How to choose the best vertical window air conditioner?

vertical window air conditionerIf you live in an area that gets really hot and humid during the summer, you probably don’t need much convincing when it comes to air conditioning. If you are looking for a bit of respite from the unbearable heat, know that you aren’t alone. There are millions of air conditioning units sold worldwide every year, and that number is steadily increasing, with more and more areas reaching temperatures unheard of in the past. 

Whether you live in a compact studio apartment or an opulent residence, we’ve got your back. We had sorted through dozens of types and models of air conditioning units so keep on reading if you want to know everything that we found out. From the essentials of choosing an appropriate device, through a few examples of the best models on the market, to installation tips, this article has it all when it comes to vertical window air conditioners.

Comprehensive guide to choosing the best vertical window air conditioner available at Walmart Canada

When you’re getting furniture for your new home, definitely don’t forget about an air conditioning unit. This wonderful device will surely make unbearable heat and general sweatiness a thing of the past. Can you install an air conditioner unit in vertical windows though? You most definitely can! However, there are a few things you need to take under consideration if you want to buy the right vertical window air conditioner.

This might seem confusing at first, but luckily we’ve compiled a bunch of knowledge into this article. Keep on reading if you want to find out about the differences between different types of air conditioning units, the advantages and disadvantages or a few select ones, how to choose the one for you, and how to properly install the one you’ve already bought. With our help, you will be able to relish nice, cool air inside your house without driving your electricity bills up too much.

Which slim vertical window air conditioner is the one for you?

First of all, it’s important to consider whether you need a portable air conditioner or a mounted AC. Think about the size of the area you need to cool, and select a unit with an appropriate BTU rating relative to that. You can buy a more powerful AC and use it on low settings, but that is probably not the most energy efficient thing to do.

Furthermore, you need to look at the energy efficiency ratings. If you choose an air conditioning unit that is too powerful for your needs, you will end up with a humongous electric bill. However, since vertical window-mounted air conditioning units are limited by their width, you will have a hard time finding a device that exceeds 10000 BTU. In practice this cooling capacity is more than enough to cool down an area of up to 450 square feet (approx. 42 square meters).

Next thing to take into account is the width of the window you want to install your AC unit on. You will need at least 15 ½ inches (approx. 40cm) of space to install your vertical window air conditioner.  Last but not least, you will need to look into additional features that your chosen air conditioner unit might have. Depending on your local conditions, you might want a humidifier or a dehumidifier. Smart AC units, despite being slightly more pricey, are very convenient, since you can control them with an app on your smartphone.

Small vertical window air conditioner - ideal for compact living spaces

There’s a plethora of AC manufacturers on the market. Luckily for you, we’ve scoured the market and hand-picked a few of the best ones. When looking for a small vertical window air conditioner, keep an eye out for Perfect Aire, Frigidaire, RCA, and Koldfront. Their quality to price ratio is superb, these Walmart air conditioners will make your life during heat waves more bearable.

Since the bigger, more powerful air conditioning units require more power intake, it’s crucial to choose the right one for your home. Ignoring efficiency is probably the most common mistake of potential AC buyers. Most customers after some calculations go for the small vertical window air conditioning units. Even though they’re small, and seemingly not very powerful, these models are usually enough to cool a decent-sized flat or a smaller house. 

Portable vertical window air conditioner - advantages and disadvantages

Portable air conditioners are the least efficient out of all the types of AC out there. They are loud, cumbersome, and surprisingly not as portable as they would tempt you into believing. They have one advantage over every other type of AC: they can work almost anywhere. You can disregard the usual window size requirements that mounted units need. You only need a small opening to stick the external hose out, and you can enjoy nice chilled air anywhere you want. 

There are a few portable air conditioning units that fit into vertical windows out there. The ones we found worthy of mention are: the GE 6,100 BTU, the Midea 7,000 BTU, the Midea MAP12S1TBL 12,000 Duo, and the Della 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner. They are excellent household goods that will make your living space a far more comfortable place in the hottest months. The only significant difference among them is their cooling capacity (measured in BTU/hr) which you need to adjust depending on the size of the area you need cooled.

Which is the absolute best vertical window air conditioner?

Since the air conditioning market is so wide and varied, it might be difficult for the layperson to make the right choice. This is where we come in. We have extensively tested dozens of various vertical window air conditioners, taking into account multiple variables and factors. We have compared their prices to their energy efficiency and cooling capacity, looking for the air conditioning unit that stands out among the rest.

In our opinion, the Midea 12,000 BTU 115V Smart Window AC is the crème de la crème in terms of performance, low noise levels, and energy efficiency. We definitely recommend this window-mounted air conditioning unit if you are looking for relief during these hot summer days. You can most likely find it at your local Walmart in the electronics section, or look for it online. We recommend checking out sites that offer weekly flyers, perhaps you’ll find one with a discount for this particular AC unit?

Tips on how to install a vertical window air conditioner properly

The most important part of the whole deal is buying the right air conditioning unit to fit your vertical windows. If you don’t measure everything properly, you risk wasting both your money and your time. Next, you need to prepare the window kit which includes a strip of foam that needs to be cut to the right size that fits your window. It’s absolutely crucial to be as precise as possible, you want the seal to be as tight as possible to prevent air from leaking in from the outside.

Then you need to secure the fastening by using the screws provided with your air conditioning unit. You might want to add a safety bracket so you can unlock it from the outside, asit does come in handy from time to time. All that’s left to do is plug the air conditioning unit into a socket and you’re good to go. Depending on the model you’ve chosen, you might have to do some minor maintenance every once in a while. For example, some units require draining the accumulated water regularly.