How High to Install a Wall Air Conditioner?
Installing a wall air conditioner is a task that can be done by a knowledgeable do-it-yourselfer and will result in increased comfort of your living area, but it does not necessarily need to become an eyesore to either the interior or the exterior of your home. There are many things to keep in mind when installing an in-wall air conditioner, and the height of the unit is one of the most important. Here you will find several things to keep in mind when installing a wall air conditioner, including what is a good height for the unit.
Plan the Space
The first thing that you should do is determine the area that the wall unit will be installed into. Is it an exterior wall? What kind of materials are on the exterior of the wall? The location of the air conditioner is probably the most important aspect of the installation. It is generally easier, and more aesthetically pleasing, to install the air conditioner underneath or above an existing window, at least from an architectural standpoint. However, you do not want the unit to be too high, and this may be the case if considering installing it above a window. Because heat rises, it is also ineffective to have the air conditioner at a high level, as you will not feel the cool air from the unit if it is up high. Also, it may be difficult to reach the AC to adjust the settings or turn on and off. You also don't want it so low that it is simply cooling the floor. Ultimately, between one and four feet off the level of the floor is best.
Details to Consider
Perhaps more important than the exact height that the air conditioner should be installed are details like power supply and creating bigger projects for yourself. The power cord is only so long. You will want to make sure that the air conditioning unit 's power cord is not so high up that it is not able to reach the power outlet. Also, make sure that there is an outlet readily available to the air conditioner. This is one appliance that you do not want to run an extension cord to. Many resources advise that you should locate the installation area underneath an existing window. There are a number of reasons for this recommendation: there will already be studs and headers in place that can be utilized for the installation, there is rarely wiring for electrical fixtures or plumbing for water or gas lines in these areas, and from the exterior, it is much less distracting to the continuity of the exterior wall to locate it thus.
The bottom line is there are no hard and fast rules to the proper height for the installation of an air conditioning unit. Each home, paired with any number of types and styles of air conditioning units, will have specific needs.
