Wall Mounted Air Conditioners – An Alternative to Central AC

The weather is heating up in the Northeast. If you are looking for an alternative to Central Air Conditioning, you may want to consider a wall mounted unit. Whether you want to avoid running extensive duct work, or you just want to cool certain areas of the house, wall mounted air conditioners might be your best option.

Wall-Mounted Air Conditioning

When considering cooling options for your home, you might wonder about wall-mounted air conditioning. These are alternatives to central air conditioning and to window air conditioners.

Wall-mounted air conditioners are permanently mounted in a wall by attaching a metal sleeve through the wall and sliding in the AC chassis from the inside. Wall-mounted units come in cooling-only or cooling/heating varieties.

Most window models can be installed as wall-mounted air conditioning units-you just add a frame to support the unit. Small units can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers. Large through-the-wall units will probably require professional installation.

An advantage of wall-mounted air conditioning is that you don’t have to give up the view from the window, which is one of the drawbacks of having a window unit.

A wall-mounted air conditioning unit can be very convenient. For one thing, you don’t have to remove it and store it during cooler weather. However, installing one in a preexisting home is not always easy. It must be done in an area where there are no pipes or electric lines running through the walls. In addition, if the walls are made of brick, concrete, or stone, you will probably have difficulties cutting the hole.

A special sleeve must be inserted when the hole is cut to bear the weight of the wall-mounted air conditioning system. The sleeve is made of metal and must be made precisely the right size for best results. The best way to get a sleeve the right size is to buy it from the same company that manufactured the air conditioner.

Another type of wall-mounted air conditioning system available sometimes called a “mini-split” or ductless system. These use a compressor unit mounted outside the house. The compressor is attached to attractive fan units that are mounted on the wall inside the house. These air conditioners require only a small hole, through which the outside and inside units are connected, to be cut through the wall.

If you have central air that’s not doing a good job, or you don’t have a cooling system at all and want to avoid bringing in a central system, a ductless air conditioner might be the best option for you. Ductless air conditioners are like regular air conditioners with ducts in that the compressor is located outside. They are often preferable to window units for aesthetic reasons. In addition, ductless air conditioners are designed to cool a whole house and not just one area of the home, as with a window unit.

Other types of wall-mounted air conditioning units include a packaged terminal air conditioners and large units used in industrial settings to cool large areas, such as factories. Packaged terminal air conditioners, called PTACs, are the type of wall unit often found in motels. In this type of wall-mounted unit, heat and air conditioning are combined in one unit.

Benefits and Drawbacks

As with any air conditioning system, there are benefits and disadvantages to a wall-mounted air conditioning system. Wall-mounted air conditioning systems are aesthetically appealing and fit more securely than window units.

Unlike Window units, no storage is necessary. Wall-mounted air conditioning systems are easy to repair and replace. Best of all, if you have only one window in the room, a wall-mounted air conditioning model will still let sunlight into the space.

On the other hand, installation of a wall-mounted air conditioning system can be costly. You must cut an opening through an outside wall, and larger units may require installation of a dedicated 220-volt line. Additionally many models don’t include the exterior metal sleeve, so you’ll have to purchase it separately.

Another disadvantage is that the wall-mounted air conditioning unit will be hard to disguise during the winter months, and will have to be sealed off to keep cold air from coming in.

With a ductless air conditioner, the compressor, a small unit, sits outside and it is usually quieter than a central air conditioning unit. Inside, there is a very quiet unit mounted on a wall or ceiling that delivers the cool air. Typically, the indoor unit weighs about 18 pounds and if purchased with a built-in filter, will provide better allergy filtering than a central filter unit.

For professional air conditioning repairs in Columbus, call Patriot Air Comfort Systems today!