What’s the Best Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner?

We are in summer days, when the temperature really heats up, and with it come long, hot, muggy days. In order to survive, it is imperative that you find a good way to keep home cool. You can use an attic fan to help suck hot air out of the room, but it’s not enough when room temperature is too high. Air conditioners can be a lifesaver and they are the best ways to beat the heat. Wherever you live, having an air conditioning system in your home is a necessity. While there are several different types of air conditioning units, through-the-wall air conditioner units that can quickly cool rooms just for a few minutes.

Through-the-wall air conditioners are single, self-contained units that exhaust heat and humidity from the room to the outside. They’re installed through an opening in a wall, ideal for rooms that have no window or don’t have windows large enough to hold a window air conditioner or for those who prefer to leave their windows alone. Installing a through-the-wall AC in your bedroom, living room, or office is an efficient way to keep you cool and comfortable all year. A big unit can effectively cool down several rooms at once.

Best Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner

Our Pick: Frigidaire 12,000 BTU 115V Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner

Frigidaire is the US consumer and commercial home appliances brand subsidiary of European parent company Electrolux. Frigidaire is the brand you have come to know and trust. And for good reason. Year after year, Frigidaire has been the most reliable brand among leading appliance brands with the lowest number of service calls. Frigidaire specializes in offering high-quality, energy efficient home appliances such as refrigerator/freezer and air conditioner.

The Frigidaire 12,000 BTU through-the-wall Air Conditioner is perfect for cooling down quickly a room up to 550 square feet (or warm up fast in the winter). This unit is designed to fit most existing wall sleeves and includes a standard universal interior trim kit, but can’t be used for standard window installation.

This wall air conditioner comes with a remote control which allows you to precisely control the temperature and fan speed from across the room. A thermostat located on your air conditioner’s remote control precisely maintains preset room temperature, so you will remain comfortable at all times.

One of the best features of this through-the-wall air conditioner is it has antibacterial filter that helps reduce bacteria, room odors and other airborne particles for a healthier, more comfortable environment. Plus, the filter is designed to be easy to clean and will notify you when it needs to be cleaned.

This air conditioner gives you three speed options, which lets you control the intensity of the unit’s airflow at any given time. Plus, it runs very quiet and can cool quickly.

Check Amazon Price

Buying Guide

Compare Window vs. Through the Wall Air Conditioners

Through-the-wall air conditioners are similar to window ACs in cooling capacity, size, coverage area and pricing, but through-the-wall units require an opening in an exterior wall and use a wall sleeve for support. A through-the-wall ACs may be the best choice if you want something that fits your wall, looks elegant, isn’t waste a window and won’t need to be taken down in the fall. Because wall units are permanent fixtures, they may prove more economical in the long run because of the prevented air leakage.

The major differences between these ACs involve installation. The installation scares most people when buying through-the-wall air conditioners, because it requires you to cut a square out of your wall. While window ACs are very easy to install, they fit through a window and don’t require permanent installation. This could easily go wrong if you are inexperienced and you try to do this yourself, which is why it is a great idea to trust our professionals to get the job done. So, you may want to take construction costs and installation fees into consideration.

Through-the-Wall air conditioners typically only vent warm air through the back of the unit, while window ACs vent from the sides and back. For this reason, window and thru-wall models are not interchangeable (even if they’re the same size). In most cases, if a window unit vents out its side, the wall will block the vents and cause overheating.

How to Buy the Best through-the-wall air conditioner?

When you’re searching for a through-the-wall unit that suits your needs, it’s all about matching the air conditioner size and the room size. To determine what size unit you need, start with the appropriate amount of cooling power. The cooling capacity of a unit can be measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). The higher the amount of BTUs, the bigger of a room it will be able to cool.

Buying a higher BTU air conditioner than your room size requires is not recommended. A unit that is too big will be less effective and offer reduced air conditioner efficiency. Air conditioners remove both heat and humidity from the air. If the unit is too big, it will cool the room, before it has a chance to remove the humidity. It is preferred to have the correct size air conditioner run for longer to properly remove humidity from the room.

Choose from models with over 12000 BTUs for large rooms, 9000 – 12000 BTUs for medium-sized rooms or less than 9000 BTUs for small rooms. Or you can use the chart below to determine the ideal capacity:

In addition to the square footage of a room, you should consider these following factors to make adjustments to your unit:

  • If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
  • If you are putting the cooling unit in a room that receives an abundance of sunlight every day, consider increasing the unit’s BTUs by 10 percent.
  • For every additional person beyond two people, add an additional 600 BTUs of cooling power.
  • BTU estimations are based on rooms with eight-foot ceilings. If you are installing the unit in a room with a ceiling higher than eight feet, you will want to increase the cooling power of the unit slightly.
  • If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000 BTUs.

 

Green Living Blog