PDA

View Full Version : Air conditioner indoors?

jonathanlopes
05-30-2006, 10:59 AM
Hello,

I am not a firefighter, but greatly enjoy reading these forums and learning about firefighting and the many other topics that come up. I thought this might be a good place to get feedback on an idea I have to cool my very hot apartment.

I live in Brooklyn and have a railroad style apartment where the bedrooms are in the middle of the building, with no windows. I am on the third floor (top floor). I have a large, front, street facing room with 3 windows. Room is appx 18' x 16'. My idea is to put a small window AC in the doorway to the bedroom and have it blow the hot air into this front room while cooling the bedroom. I'd have a window fan blowing out in one of the windows in the front room. The front room is a room I don't need to use very much.

Are there any dangers I should be aware of with this idea? Or, should I just simply not do it?

Looking forward to your thoughts or feedback and thanks in advance.

Jonathan
Resq1scnd2none
05-30-2006, 12:12 PM
There are now AC's that are inside, and run a exhaust/intake tube. That might be your better bet. AC's can and will leak a little water/condensation. So mounting them inside may not be the best idea. Or, you can just get a large BTU one, and keep the front room cool as well as the berdooms.
jonathanlopes
05-30-2006, 12:51 PM
There are now AC's that are inside, and run a exhaust/intake tube. That might be your better bet. AC's can and will leak a little water/condensation. So mounting them inside may not be the best idea. Or, you can just get a large BTU one, and keep the front room cool as well as the berdooms.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I had considered the indoor AC unit but the tube would have to be really long and they're more expensive. I already own a small window unit I was hoping to use, but I think the best approach will be as you say to purchase a new, high BTU unit for the front window. I was hoping not to have to lay out any cash on a new AC unit considering my electric bills will be outrageous this summer.

Thanks again!
nmfire
05-30-2006, 02:07 PM
This won't work right for a few reasons.

1. Putting it in the door way isn't going to keep the cool air in the bedroom. Air moves and convection will make it very inefficient with the door wide open.

2. The condensate pan is going to pour water all over your living room.

The only way to do this is to get a big arse window or wall-sleeve unit and crank that baby up. Eventually, it will cool the whole place down. Leave it set for a comfy temp and it will probably maintain it once it is there.
doughesson
05-31-2006, 12:45 PM
Modify nmfire's advice about a window unit to include a couple fans set in the door and one set in the major use room facing the ceiling to circulate the air and I think you'd have a winner.
Cranking the a/c up alone won't cool things down faster as it takes time to get air circulated and cooled.
Trust me,I grew up in Memphis without air conditioning because Dad was tired of blowing fuses keeping the house cool.I now have a/c at home but in my adult years,I'd keep the apartment or trailer I was living in comfortable without closing off the windows.