How to install an air conditioner on the wall

Your wall AC unit installation manual should include some instructions for fixing the bracket in place, either with screws or some other method. Once the sleeve is in place, insert the air conditioner itself. Before you call it a day, however, you need to properly seal off all gaps in the opening. Fill particularly large gaps with drywall. Optionally, use paint to touch up any surrounding areas that may have gotten damaged. You did it! You should strongly consider contacting a professional at this point to have them review your work.

If you live in the Phoenix area, learn about our services here. Alternatively, if these instructions have left you feeling skeptical about your abilities to get the job done, reach out to your local HVAC company and have them complete the install. Any competent professional should know how to install an air conditioner in the wall. Check out this post for some tips on choosing a suitable service company.

Window and through the wall air conditioners are generally not interchangeable. That said, there are some window air conditioners that can be retrofitted using special sleeves that make them behave like wall air conditioners. This is not typical, though, given that window and through the wall units have fundamentally different designs. Most through the wall air conditioners come with a sleeve or slide-out chassis.

Washington St. Scottsdale Road , Scottsdale, AZ Skip to content. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Question 1. All rights reserved.

This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Choose a wall and mark the studs and opening size for the sleeve. Wall sleeves are generally about 15 inches 38 cm tall, 26 inches 66 cm wide, and 16 inches 41 cm deep.

Then, use a ruler or tape measure to measure and mark a rectangle on your wall that matches the size of your sleeve about 1—5 feet 0. Installing the unit about 1—5 feet 0.

Cut a space through the wall with a reciprocating saw. Cut along the lines you marked as cleanly and evenly as possible. Cut all the way through the inside and outside of the wall to create an opening that will hold your sleeve. Slide the sleeve into your wall and caulk the sides to seal it. If you have a disassembled sleeve, put it together by connecting all 4 sides and following the directions on the packaging. Slide the sleeve into the opening so the edges are flush against the inside of your wall.

Then, apply a silicone-based caulk along the edges and in any holes or gaps and allow it to fully dry to create a tight seal. Question 2. Slide the air conditioner into the sleeve. Lift the air conditioner and place the end into the wall sleeve.

Push on the front of the unit to slide it into the sleeve. Put foam into the gap around the unit and install your frame. Take strips of foam insulation and stuff them into the space to help seal it. Your inwall air conditioner unit also includes a frame that covers the front.

Put together the frame of your air conditioner by connecting both sides together and then attach it to the front of the unit. You can find strips of foam at your local hardware or home improvement store. Question 3. No, they are slightly different. The main difference is their location: window units are designed to be placed on a windowsill and inwall units are meant to be installed in an exterior wall. Question 4. Yes, some units are designed to be installed in both. Using the supplied guide paper or sleeve, trace around the outline so you can mark the opening for the air conditioner on the wall.

This will give you enough extra room to build a supporting frame for the unit out of the 2 x 4 lumber pieces. Next, take your drywall knife score the outline. Also, score vertical lines above the wall studs. Then, use a hammer to knock the center of the scored drywall sections so that they pop out. Alternatively, you could use a hand saw to cut through these pieces of drywall instead of hammering them out. Extract all of the drywall pieces so you now only see the wall studs.

If there is insulation in the wall, cut those pieces out as well to match the opening you made in the wall. Using a circular saw, cut through the wall studs that are inside the wall opening so that they are flush with the outline. Then, cut those down to the matching lengths. Slide this 2 x 4 frame you built into the wall opening and secure it in place by nailing what you can into the wall studs. Use a drill to make a hole in each of the four corners of the interior frame that punches through the exterior wall.

These holes will serve as a guide to help you measure exactly where you need to cut on the exterior wall.