Help: Window too small for A/C units.

[Michael.Terence]

So I've made a lot of progress in Amish garage... all the electric is run, insulation up, drywall up (walls & ceiling), finished, and primed. The temps have soared to 100 degrees and I just can't work in the weather anymore! The windows in this thing are 22 3/4" Wide, 12" High.

I really don't want to give up any floor space to a portable unit, and I'd be looking at $1,000+ to have a split system put in. I've spent an hour on google looking for smaller window units but have had no luck. Does anyone have any suggestions? It's too late to go cutting holes in the walls.

 

[fourfeathers]

You could TRY this one. http://www.xpedio.carrier.com/idc/groups/public/documents/marketing/851-244-010100.pdf
May be hard to find, and I am unsure if it will for CERTAIN fit, but I can measure my a/c to double check, if you can locate one. It is very easy to install, and is a decent a/c. They used to have 2 models, with different BTU's. Good luck!

 

[fourfeathers]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Carrier-Air-Con...1QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101

Spelled wrong in title, so it didn't come up before. Like I said, it would be close, but I ask the sller to measure that one, of just buyit and try it. Gives you a place to start anyway!

 

[rodnok1]

It's never too late to cut a new hole in the wall. There was a unit meant for casement type windows is was bigger inside and out, but thin in the middle to fit the window. It might sound redneck, but a friend was renting a house with small windows in the garage, so we bought a cheap exterior door and mounted a window a/c in it and just used the roll up doors. In the winter we switched the doors out.

 

[oldgoat]

I was in the similar situation. I had a slider window in my garage and they don't make a big enough unit to fit them for my garage. I'm not a fan of the heat pumps since my area gets nice and cold in the winter so you need a backup electric heat strip as far as I know. Finally bit the bullet and cut a hole in the wall and framed it out to put a window unit in. Didn't turn out bad, but I was careful to look at the different openings that others took and make the R/O big enough to be able to take them in the future I hope. Some don't like to put window units in the window since it makes a easier entry point. Mind I put up higher and screwed the case into the studs so nobody will be able to get in that way. If they do they will be on a ladder.

 

[Old Moparz]

If you can't get a window a/c that fits, & the remote, split units are too expensive, then I agree that cutting a hole in the wall is the way to go. Not sure what size you'd need, but even the larger BTU units are less money than they used to be. I picked up a 12,000 BTU a/c just 2 summers ago for about $250 for an area in my house.

If you do cut a hole, a few things to keep in mind would be, make sure you cut the hole in a location you won't regret. You don't want to have the exterior corner of the a/c in line with your head. Also, the motor noise will be annoying if the a/c unit ends up near a patio or deck. Inside the garage, you also may want to locate the hole you cut near an existing outlet, or at least close to a power source.

I doubt you'd want to have to snake another line through a finished wall, but a new outlet punched in where an existing wire would be easier. Having said that about the new line, if you need a large a/c unit with a lot of BTU's, you'll need 220 service for it. I think the largest unit you can get to run off 110 is about 14,000 BTU's, but I could be wrong.

 

[Michael.Terence]

I neglected to mention the size of the shop... it's only 266 sq ft. Since all 4 walls are exterior walls I decided to be safe and look for something about 1200 BTUs. Nothing that size will fit so I got a little creative and found this.

I like that it draws outside air to cool itself rather than using cool air and blowing it out.

I doubt the heat pump will do much good in the dead of winter but we'll see.

 

[malibu101]

If you're thinking of cutting a hole in the wall to stick a window unit in-That's fine.
BUT
double check that the unit you're thinking of using does not have louvers on the side (outside) that would be blocked when installing it in a 4" or more thick wall.
When mounted in a window there is no problem but the thickness of the wall can be a problem on some "window" units.

Been there-done that

 

[Bevis]

I just p/u a new 18,500 btu window unit for $150. A friend bought it 6 months ago and had it in his garage. His wife said to use it or get rid of it.

 

[6768rogues]

Cut in a new window and put the AC in it. Windows are not expensive, you would have your choice of air conditioners and easy future replacement, and the window will provide light when you are out of the AC season. Cutting in, framing and installing a new window is about an afternoon's work if you are prepared with materials and a plan in your head.
If the existing window is wide enough but too short, it is even easier. A header and jack studs will be in place and it is merely a matter of lowering the framing on the bottom of the opening for a taller window. No big deal.

 

[55dude]

swapping doors out sounds like a easy way to go!

 

[hangfirew8]

I'm not a fan of the heat pumps since my area gets nice and cold in the winter so you need a backup electric heat strip as far as I know.

All heat pumps need a heat strip or some kind of secondary heat, for the defrost operation. Otherwise the outside coil would freeze up solid in cold but humid weather, and nothing could be done about it.

-HF

 

[hidollartoys]

I have a lake house in the Ozarks and it is cooled with through-wall mounted window units. I would cut a hole in the wall and mount new unit. all the suggestions in this forum concerning this are spot on. A 110 volt unit will probably do. Hope you insulated.