air conditioner installation

meganlibrarian

As the next few days will creep up into the 90's, my husband and I have finally decided that we need to get our air conditioners into the windows. However; the husband and I are wussy chickenshits - we live in a 5th story rental apartment, and are kinda afraid to install them ourselves (one false move and... CRASH!)

Does anyone know of anyplace that will come to our home and set them up? Alternately, does anyone know of any foolproof (and I do mean foolproof, given our technical prowess) way to set up our A/C units ourselves?

But mostly, we're looking for recommendations for an installation service. We're not in need of any new units.

Thanks! :?

idlewild

Ask your landlord if he'll install. If you have a super slip him a few bucks, maybe he'll do it.

brookfetish

Subject: Re: air conditioner installation

meganlibrarian wrote:
Alternately, does anyone know of any foolproof (and I do mean foolproof, given our technical prowess) way to set up our A/C units ourselves?

Grab your balls, buck up and install it. Very easy.

meganlibrarian

Subject: Re: air conditioner installation

BrookFetish wrote: Grab your balls, buck up and install it. Very easy.

Metaphorically speaking, of course.

drano

Make sure you have the following on hand:

- 3 or 4 bricks
- Crowbar
- Claw Hammer
- Krazy Gloo
- Length of rope
- Orange Pylon or Two

I speak from experience.

boygabriel

Subject: Re: air conditioner installation

meganlibrarian wrote: As the next few days will creep up into the 90's, my husband and I have finally decided that we need to get our air conditioners into the windows. However; the husband and I are wussy chickenshits - we live in a 5th story rental apartment, and are kinda afraid to install them ourselves (one false move and... CRASH!)

Does anyone know of anyplace that will come to our home and set them up? Alternately, does anyone know of any foolproof (and I do mean foolproof, given our technical prowess) way to set up our A/C units ourselves?

But mostly, we're looking for recommendations for an installation service. We're not in need of any new units.

Thanks! :?

I understand your fear. I too once had that fear. But it can be overcome.

If you put the supports on the (outside) window ledge first, and one person adjusts placement of the AC while the other holds on to it for safety, you guys should be fine.*

*I claim no responsibility if things go wrong!!

drano

Subject: Re: air conditioner installation

Boygabriel wrote: [quote=meganlibrarian]As the next few days will creep up into the 90's, my husband and I have finally decided that we need to get our air conditioners into the windows. However; the husband and I are wussy chickenshits - we live in a 5th story rental apartment, and are kinda afraid to install them ourselves (one false move and... CRASH!)

Does anyone know of anyplace that will come to our home and set them up? Alternately, does anyone know of any foolproof (and I do mean foolproof, given our technical prowess) way to set up our A/C units ourselves?

But mostly, we're looking for recommendations for an installation service. We're not in need of any new units.

Thanks! :?

I understand your fear. I too once had that fear. But it can be overcome.

If you put the supports on the (outside) window ledge first, and one person adjusts placement of the AC while the other holds on to it for safety, you guys should be fine.*

*I claim no responsibility if things go wrong!!

See that's why you got the pylons, for the sidewalk in case your rope breaks. Hammer is for smashing and bashing, crow bar is for wedging and twisting, glue is to fix whatever falls off while smashing bashing wedging and twisting and the bricks are for support.

I've done this a dozen times and it never looks pretty but I've never lost one either.

carnivore

Alafairnadia just had some professional A/C installation done and was very satisfied. I think she bought the A/C units from the same guys who installed it though, so I'm not sure if they would install something you bought from someone else (but it wouldn't hurt to check).

whyfi

Subject: Re: air conditioner installation

Drano wrote: ...smashing bashing wedging and twisting...

Ah, you go with the finesse approach! :twisted:

alafairnadia

Carnivore wrote: Alafairnadia just had some professional A/C installation done and was very satisfied. I think she bought the A/C units from the same guys who installed it though, so I'm not sure if they would install something you bought from someone else (but it wouldn't hurt to check).

Yeah, I don't think they'll just come out and do an AC install without purchase.

apollonia666

Please do share any info you get -- in our building, we're required to have a professional install our window units, so I'd like to do this soon too!

mc

I've always used J&R on 7th in the Slope. (between Carroll & President? somewhere around there). Very proffesional.

mr. tips

Ever see the sienfield episode where Kramer installs the AC? Just like that!

rose

I had mine installed by the Brooks Vacuum store on 7th Ave in the South Slope. I don't know if they'll send someone as far as Prospect Heights. It seemed kind of expensive and they were quite disorganized about the appointment (they told me I had to be home an hour before the appointment because they were going to call and make sure I was really there, and if I didn't pick up they would cancel -- and then they didn't call and no one showed until I called twice -- finally they sent the guy, two hours late). But I was happy not to have to do it myself. I think if you are kind of handy, it would be fairly easy, but if your home-repair skills don't extend much beyond unclogging the toilet, it is probably better to hire someone to do it.

stacey

Just came across this on Apartment Therapy:
(http://tinyurl.com/ptduw) where they recommend Expert Center on Court Street - cost was $80

tacamahac

J&R on seventh might install your a/c for a modest fee. They have a side business storing a/c units over the winter, and re-installing em in the spring. That service is pricey, though the installers every year seem to leave behind screwdrivers and workgloves, which you can consider as swag.

meganlibrarian

My husband and I initially asked one of our building's staff to install it, complete with some cashola for his efforts. He totally blew us off on Sunday morning, when he was supposed to stop by. Finally, my husband and I bit the bullet, scrounged some bricks from the basement, and installed the stupid things ourselves. Easy as pie. Now I'd be happy if my husband would just stop staring at the damned units - he keeps thinking that they're going to fall! :roll:

sweet tea

so i heard today that nyc law states that you have to have special braces on your ac unit, not just my (very technical) brick system. anyone know anything about that?

mike

Subject: A/c brackets

no sure if they are required by law, but one can purchase them at most hardware stores.

They have ones that brace from inside or outside.

Let me know if you want one installed ...My wife says I need a hobby...
Price will be quite reasonable. [email protected]

stacey

Subject: Re: A/c brackets

mike wrote: My wife says I need a hobby...

Thats wife-speak for get out of my hair for a few hours But I will keep you in mind if anyone asks

armchair_warrior

do what i do put a block of brick and hope it doesnt fall to the ground and place ac right on top and done.

doctorj

Drano wrote: Make sure you have the following on hand:

- 3 or 4 bricks
- Crowbar
- Claw Hammer
- Krazy Gloo
- Length of rope
- Orange Pylon or Two

I speak from experience.

For such an adventure, don't forget the backpack, mirror, holy water, and 10' pole.

carnivore

doctorj wrote: [quote=Drano]Make sure you have the following on hand:

- 3 or 4 bricks
- Crowbar
- Claw Hammer
- Krazy Gloo
- Length of rope
- Orange Pylon or Two

I speak from experience.

For such an adventure, don't forget the backpack, mirror, holy water, and 10' pole.
And don't forget to buy cheese while you're in the bar, so that later you have something to distract the dog that's guarding the control room. :twisted:

doublediamond

It's actually not so bad. When me and my boyfriend installed it, he first placed the wood blocks (bricks work too) on the window sill then he placed the A/C on the window and we began to figure out the best placement to insure that it was straight and solid - not moving, not rocking at all.

Once you have it placed and it's not tilted back at a high angle, it's not going to fall so easily, so either one of you can hold it in place as you figure out what you need to do - move the bricks or the ac, add wood or padding so it doesn't move - so that it's solid in it's location. You want the unit to be straight, you want to be able to let go and not have it fall - the window that is brought down upon it should not be what keeps the unit from falling backwards into the street.

You also want to test bringing down the top window while someone holds it to see if the edge of the AC meets and the accordion sides actually close up the gap. You sometimes have to move the AC back a bit. Open up the window and repeat the procedures above, with someone holding the front for safety while the other lifts and moves the ac a bit back.

Once it's straight and not going anywhere and you know that the accordions will close the gap left by inserting the AC, you close the window. You can bring out the side accordions and drill them into the window frame or just tape the accordions to the window frame if it locks itself into place (meaning it doesn't spring back to the AC leaving you with open air gaps), filling in any small gaps with some foam insulation. I have both drilled and just taped the accordion sides to the window. Both worked fine.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you need more info. If you don't think you can do it safely, have a professional install it.

drano

And don't forget to buy cheese while you're in the bar, so that later you have something to distract the dog that's guarding the control room. :twisted:

That sounds so familiar. Is it from an old text game or something?

jessicasophia

My husband and I always use a stack of old books to install our A/C because it is invariably done in desparation at the tail end of the first heat wave in the summer at which point we're too lazy to go in search of bricks or 2x4s when his old computer programming handbooks work just as well. The end result looks craptacular, but we haven't lost an A/C yet!

However, I think we might be out of books that we don't want to read, so maybe we'll do something a little more sophisticated this year.

By the way, we know someone who once saw someone get killed by a falling air conditioner. So as you walk down the street the next few weeks, try to walk at the edge of the sidewalk, furthest from the buildings!

carnivore

Drano wrote:

And don't forget to buy cheese while you're in the bar, so that later you have something to distract the dog that's guarding the control room. :twisted:

That sounds so familiar. Is it from an old text game or something?

You got it. Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

sweet tea

JessicaSophia wrote: My husband and I always use a stack of old books to install our A/C because it is invariably done in desparation at the tail end of the first heat wave in the summer at which point we're too lazy to go in search of bricks or 2x4s when his old computer programming handbooks work just as well. The end result looks craptacular, but we haven't lost an A/C yet!

i REALLY recommend against using books for this job. the condensation from your a/c will soak the books, turning them into a slimy, slippery mess. i've had to help a friend replace hers midseason, when it became clearly untenable, and i was impressed at how immediately the books slipped out and fell to the ground when we'd jiggled the a/c only slightly.

i've never had much trouble finding a brick around here; just walk a block or tow with your eyes to the ground. no idea where all these bricks are walking in from, but there they are.

carnivore

Carnivore wrote: [quote=Drano]

And don't forget to buy cheese while you're in the bar, so that later you have something to distract the dog that's guarding the control room. :twisted:

That sounds so familiar. Is it from an old text game or something?

You got it. Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
I just found a place where you can play an updated (WITH ILLUSTRATIONS) version of the original text game. The game itself is essentially unchanged.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_nolan.shtml