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Heat and cool
The weekend was pretty hellish, heat-wise. I started installing our air conditioners last week, since I simply couldn't sleep with my skin all messed up from the allergic reaction.
We also picked up a new air conditioner to replace the one in our bedroom, which was just too old and weak. We bought a GE 6,000 BTU, and it sucked. Not literally, of course; it just didn't produce much cold air. Teri got to give me an "I told you so", since she'd pushed for the bigger air conditioner against my resistance.
So I packed the damn thing up, carried it downstairs and to the car, and we returned it for the next step up - an 8,000 GE model.
It was HEAVY. Heavy heavy heavy heavy. Somehow I managed to get it upstairs, but by the time I finished opening the box Teri and Sebastian had both fallen asleep on our bed. This was Friday night, by the way, and it was relatively cool. Otherwise they would probably have crashed in his bedroom, which cools down very nicely indeed.
As soon as I started unpacking the box, I knew I was in trouble. This wasn't just a larger version of the other AC - it was really BIG. And complicated, too; there were a lot more parts, and according to the manual I was actually supposed to take the works out of the unit case, install the case in the window, and then slide the rest of the unit back into the case.
I was also supposed to screw and bolt all sorts of things into the window sill, the wall outside, and the wall inside. The problem was that we have vinyl siding and windows, so I can't screw all sorts of crap into any of those areas.
So I gave up for the night. I figured we'd return the unit (although the thought of taking it down the stairs frankly horrified me), and go to some store that carried non-GE units which would, with any luck, be easier to install.
But the next morning I did a little research first, and found out some interesting things: this model WAS more difficult to install than usual, but it was also exceptionally quiet, perfect for a bedroom. So I buckled down and managed to get the damn thing installed.
I'm glad that I did, and not just because the temperature outside reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit that day. The unit is very quiet, and very powerful.
I'll say, though, that AC manufacturers seem to live in some alternate universe. Why the hell do they think people can just put all sorts of bolts and screws through their houses?
I gave it some serious thought, and came up with an idea for a...a thing that could be used to securely install almost any air conditioner without damaging the house or window sill.
It would basically be a platform with a pair of arms designed to clamp on the inside and outside of the windowsill wall, using dense foam or rubber on the inner clamp arms and underside of the platform (above the window sill) to prevent damage to the house. It would look something like this:
(A side view)
The AC unit itself could be screwed into the platform. As for the clamp arms, only one of them need be moveable.
I could try to make something like that out of plywood, but the weak point would be the attachment of the clamp arms to the platform; I'm not sure what would be the best way to make a very solid join at that point.
This unit might be rather popular, if it were ever made; it would make home AC installation quite easy.
Maybe someone is already selling something like that. I should look around.
We also picked up a new air conditioner to replace the one in our bedroom, which was just too old and weak. We bought a GE 6,000 BTU, and it sucked. Not literally, of course; it just didn't produce much cold air. Teri got to give me an "I told you so", since she'd pushed for the bigger air conditioner against my resistance.
So I packed the damn thing up, carried it downstairs and to the car, and we returned it for the next step up - an 8,000 GE model.
It was HEAVY. Heavy heavy heavy heavy. Somehow I managed to get it upstairs, but by the time I finished opening the box Teri and Sebastian had both fallen asleep on our bed. This was Friday night, by the way, and it was relatively cool. Otherwise they would probably have crashed in his bedroom, which cools down very nicely indeed.
As soon as I started unpacking the box, I knew I was in trouble. This wasn't just a larger version of the other AC - it was really BIG. And complicated, too; there were a lot more parts, and according to the manual I was actually supposed to take the works out of the unit case, install the case in the window, and then slide the rest of the unit back into the case.
I was also supposed to screw and bolt all sorts of things into the window sill, the wall outside, and the wall inside. The problem was that we have vinyl siding and windows, so I can't screw all sorts of crap into any of those areas.
So I gave up for the night. I figured we'd return the unit (although the thought of taking it down the stairs frankly horrified me), and go to some store that carried non-GE units which would, with any luck, be easier to install.
But the next morning I did a little research first, and found out some interesting things: this model WAS more difficult to install than usual, but it was also exceptionally quiet, perfect for a bedroom. So I buckled down and managed to get the damn thing installed.
I'm glad that I did, and not just because the temperature outside reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit that day. The unit is very quiet, and very powerful.
I'll say, though, that AC manufacturers seem to live in some alternate universe. Why the hell do they think people can just put all sorts of bolts and screws through their houses?
I gave it some serious thought, and came up with an idea for a...a thing that could be used to securely install almost any air conditioner without damaging the house or window sill.
It would basically be a platform with a pair of arms designed to clamp on the inside and outside of the windowsill wall, using dense foam or rubber on the inner clamp arms and underside of the platform (above the window sill) to prevent damage to the house. It would look something like this:
(A side view)
The AC unit itself could be screwed into the platform. As for the clamp arms, only one of them need be moveable.
I could try to make something like that out of plywood, but the weak point would be the attachment of the clamp arms to the platform; I'm not sure what would be the best way to make a very solid join at that point.
This unit might be rather popular, if it were ever made; it would make home AC installation quite easy.
Maybe someone is already selling something like that. I should look around.