Window AC unit mounted in a door?

[turbo6justin]

Summers here are not bad but there are days when it would be nice to knock a little humidity and temp out of the air. I have a 8-9 year old 10k btu window air conditioner sitting in the shed from back in the appartment years. For various reasons I do not want to put a hole in the garage, nor do I want to install a window at this time. There is a man door that leads to the backyard. I have been thinking for a while now about finding a duplicate steel man door and cutting a hole in it/adding bracing as necessary to hold the ac unit.

I don't need to hear that the unit is too small or it will look goofy. I am just wondering if it will work. The 5-10 year plan is a mini split system but that is way down on the priorities list.

Any thoughts?

 

[kenfath]

"I am just wondering if it will work?"

Yes 1
No 0

 

[nehog]

Work? yes, sure why not...

Good idea? Well, I'd not do it, because it will make opening the door impossible. The door jam is not made for that weight on the door probably, and it may pop out of alignment.

 

[Warrenator]

Do you not use the door? If so you can put in a good strong door, steel or solid wood, or maybe just overlay the old door with plywood for strength, and then drive cabinet leveling wedges (thin wedge shaped pieces of wood) between the door and the floor to support it. Sounds like a good plan to me. I don't think I'd try it on a door I was going to open and close.

I've posted here about my "Redneck Air Conditioning" before, basically what I did at my wife's old chocolate factory is punch a duct sized hole in the door to what was essentially a big closet, and put a piece of flexible insulated duct taped on it. The other end of the flexible duct was taped to the air outlet of a small window A/C unit, and Voila! nice cold room for chocolate storage. And you can open and close the door, no problem.

This worked so well I did it at my house with a larger unit to cool just the bedroom and my wife's office during the really scorching summer months. I used a metal register duct to conform to the rectangular shape of the A/C unit, and covered it all with spray foam to keep the sweating and condensation down. Works great, costs $15 a year to cool my bedroom because the new units are so efficient. Plus I only run it part time, and it isn't super hot and humid where I live. And it is QUIET in the bedroom.

This was the only way to cool the closet at the chocolate factory, the room was brick 2 feet thick and we didn't own the building.

 

[raspy]

Turbo,

In your situation, it seems like a good idea to me.

Good solid core doors can easily handle the weight and your long term plans call for a more permanent solution. Cool. Do it.

It is a big commitment to make a big hole in a wall somewhere that is not permanent or only seasonally used. I struggled with that at my place for an AC unit in a small auxiliary building. I finally went with a portable setup that only requires one 6" round hole and the unit sits inside. But I'm sure it's less efficient than a window type unit.

 

[turbo6justin]

I am going to do a little more looking into the ducting ideas. Even though my attic is well vented I can't imagine it is a good idea to vent the exhaust up there so that is out. I'll keep thinking about it. The existing door is a steel fire style door and I would look for a similar replacement. I am pretty sure it can handle the weight. I think ever kid has hung on a door knob and swung around at some point so I thing a good solid door can take the weight. I would however be using the door fairly frequently so that does play in the equation. Before I closed up the walls I did frame in two window locations 'just in case' but they would really screw with how the workbench/pegboard is set up now and not be great for the neighbors, not that they would complain but I try to be overly considerate.

 

[green.bubbly]

Worse thing that could happen is that you ruin a cheap door.

 

[6768rogues]

My parents used to put a large air conditioner on their front porch on blocks and stick it through the storm door (removeable window). When they wanted A/C, they opened the inside door and turned on the A/C. It worked well for them but blocked one of their code required egress paths.

 

[nehog]

Worse thing that could happen is that you ruin a cheap door.

Uh, I'm sure you could pull the frame out of line if it is not well attached to the building! That would be my main concern, as the door is a relatively minor thing that would be replaced at the end of the season when the A/C is no longer needed.

 

[Orangestang]

Use some 3" screws to help the hinges in the jamb (hope it goes into a 2x4)to hold the weight.

 

[Jonny Vee]

Hi there, I know this is a very old thread. Apologies, I found it in Google for a search about the very same thing. Here is what I can tell you:

I live in a mobile home, my main portable AC unit really does not help me in high summer. I needed a "crosswind" - So I bought a small window LG unit. Since this was a window AC, I didn't bother with permits. In fact I just spoke to HCD, and they said I don't need one.

However - The only window that would be of use was the kitchen door, which is aluminum. It's the only area where I could put the unit to get a good crosswind. The LG unit fit right in, and I added a wooden support that matched the window frame, it basically fits into the window like a shelf. The AC sits on this, and is bolted down with L-Brackets. I also have brackets holding the wood in place. The radiator portion of the unit peeks out about 5 inches beyond the window, and the fan section about 7 inches from the inside. It does not interfere with my egress one bit.

I've had this installed for 2 years, all on the idea that since it was a window unit, I didn't need any permits. But I've just gotten a notice form Health and Safety, that it's "not allowed" - However, it is not prohibited in the California code. In fact, the idea of a Window AC in a door is not mentioned whatsoever. Mainly the complaint came from my park manager who likes to make life miserable in here, and the complaint wasn't even originally about the AC unit, it was about a light fixture in my carport that never had a permit, but that was already there when I took residence. Basically I am dealing with people who are taking one code provision, since it does not apply to the original issue, they are making it apply to something unrelated.

Mainly they told me, if I could get a permit for it from HCD, they'd back off. But HCD may or may not allow this, and it's not health and safety but HCD who has final jurisdiction about this, but Housing and Community Development.

So, about your garage, if the door is not commonly used, you might be able to do it. But I would check with any Department of Housing in your area, if you can do it. The codes for a normal house may differ, but if a building permit can be obtained, it should be allowed, if in fact you ever did this. I say you should, if you can do it and not have it interfere with normal use of the garage.