Can You Get Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From A Window Air Conditioner?
Can You Get Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From A Window Air Conditioner?
No, air conditioners do not emit carbon monoxide. Only fuel-burning devices can emit carbon monoxide. AC units are powered by electricity, so they cannot produce carbon monoxide.
This may be a common misconception from people who have heard of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home and associate it with “gas leaks.” This is not the same as an AC unit.
A faulty heating system can produce carbon monoxide, so that is why you should have your heat and AC system checked out before turning it on for the first time each fall. In addition, you should also check for cracks in your ductwork every few months to determine if there are any air leaks.
As a general rule of thumb, if your heat comes on before your AC, your system is working correctly. If it turns on after the cooling cycle begins, you might have an air leak.
A window AC can really do a number on your energy bill if it is left on all day long. They use an average of $450 to $600 worth of electricity per year to run at maximum capacity (at about half-capacity, these estimates drop to about $250 to $300).
If you live in a cold climate and especially one with high humidity levels, then you will probably want to set up an energy-efficient setup for your home. This is a good idea year-round and can save you money on your heating and cooling bills.
If you are concerned, there are a few ways to test for carbon monoxide poisoning. You can check your carbon monoxide detector every month, run carbon monoxide test strips in each room of your home, or use an inline carbon monoxide sensor. This is a common alarm that looks like one of the air fresheners we use in the summer.
Can I Modify A Window Air Conditioner Unit Into A Portable Air Conditioner?
Yes. You can purchase an ‘air conditioning unit’ which can be upgraded to produce 1,000 BTU output. However, it is not as simple as that.
You will have to have them send you a fan in order to cool the unit and run the line for your AC; this is because a typical AC unit only has enough pressure behind it to blow air into one room at a time.
You could also build a portable air conditioner by taking apart your window AC and placing the compressor inside an outside water-tight case with an economizer attached to it for outdoor use.
Again, this requires a special adapter that allows the compressor to draw air through the outside intake instead of using air from within your home from the return ducts.
The most common thermoelectric coolers use this principle. A thermoelectric cooler is simply a refrigerator with an electrical component that controls the temperature of the compressor. This allows it to be used as a portable air conditioner, but it loses efficiency with distance because it has no internal cooling system.
You will have to find a way to keep the unit temperature between 50°F and 85°F all day long in order for it to work effectively (depending on where you live, this may or may not be possible). I would recommend hiring a contractor who specializes in these units and gets his hands dirty to install them.
I would also recommend getting used to the idea that it will not be available in your home all the time. Window ACs at best will only keep one room cool, so you will have to be prepared for a hot or cold day at any time.
Is There A Low Profile Window Air Conditioner?
Yes. Soleus Air Exclusive has the smallest possible profile, measuring only 3 inches rather than 16+ inches. The top of the window Soleus Air Exclusive – the world’s lowest profile window AC unit – is only about 3 inches high.
Low-profile window air conditioning units can be installed in between the first and second-story windows of a home. These systems offer a limited amount of space for ducting, but they are very common in Europe, where they are known as “passive house systems.”
Passive houses use up to 7.5 tons of steel to support the glass and beams that provide shelter from the outdoors. This is why only very small air conditioners are suitable for these environments.
Although there are several types of low-profile systems that are marketed to architects, there isn’t much of a difference between them. Some will have a damper equipped with three sliding windows instead of one large one. You can also get a traditional thermodynamic system and put it in the window or attach it to an existing fan coil unit from your house.
These types of air conditioners will provide colder air than you can get with a window AC. The main disadvantage to a low-profile system is that it is only able to cool the room directly below it. This limits the amount of space you can have in your home.
It’s still possible to set up an effective split system in this way, but it’s not as efficient as an active (active meaning mechanical) cooling unit and should only be used when absolutely necessary. However, the actual process is mechanically speaking for air conditioning a home uses the inverse of what some people have tried in their AC units from the unit.
