window AC units

[Brenda (OH)]

Is there a way to install window AC units that makes it more difficult for anyone to steal them? Or any advice on installing window AC units "the best way"? lol

Decent park, but this is a rehab unit I am not at at night or on the weekends.

we got record high temps early this summer in OH!

thanks!

Brenda

[Harry]

Hi

We're in the 90's these days.

The new ac unit will come with good installation instructions.

If the window above the unit slides down on top of the unit fasten it with screws to the window frame. This will make it harder to steal.

Can't really make anything 100% theft proof though.

Harry

[JD]

Another idea is to install the unit through the wall. This leaves you a usable window and a much more secure install. In the picture below, you will see an angle metal bracket I made with stuff from Lowe's. The bracket is bolted together with those plastic sleeved (aircraft) bolts to insure they would not loosen. For a more secure install, you could use carriage bolts coming through the bottom. The bottom rails of the frame could be extended to the front of the AC unit to make it much harder to remove from the out side. With the hole in the wall cut to a tight clearance, a person would not be able to lift the unit high enough to clear the lip of the angle metal bracket. The side pieces of the bracket are also screwed into the framing we made for the hole. This AC was also installed about 4'-9" off of the floor of the living room. With the skirting, the bottom of the unit is over 7' off of the ground. Clearance so people won't hit there head while walking past it in the carport and it would require a ladder to even attempt to take it down, which they could not do anyways because of the bracket.

This particular Frigidaire unit (from Best Buy) has metal cross pieces welded to the unit on the inside, which would not fit through the hole anyways. But al ot of window AC do not have these and are flush all the way around.

You will see that the chain supporting the bracket is not centered on the unit. This is because we could not reach the framing top plate under the awning and had to screw into the wall studs.

[JD]

More about that bracket: . Before sliding the AC unit into the hole, we lined the metal bracket with a rubber foam strip made for the bottom of canopies on pick-up trucks. This prevents damage to the AC units finish and insures that it won't rattle. The AC unit came with a large piece of foam to seal the bottom of the AC. The clearance around the AC in the hole was 1/4" and less. We stuffed several strips 3/8" foam caulking rod in this crack before sealing with caulking. Again, all the bracket parts came from Lowe's and cost about $30 for angle metal, hooks, chain and foam.

JD

[Guest]

Hi JD,
What did you use to cut the hole in the wall? A Sawzall?

[Guest]

I like J.D.'s idea. I have an older single wide mobile home and live in Alabama. Heat and humidity are a way of life here. When my older Miller unit began to go bad I had someone give me what was a decent price I would think to replace the central air (the previous owner had a new gas furnace installed less than a couple months before I moved in). Due to money constraints and age/condition of the mobile home I decided to go with window units. The larger master bedroom has a 6,000 BTU, the smaller bedroom has a 5,000 BTU, and the living room has an 8,000 BTU cool/6,000 BTU heat unit in it. I had difficulties with Fedders on the combo AC/Heat unit and went through several and MANY trips to their authorized repair center over 20 miles away before getting one that would marginally work. I followed the advice of a fellow MHR'r and called and emailed their customer service and was relentless with them demanding something be done. Their customer service number rang to the Philippines and they in turn take your complaint/concern and if it is deemed important it is forwarded to their office in the US. I had to fax receipt (from national discount store W@#%&*T who would not take it as an in store return since it was purchased online from their site) and invoices where I had taken it to their repair center. When I called to confirm the line was answered more like a residence number. That is when the lady told me that they had a generator go down and that their phone/fax/computers would not be in working order until Monday (that was a Thursday). I didn't even bother asking her how she was able to answer. It took more contact and staying after them but they finally sent a replacement unit (cosmetically damaged....I used both old and new to come up with one working unit). The heat on the unit works more like a heat pump though, so it does not give that warm and toasty feel. Had I to do that one over again I would have gone with Frigidaire or Kenmore. I would not have had near the drama and backache I had with the Fedders unit. Their manufacture cost per unit out of country is approx $30 according to the CS rep Raul...which explains a lot and the lack of quality. Anyway, I do miss the ability to see and use my windows. All of the units I bought can either sit it the window with or without the screws to secure it and detour thieves. The braces I used are posted in my gallery. I like them because they were cost effective and have a level built in so that you can determine the correct angle for drain-off.

[JD]

Hi Wayne,

The panel was pulled off of the wall so we could frame in the opening. The aluminum siding was cut with a utility knife and the paneling was cut with a skilsaw, then finished off with a utility knife. Yeah, we have sawzalls, jigsaws, all kinds of hand saws, but there is something beautiful about a saw that is already in your hands.

JD

[Guest]

Thanks, JD. I'm planning on installing a wall unit next week. Seeing your photos and the descriptions of how you accomplished it has saved me a lot of guesswork.