It's going to be a long, hot summer

June 5, 2011 8:41 PM

Looking for recommendations for a wall/window mounted air conditioner for a 900 square foot home. Outside temps are reaching 95-100, and current air conditioner is totally hosed/crapped out.

Home has a large living/dining area along with kitchen. Can anyone here recommend a model? Thanks!

posted by pushing paper and bottoming chairs to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

To give you the best answer, it would be helpful to know where you live (state?) and the total area (square feet) of all the windows on the south-facing wall. Any drapes/shades on those windows to keep the sunshine out? Does the house have any insulation in the walls?
posted by exphysicist345 at 9:19 PM on June 5, 2011

Do you have a way to really circulate the air between rooms in your house? A window- or wall-mounted air conditioner will really only cool the room it's in. You'll likely need one for the living space or common area and then one for the bedroom, unless we're talking a big studio-type arrangement here.
posted by carsonb at 10:00 PM on June 5, 2011

Frigidaire is always a good bet. They have a lot of different models, so without room dimensions you'll have to go to their website and see what's what. The house I grew up in was about 2200 sq feet over two floors and the entire house was kept cool with two large wall unit ACs on the top floor and a collection of box fans strategically placed throughout the house. It had a very open layout compared to most houses, but the fans will work pretty well regardless. YMMV of course.
posted by chosemerveilleux at 4:49 AM on June 6, 2011

I'm in Central Florida and in a 900 square foot 1920's bungalow style home. I use two LG window units, one on the north side and one on the south. I bought the largest that would fit in my windows (original frames and glass). I also use ceiling fans and a recently bought a floor 'power fan' to help move the cool air around. I keep the window shades and curtain closed during the hottest part of the day, and make sure most of the interior doors are closed so the most used areas are cooled off.
posted by tar0tgr1 at 5:56 AM on June 6, 2011

If you are looking for quality, go with Friedrich. I have had mines for a long time and they just keep on cooling.
posted by Ferrari328 at 11:22 AM on June 6, 2011