Basically, if I have a large-ish living room and I’d like to put up a wall to create a 2nd room out of one section, is there a way to air condition that new room if there is a window, but no port designed for the air conditioner? Presumably it would either be some sort of special window, or some duct run from the other side of the room where there is such a port, but I don’t know if this is feasible.
Related to the above, are there any good recommendations to find renovation companies to do this sort of work, or just random googling and hoping for the best? Are there any guides on what to expect for pricing for such renovations?
Thanks in advance 🙂
3 comments
You can buy a window AC unit, and an appropriate bracket to mount it on that the window will close against. Alternatively, you can buy those room units that you can move around, and the hose ports out of the open window, or out a closed window via a window bracket with a hole in it. However, these units are infamously poor at both energy usage and cooling/heating efficiency.
Are you unable to simply create a new hole in the wall for a proper split AC unit to be installed in there? Most AC companies will add a wall opening for a minimal extra cost, assuming it’s not mega thick reinforced concrete. Split ACs really are the best but failing that I would recommend my first option of a window mounted unit with a bracket.
As for companies to do the work, the cheapest option I’ve found is using くらしのマーケットand looking for local companies/handymen with the best prices. You can check the reviews beforehand before commiting to make sure they’re good too. I bought two split AC units a couple years ago cheap from premoa, I think 30K each, and paid a guy from くらしのマーケット about 25K total to remove 2 broken older units and install 2 new units. A regular aircon company quoted me about 150K for the same kinda deal, including unit cost and installation fee.
Options are probably
1. Install an AC unit in the new room and make a hole in the wall to go to the outside to connect to the external compressor. This would only work if there’s somewhere to put the external compressor.
2. If 1 doesn’t work, you could buy a multiroom outside compressor and then run a pipe to a (new) ceiling duct in the room of the room that doesn’t have an AC port. You’d need to buy the multiroom compressor and have someone install the pipes and outlet in the ceilings. You’d also probably want your new multi-room compressor to handle your acs in multiple rooms. This may be the cleanest way but not cheap.
3. You could buy a window AC unit, but these are often prohibited by housing/buiding/community management guidelines. They’re also kind of ugly. But cheaper than 2 if allowed.
As you’re going to need a professional to help with any of the options anyway, maybe get one and ask him/her for suggestions and pricing.
When the tech came to install my A/C I was given the option to put a panel in my sliding door to run the a/c hose through. It would have basically been clear acrylic (?) sheet that ran the height of the door and whatever width needed to have a hole the hose would fit through, which would sit between the front edge of the door and the wall. So, the door could close on it but because it wasn’t sliding all the way to the wall I wouldn’t be able to lock the door. I was quoted about ¥10,000 for the panel alone. For several reasons I elected to not install the A/C though, so I couldn’t tell you how well it works.
So yeah it’s probably possible to get one for a window. The tech was the one contracted by the seller of the AC but I’d bet anyone experienced in installing them would have an idea how to get and install something like that.