if you a window that is next to the outdoor HVAC compressor running then you know very well that they are far from silent.

In fact, they can be very loud. Loud enough that there are people who build sound barriers around them to keep the noise down.

What is the Quietest Window AC?

The type of window AC that is the quietest is the inverter u-shaped style.

It is because a u-shaped window air conditioners like the Soleusair allow for the window to come through the center of the air conditioner, which makes the actual window a barrier between the blower section of the air conditioner and the noise and compressor in the back of the AC.

The noise level of the Soleusair comes in at only 38 decibels. That’s about the same as running a very quiet refrigerator.

Other window ACs like the Haier Serenity achieve a very quiet result by ensuring that each component inside of the unit is insulated.

Haier Serenity achieves about 42 decibels. Very close to the inverter u-shaped window ACs.

Summary

Is there a silent window air conditioner?

Window air conditioners are a convenient way to get refrigerated air cooling your room. They are all in one solution that work well because they are able to exhaust the heat that they generate directly outside the house.

But being that they are a complete packaged unit including all the components that actually create the cool air including a noisy compressor, it is impossible to have a window air conditioner that creates zero noise and is completely silent.

But that doesn’t mean there are some very quiet window air conditioners on the market.

If it is very important that you have zero noise, other solutions like a mini split air conditioner, that split the location of the air conditioner and the compressor so that the noisy compressor is located outside.

Still not a completely silent option, but nearly.

Can a Window AC be Used Inside?

Just recently A friend of mine told me that he had a window air conditioner sitting in the garage but he didn’t have a window that it would fit in.

Him and his wife decided that they would just bring it in the house and sit it on the table. Unfortunately that didn’t work out too well for them. Let me explain why.

Can a window air conditioner be used inside?

Exhaust

A window AC is not meant to be used inside of a house.

Just placing a window air conditioner on a table and turning it on will not give you the intended result of cooling off your room.

The reason you can’t use a Window AC inside is that window air conditioners exhaust heat from the rear of the unit.

If you have ever walked behind a window air conditioner while it is running, you probably noticed that the air was hot directly behind it.

It is the same thing if you have walked by a large compressor sitting next to somebody’s house while it is operating.
The air coming off of the compressor is hot.

Just sitting a window AC on top of a table and turning it on will cool the air from the front and heat the air from the back which will essentially cancel out each other.

The entire reason a window air conditioner is meant to sit into a window is the fact that it needs a place to exhaust the heat.

Condensation

Another reason why you can’t simply place a window air conditioner inside besides the heat exhausting from the rear is the condensation that drips out oh the bottom of the unit.

Window air conditioners pull the hot air out of your room and drag it across refrigerated coils that condense the air and remove the humidity.

The humidity exits the air conditioner as liquid out of a drainage hole on the bottom of the air conditioner.

If you run a window air conditioner inside of a room, it will exhaust heat out of the back and drip water onto your table or surface that you put it.

Portable Air Conditioner

A portable air conditioner runs on the same type of technology but it has the added advantage of being able to move around the room a little more freely then a window air conditioner.

But even a portable refrigerated air conditioners have to have a hose running to a window to exhaust the heat out of the room.

Evaporative Air Coolers

The only type of air coolers that do not require any type of way to exhaust the heat coming over the air conditioner is evaporative air coolers.

Evaporative air coolers use water to cool off a room. Very much like the way the wind blowing over a body of water like a pool or lake cools the air.

But even though they do not require a way to exhaust the heat, they are maintenance heavy machines because they require water to be refilled frequently.

They also must be cleaned frequently to avoid mold and bacteria that can easily grow inside of them if the water is allowed to be standing for too long.

Summary

Can a window air conditioner be used inside?

A window air conditioner will not cool a room by bringing it inside and sitting it on a table or other surface.

It is because a window AC exhaust heat out of the rear and cold air from the vents.

Without a way to exhaust the heat through a window, the heat will cancel out the cool air.

Window air conditioners also dehumidify as they run. Which means that they pull the water out of the air as a means of cooling the air.

When the humidity is pulled out, it becomes liquid that needs a place to drain to.

Which in normal situations is outside because the window AC is sitting in a window.

But bringing a window air conditioner inside means the condensation will be dripping inside of the house or room.

Why Does a Window AC Have to Be in the Window?

Why does a window AC have to be in the window?

A window AC is designed to sit in a window because it needs a place to exhaust the heat that it creates and a place to drip the water that it makes as it dehumidifies.

Window air conditioners are also called through the wall air conditioners sometimes too.

With a through the wall air conditioner, the concept is the same.

The air conditioner sits inside of a wall with the face of the air conditioner inside of the room that you want to cool and the rear of the air conditioner sitting on the outside of the house.

Window air conditioners are a type of miniature HVAC refrigerated air conditioner that are all in one box.

Other type of refrigerated air conditioning like a central heat and air unit (HVAC) for a mini split air conditioner use a separate compressor that is located outside of the house.

If you’ve ever walked by a compressor sitting on the side of someone’s house or business, you probably noticed the heat coming off of the unit.

It is because refrigerated air conditioners exhaust heat as they cool the air.

Window air conditioners are basically a convenient all in the same box type of HVAC, and just like a full size HVAC, they create heat as they cool as well.

But since the compressor of a window AC is built into the same box, one side of the air conditioner needs a place to exhaust the heat and drip the condensation.

That’s why it is designed to sit into a window.

Portable air conditioners

A portable air conditioner is a refrigerated air conditioner that is basically the same thing as a window air conditioner but sits inside of the room instead of sitting in a window.

But it still requires a window to exhaust the heat from.

The difference is it exhausts through a hose instead of directly out of the rear of the machine.

The condensation created in the process goes into a drainage catch that has to be emptied from time to time.

A portable air conditioner can also be exhausted into the Attic.

Since it has a hose that extends from the machine around 6 ft.

If the room you are in has an attic but no windows, there is the possibility of exhausting into the Attic. This is most likely a do-it-yourself project. Good luck finding any type of commercial conversion kit.

Portable air conditioners are also good in situations where there are odd shaped or smaller than usual windows.

A lot of times rooms like basements will have very small windows that do not accommodate a window air conditioner, but they can accommodate the exhaust hose on a portable air conditioner.

Summary

Why does a window AC have to be in the window?

Window ACS are placed in a window for 2 reasons.

1. They create heat that needs a place to exhaust.
2. They need a place to drip the condensation that is formed while the unit is running.

Placing a window air conditioner through an outside wall is also a common installation process that does not require a window. But it does require cutting a hole through the wall.

Portable air conditioners work on the same premise, but they exhaust the heat through a hose which is meant to sit in a window.

A portable air conditioner can work anywhere that there is a place to run a hose that can accept heat. An attic for instance.

Why are Window Air Conditioners So Loud?

Window air conditioners are an easy solution for people who need air conditioning but do not have the luxury of Central Heat and Air (HVAC).

Easy. Maybe. Convenient. Yes they are.

But they are not quiet.

Why are window air conditioners so loud?

A window AC is a refrigerated air conditioner that contains all the components of a full sized HVAC all in one box.

Noisy AC components like the compressor and fan motor that are normally separated completely outside from the house in a full Central Heat and Air unit,

are packed into a tight package within a window air conditioner.

That means that the noise that is usually separated and contained outside is instead included with your window AC.

1. Compressor and fan

The main reason that a window air conditioner is so loud is there is a noisy compressor directly behind the vents that the cold air comes from.

Like we talked about before, refrigerator air conditioners use a compressor and a condenser fan. Without these two components, you do not have a working air conditioner.

And since these components are located directly inside of the window air conditioner, there are very few options for getting away from the constant cycling noise that they make.

But the compressor is not the only source of noise coming from and out of a window AC.

Other reasons that window AC are so loud are:

2. Outside noise

Even though a window AC fits between the window and the window seal easily enough, it is rare that you would ever purchase a unit that fits a window on the sides.
That is why there are plastic inserts that come included with the AC purchase.

Those plastic ” fillers” are meant to keep the outside air from getting inside.
But they are not thick enough to do much in the way of keeping the outdoor noise from coming through.

Making your own “fillers” out of some thicker wood is an easy do it yourself project that can help cut down the noise leaking through the sides quite a bit.

Window ACs are very heavily vented on the outside of the unit. The sides of the AC have a slotted grill to help keep the compressor cool. But they also allow noise to come directly through the air conditioner.

3. Rain and gurgling

One of the most annoying noises that a window air conditioner can make is the sound of water gurgling inside of the air conditioner.

This usually happens when the air is extra humid and the air conditioner is condensing more water than usual.

Blowing rain is also a source of water that can get into the rear of the air conditioner via the side grill vents.

It is also a good indicator that the drain hole that allows the water to drip out of the air conditioner has a blockage and is not letting the water drip as quickly as it needs.

And/or the drainage hole is clear but the air conditioner is not sitting in the window level.

Depending on where the drain hole is on the bottom of the window AC in question, the unit may need to sit exactly level for the water to drain out correctly.

Or the unit may need to have a slight tilt to the rear for the water to move towards the rear end of the air conditioner.

The window unit should never be tilted forwards. That is just asking for the water to drain towards the front of the air conditioner which is located inside of the house.

Summary
Why are window air conditioners so loud?

The main reason window air conditioners are so loud is that they have all the components of a standard size central heat and air unit,

But they’re all packed into a little box that sits in your window.

Some of the parts inside of a window air conditioner like the compressor and fan that on a full size HVAC would be separated and placed outside,

Are all sitting right inside of the window air conditioner so that you can hear them running directly through the vents where the cold air comes out of.

Why Do Window Air Conditioners Drip Water?

Window air conditioners are one of the easiest ways that you can get cold air into a room. Provided you have a window to install it in.

But there are things about window air conditioners that are not exactly well known and people don’t realize are a thing till they actually get it home and installed.

For instance, you may have not realized that the air conditioner that you put in your window was going to be a continuous dripping faucet.

Why do window air conditioners drip water?

Window air conditioners actually dehumidify the air as they are cooling it off.

One of the functions of a refrigerated air conditioner like a window AC is to pull the moisture out of the air as a means of making the room cold.

The moisture that is pulled out of the air is condensed, turning it into water that exits through a drain hole in the bottom of the air conditioner.

This is a perfectly normal function of a window air conditioner. The amount of water that a window air conditioner drips is directly related to the relative humidity.

If you were running a window AC when the humidity is high, you will notice that the amount of water draining out of your AC is much higher than usual.

Likewise, if the weather is dry, you may not even notice any water draining out of your air conditioner.

When is it not normal for a window air conditioner to drip?

If the window air conditioner in question is dripping water but it is not dripping out through the drain hole, the drain hole is probably clogged, making the water find a different exit.

If you find your AC is dripping water but it is not coming out of the drain hole, you’ll probably find that the bottom of the AC is filling up with water.

This can be an issue if the air conditioner is not tilted because the water can begin to leak through the bottom into the room side of the air conditioner instead of the outdoor section of the air conditioner.

So keeping the drainage hole cleaned out on the window air conditioner is important and can save you from having any type of damage to your walls if the leak becomes big enough.

Another issue that can result in water dripping from window AC in an area other than the drainage hole is a window AC that is not properly leveled and tilted slightly back to the rear.

To give you a better idea of what I’m talking about, think about it this way.

If I were to pour water into a glass that is sitting on an uneven table. The water would set heavier on the inside of the glass that is lower than the other side because of the uneven table.

It’s the same thing with the window AC, if it is not level horizontally, then the condensed water will want to gather on the side of the air conditioner that is lower than the other side.

Which means that it will not drain evenly and may cause water to drip out of the side instead of the drainage hole.

Summary

Why do window air conditioners drip water?

“Window air conditioners dehumidify the air as they cool the air down.

In the dehumidification process, the humidity in the air is condensed and turned to water.

The water exits the window air conditioner through a drainage hole on the bottom of the AC.”

The water that exits the AC is the continuous dripping that window air conditioners are known for especially in humid weather.

How to Quiet a Noisy Window Air Conditioner

Window air conditioners are pretty noisy by nature.

After all, they sit halfway in and out of a window with a motorized compressor sitting right behind the vents where the cool air comes out.

But like any machinery, window air conditioners can become noisy after time.

New vibrations, parts clanging, new outdoor sounds can make a window AC unit much louder than it was intended to be.

But for every problem, there is a solution. Usually.

In this article we are going to attempt to help you identify the noise, and give you a solution to get rid of the sound or at least dampen it.

Let’s get rolling.

How to Quiet a Noisy Window Air Conditioner

1. Gurgling

The gurgling sound coming from a window air conditioner is one of the most noticeable noises that a window AC unit can make.

And to be honest, it’s not one that you’re going to always be able to get rid of.

The problem arises when condensation builds up to the point that there is water standing inside of the air conditioner.

Not only will you start hearing a gurgling noise, you will also start to feel mist coming out of the vents.

This is a drainage issue.

It is either caused by a drain hole being stopped up to the point that water does not drain,

Or an air conditioner that is unlevel so that the water does not flow towards the drainage hole.

If the drainage hole is stopped up, the easiest thing to do is to take a water hose and spray the inside of the air conditioner out and take a pencil or something similar and dig the gunk out of the drain hole.

If the stoppage is more extreme, then there is the possibility of having to take the outside of the air conditioner off and doing a thorough cleaning inside.

In the case of an uneven window air conditioner, leveling it can be done using a level and some shims.

Most window ACS call for the rear of the AC to be slightly tilted backwards so that the water runs towards the outside of the house and not the inside.

But like I said before there’s not always an answer for this problem.

The reason is that some window air conditioners do not have drainage holes and are meant to rely on evaporation to get rid of the condensation.

But if the humidity outside is too high, sometimes it can overcome the ability of the air conditioner to evaporate the condensation.

This can result in water inside of your air conditioner making a gurgling sound.

2. Walls vibrating

This is a problem that can create an annoying buzzing sound in the walls.

There are a couple of things to look for when you have vibration sounds around the air conditioner.

The vibration in the walls is a direct result of the vibration of the air conditioner.

If the air conditioner is sitting directly on the window sill without a buffer between the unit and the wood, then the walls will vibrate with the vibration that is happening naturally with the air conditioner.

Putting a piece of foam window seal weather stripping between the air conditioner and the window seal, as well as the window should cut down the amount of vibration coming from the air conditioner quite significantly.

If the vibration is extra loud, it is a result of an abnormally heavy vibration coming from the window unit itself.

In this case, it’s more than likely that something has come loose inside of the air conditioner and is shaking.

A screw has worked itself loose and you have something shaking that should be tightened down.

The solution is to take the air conditioner out of the window, remove the outer casing and look for, then tighten down the part that has vibrated loose.

Once everything is fastened down and foam insulation has been installed between the windowsill, the AC, and the window, you should notice a big difference.

3. Outside noise

Rarely does a window air conditioner take up the whole space of a window.
That is why they provide you with the plastic, adjustable fillers to place on both sides of the air conditioner.

Those fillers tend to work fine for a little while as far as keeping the outdoor air on the outside. But even for that they tend to weather fast and break.

But they were never meant to keep the outdoor noise out. The plastic on those things is much too thin to be considered a noise dampener.

Replacing the window fillers that come with the air conditioner with something much thicker will keep the outside noise outside much better.

Even some 3/4 inch plywood can block the outdoor noise way more efficiently.

And even more sound absorbing material is an insulation product called mineral wool. Not all of your hardware stores are going to carry it, but it is the same stuff that they make sound absorbers for music studios.

It is not strong enough to work as a standalone product when you’re talking about using it as a window filler, so it will have to be glued to another product. Like the three quarter inch plywood.

The whole process is to cut the plywood to the exact measurements that you need to fill in the spaces on the side of the AC.

Cut the mineral wool to the exact same sizes as of the wood and glue it on to the wood with some spray adhesive.

You can cover the pieces with some fabric or wallpaper so that the mineral will insulation is not exposed.

Put your new pieces into the window and fill in the gaps around them with some spray insulation.

4. Other outdoor noises

Some outdoor noises come directly through the grill of the air conditioner.

Usually the sound of the compressor inside of the air conditioner is loud enough to cover up any outdoor noises coming through the unit itself.

But there are times when this is not the case.

How do you dampen an air conditioner noise?

One solution is to build an enclosure around the air conditioner. This can be a fully( open bottom) insulated box that sits on the outside of the air conditioner.

Important: But there is one stipulation. It must sit at least a foot around the air conditioner.

The reason a window air conditioner needs to be in the window is because of the heat that exhausts out of the rear and the side grills that let air into the air conditioner to keep the components cool.

So any encasement around an air conditioner has to allow for these two things to occur.

Putting anything directly against the outside of the air conditioner will cause the unit to not only not cool the air like it’s supposed to, it will overheat and trip the overload button.

This is why, even though there are people selling them for this reason, putting a weighted blanket on the outside of the air conditioner to reduce the outdoor noise is not a good idea.

How to stop rain noise on window AC?

Another outdoor noise that can be a little loud inside of the house when you have a window air conditioner is the sound of rain hitting the unit.

Very similar to the sound of rain hitting a metal roof.

This can be solved by putting a dampener directly on the outdoor portion of the roof of the AC.

One ideal is to use rubber welcome mats.
You can purchase them with foam inside of them also, which would make a great sound dampener.

And they are also easy to cut with a pair of scissors.

Very simply measure the size you need and cut it out of the welcome mat.

You can send it directly on the AC. If it is too windy in the area that you have the AC, double-sided tape can be used to keep it from blowing off.

Leaves and branches

Another outdoor noise is simply the sound of please brushing up against your air conditioner.

In this case a little bit of outdoor maintenance in the form of clearing out some brush is going to be necessary.

6. Window air conditioner compressor noise

Compressor noise comes with an AC window unit.

Unlike other types of air conditioners like mini splits and HVAC which are split into two halves with the compressor completely outside, window ACS are an all in one box type solution.

In other words, there’s no getting away from the sound of the compressor running on a window AC completely.

But not all compressor noises or meant to be there. Compressors are machines that vibrate. Vibration can lead to parts breaking and parts coming undone inside of the air conditioner over time.

Why does my window AC sound like a helicopter?

If the compressor is abnormally loud, and though this is not normally true of brand new units, something in the compressor might have come loose.
Which is making an extra sound inside of the air conditioner, providing extra noise then usual.

This is a disassembling job. You’ll have to take the air conditioner out of the window, unscrew the casing and take it off and then search for what is making the noise.

If you turn it on without the outside casing , and the noise is not there anymore, then your problem lies with the casing.

Maybe something has come loose and is tapping the casing or the casing has gotten bent and is pushed up against a component inside of the air conditioner.

Summary

How to quiet a noisy window air conditioner?

Window air conditioners can create a lot of noise and they can also allow a lot of noise to get through them.

Some of the different kinds of noises include gurgling water sounds, mechanical banging sounds, loud outside noise getting through the air conditioner, and standard compressor noises.

In the above article, we talked about making sure that the air conditioner is level and the drain hole is completely open.

We also talked about vibrations and how to handle the result of what a vibrating window air conditioner can give.

We also talked about how window air conditioners are inherently noisy because they are an all-in-one solution that has the running compressor directly inside of it, and vents little love the noise to come directly into the room that you were using the air conditioner in.

Hopefully one of these tips is what you were looking for and you are able to quieten down your window AC.