Explore with me the top advantages of in wall air conditioners. However, they are very similar to window units they need a sleeve to be installed in a hole of the wall to get proper support. They don’t need a space on a sill and don’t block the sunlight. These units are more than affordable. Their annual costs aren’t so sky-high.
The thru wall AC can be comfortably installed in living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and offices. And if they’re old and you’re shopping for a new one the replacement isn’t so complicated. Keep reading and find out all the benefits that are offered. You won’t regret.
Affordable In Wall Air Conditioner
The in wall air conditioners are considered to be affordable because the models are cheap. For a few hundred dollars you will get a very efficient unit with lots of functions and features that improve your home comfort and feeling of happiness.
Of course, the starting price is depending on many factors. The first one is the brand. Some brands are more trusted and well known some of them not. You should always rely on a brand that can provide positive feedback from satisfied users. It’s the best proof of the product.
The Energy Efficiency Ratio is a very good factor that increases the initial price but can be more than useful in the future because it saves money. Keep reading below and find out more.
The price is also affected by the offered functions, level of noise, features and cooling capacity in BTU. The cooling capacity increases together with the size of the room. Then, you have to understand the in-wall air conditioner for small rooms is cheaper than a unit designed to be work in mid-sized spaces.
Energy Efficiency
Every model of in wall AC is provided with the Energy Guide Label where you can read the number of Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). The EER gives you the best overview of how efficient your air conditioning unit is.
A higher number of EER means more energy-efficient machines. Why? Because the Energy Efficient Ratio represents how many BTU’s per hour are used for each watt of power the AC draws. In general, the appliances with EER higher than 10 can be considered as efficient models. If you’re in a situation when you’re shopping for a new unit try to find the highest EER value. It’s a long term deal that won’t disappoint you.
Monthly Costs
We all desire to save money. It’s completely normal. If we’re on a budget we are wondering what we can buy and whatnot. If we are shopping for a new cooling appliance one of the biggest advantages of in-wall air conditioners is their monthly costs.
We have already talked about the starting price of the AC device. It’s affordable and it’s possible to reduce the price if you will be satisfied with some low-cost models not having useful functions and features. But I have to stop it here and emphasize one important thing. Believe or not, but you should overlook a question of monthly costs.
The monthly costs of the operating units are crucial for everybody and you should calculate them before you purchase the unit. Otherwise, you can be unpleasantly surprised. I prepared for you a model example of how to calculate it below.
Before you start to calculate the monthly costs of our in wall air conditioner you should know these parameters:
- How many watts your unit consumes.
- A price for kilowatts per hour given by your electric company.
- A number of hours you’re going to operate the unit every day.
Calculation of Monthly Cost:
Watts x 1 (hour of use) ÷ 1,000 x Price given by your electric company (kWH) = hourly cost of operation
Example for State Alabama where the average price was 0.1241 last year:
- (500 Watt unit x 1-hour ÷ 1,000) x 0.1241 (kWH) = $0.06205 Cost of operating for one hour.
- $0.06205 x 8 hours per day = $0.4964 Daily cost of operating.
- $0.4964 x 30 days in a month = $14.892 Monthly costs of operating in wall air conditioner.
Operating the in wall unit is one hundred percent affordable. But always it’s much better to be sure in advance and keep it under control.
No Reinstallation During Winter
Compared to a window unit there is no need to reinstall the wall in air conditioner after the summer season and before the winter. The reason is your wall cooling machine is fixed into a hole in a wall and it can be there over the winter. Nothing blocks your window. You can comfortably open it always as you wish and in cold months when we all miss the daylight the window is still exposed to the light.
Because of the installation into an in wall air conditioner sleeve and using high-quality insulation, there is no gap around the unit. The cooling and heating appliance fits snuggly. However, the unit has to face bad weather conditions the water can’t get in or cold air can’t blow in. The permanent installation conserves your time, money, and effort. And I have to point out you don’t need to buy any covers over the outer part of the device to protect it in winter compared to window units.
No Blocked Window
I know personally many people who love their window air conditioners. On the other hand, they always complain about the blocked window. Once you decide on the affordable window AC unit, you can rely on low monthly costs, low starting price, many functions, and features but their window is blocked in the summer. For the winter you should reinstall the window cooling machine and store it in a safe and dry place. But if they use the heating option they let the machine on the sill even in cold months. During this time the window is blocked. It’s impossible to open the window or let the fresh air blow in. Also, you will have less light.
The in wall air conditioner is much better because it doesn’t block your window. You can open it and you don’t struggle with less daylight. Literally, there is no limit for using the window. The reason is your AC unit is installed in the hole of a wall. It’s a very compact and elegant solution all year round because the unit doesn’t need to be reinstalled.
Using for Multi Kinds of Rooms
The use in multi kinds of rooms belongs to the top advantages of in wall air conditioners. In this case, the wall-mounted AC unit is on the same level as a window cooling machine.
Compared to window appliances they are not so easy to install in another room of your home or if you move. The reason is you have to cut a hole in a wall and install a sleeve there. Then, it’s possible to slide the unit in.
They are often installed in bedrooms, living rooms, or kitchens. You can use it in every room of your home. Fortunately, they don’t require any extra floor space. Their big benefit why to buy them for a home is the fact they’re affordable and I believe almost every household is able to buy one. And if you’re looking for a quiet machine you won’t regret purchasing of the in wall air conditioner because these appliances are commonly quiet. And it doesn’t mean only the quiet operation. Since the unit is installed in a wall you don’t deal with knocking of rain over the chassis.
I can recommend these devices also for offices. And I must admit I think it’s a much better solution than the window unit because it doesn’t look so cheap and block a window.
Unfortunately, they are not suitable for student dorms since they require a hole in a wall. For this purpose, I recommend using a window unit.
Easy Replacement of In Wall Air Conditioner
The question of replacement is very common and I completely understand it. If you imagine the window unit you can easily reinstall it and replace it with any other unit that fits into your window. And if there is a gap, you can simply count on the accordion side panels filling the gaps. But what should you do if you need to replace the through the wall unit?
First of all, you should inspect the sleeve. Many brands produce sleeves in standard sizes that are suitable for many models. Perhaps you won’t need to buy a new one and it would be possible to use it for the new unit. Always double-check the compatibility before purchase. If it’s not compatible and you need a new sleeve no worries.
You just need to take out the insulation and remove the sleeve. Then put a new sleeve into the hole and use the insulation. Take the unit and slide it in. Keep in mind the sleeves are sold separately for some models. But in some cases, they’re a part of the AC unit box. It can be different and it’s dependent on a brand. It’s better to double-check it in advance.
The replacement is very easy and you don’t need to hire a professional. You can do it yourself without having to spend money. But maybe you will appreciate another pair of hands.
Heat Mode and Other Modes
The wall AC unit has many modes of improving your life standard and making your life easier. However, many people usually try to save money (according to their opinion not to waste the money) and they don’t buy a unit with some useful modes, I believe the modes are worth the money.
The most searched mode is heat mode. One of the biggest advantages of in wall air conditioners is you can use them not only in the hot summer season but also in cold months as a source of heat.
The manufacturers usually designed the wall AC unit with electric or heat pumps providing the warmth. What’s the difference?
- Electric heat normally uses an internal coil to produce heat. Then, a fan blows the hot air around a room.
- Heat pumps work like an inverse AC. It means it works on the principle of moving the heat from the colder air by using mechanical energy.
As you understand the heat pumps just move the energy and don’t produce it. Therefore, heat pumps are more energy-efficient than electrical heat system. But electrical heaters are more preferable in a location where the weather changes more often and more dramatically.
Also, many units work as a main source of heat until the outside temperature doesn’t drop under the specific temperature (normally 45 degrees Fahrenheit). When the temperature drops below the value the heat pumps aren’t so efficient and can provide only supplemental heating. Remember this when shopping for a new wall AC machine.
Other modes include sleep mode, fan-only mode, and dehumidify mode. The sleep mode is my favorite one. The human body doesn’t to be cooled so drastically during night. Therefore, the sleep mode is usually quiet and increases the ambient temperature every hour until you wake up. But normally it increases one degree every hour. For your body, it is more natural to be wakened up like that and it consumes less energy.
The fan-only mode is very useful when you don’t need to cool the room because the room temperature is pretty fine. But you would prefer it if the air moved.
The last one is the dehumidify mode. It’s a very popular mode because it removes moisture from the air. The moisture makes your wall AC unit works harder. It helps the bacterias to grow. If you decided to buy a new unit, focus also on the dehumidification level defined in pints per hour or day. It’s crucial if you live in a more humid area or struggle with a high level of humidity at home.
Many Available Features
Besides the modes, the advantages of in wall air conditioners are also available features. They are here to help you and improve your comfort along with the functions.
As a must-have, I can see a remote control. It works on the infrared. By using the remote control you can change the settings, temperature, or turn on the heating. It’s more than convenient to have it, especially if the unit is installed in a living room or bedroom where you want to relax but not to stand up always as you wish to change anything.
I personally like a programmable timer that gives you an option to program your unit normally up to 24 hours in advance. This significantly helps you to conserve effort, energy, and money.
Among the pleasant features is also the auto-restart. You can rely on it when you face the power failure or outage. Once the power restored again, the in wall air conditioner starts to work again with the same settings as it was before the failure. It’s very nice!
Washable filter and Check filter alert are my favorite ones. A reusable filter can be washed in a kitchen sink by using a kitchen soap. It’s a quick and easy solution. You don’t need to spend money on the replacement of the current filter.
Especially if you’re planning to install your new unit in a living room where you meet with your guests you will love the adjustable louvers. They provide directing of the air to a specific place. You will stay away from problems with guests who don’t want to sit in a too cold place.
No Blocking of Floor Space
Compared to for example a portable unit the in wall air conditioner doesn’t block your floor space. It’s simply installed in a hole in the wall. And it could be stored there all year round. It doesn’t matter if you use it during the season or not.
From my point of view, the advantage of in wall air conditioner is very underestimated. And it’s unfair since there is no obstacle in your way. You don’t have any chance to hit yourself. And you don’t need to sweep the dust from the unit standing in the middle of the room. Parents of small kids understand if I say thankfully the through the wall AC unit is built in the wall and kids can’t injure themselves while playing around.
This kind of air cooling appliance is ideal for small, mid-sized, or large rooms. It’s multipurpose simply because of no requirements for the floor space.
The Bottom Line
From my point of view, there are many advantages of in wall air conditioners. The truth is the machines are very similar to window appliances but in the end they are completely different. The thru-wall AC units have more benefits however the initial price is almost the same and the annual costs can be lower. I recommend making a calculation according to my formula before you buy one. But you should also consider the fact this kind of unit requires the permanent installation and for some of you, it could be a drawback.
if you’re looking for an energy-efficient air conditioning machine which is cheap and you don’t have enough space at home I believe you can be more than happy with thru-wall AC.