AC or air conditioners are very delicate appliances and may be expensive to maintain. Lasting home appliances is every homeowner's dream, and raising your AC might mean fewer maintenance costs. So should you raise your AC or not? We consulted HVAC experts to help answer your question.
You will give your AC unit a longer lifespan if you raise it off the ground. A split type of AC will work best if you raise it 7-8 feet high. For the window-type AC, 3-4 feet distance from the ground will be okay.
If you are interested in knowing more about AC unit maintenance, you should read it until the end. We covered more advantages of raising your unit, plus how to lift and get it installed properly.
Should I Raise My AC Unit Off The Ground?
Raising your AC unit off the ground can give some great advantages and save money by reducing maintenance costs. Some of these advantages include:
It Helps The AC to Drain
Your AC unit not only cools your home but also reduces the humidity level in your home. Just at the base of your AC unit, there are holes or pores present. These pores take out the water accumulated from moisture in your AC.
Not raising your AC unit off the ground can deter drainage, causing the water to remain inside. This issue can cause major damage.
Keeps Away Insects and Other Debris
Raising your AC unit off the ground can prevent insects from climbing into your AC drains. Also, debris from sweeping the environment or mowing the grasses may fling specks of dirt into the AC unit that is kept on the ground.
The holes in your AC help to dehumidify your room. If the holes are blocked, the process becomes more tedious, thereby reducing its lifespan.
Your AC Becomes Quieter
When your indoor AC starts making you uncomfortable with its noises, then it means something has blocked your vent or ductwork. The safest way to avoid this discomfort is to raise it from the ground. This act, in turn, will reduce the dirt that enters your ac unit.
Prevents Hang Around
If your AC is positioned near the ground, people can lean or even sit on it which can lead to damage. You can prevent breaks or rough handling by simply raising your ac unit.
How High Off The Ground Should An AC Unit Be?
Experts say that in a standard room of 10 feet, a split type AC should be raised 7- 8 feet off the ground, and a window type AC should be raised 3-4 feet off the ground. Remember to remove all other obstructions from around the area of your AC unit to increase its longevity and reduce maintenance costs.
How Much Will I Spend to Level An AC Unit?
It is important to level your AC unit. A little tilt or imbalance may cause damage to the appliance. A condenser pad is leveled surface for your appliance. Condenser pads can be of different types.
To level, your AC unit should not cost a lot, but that will depend largely on how large your AC unit is and your space. You should, however, expect to spend between $3,000 - $7,000. You might want to consider something concrete if you have a large AC unit. A plastic condenser pad would match a lighter AC unit.
Depending on the cost of building materials in your area, the cost could vary from place to place. However, you can get condenser pads in your electronic store. If not, there are a variety of cheaper materials you can improvise with. Some of these materials include.
- Cement, sand, and basic building tools for a concrete condenser to build your condenser pad by yourself.
- Flat plastic layers up to 3-4 feet high.
How Do You Lift a Heavy Window Air Conditioner?
Your window air conditioner is probably one of the simplest AC units to install. It is usually installed in the window. So, no matter how heavy it is, you could still lift it easily by yourself or with a little help from other people.
Your window air conditioner may not need to be lifted after installation. Since it is on the window, it is well above the ground. You could reinforce the AC's weight to the wall of the house by using wooden or metal stands to hang them properly from the outside.
Should My AC Unit Be On a Considerate Slab?
Raising your air conditioning unit is very important for the longevity of your appliance. Using a concrete slab is a great way to make sure it lasts even longer.
If you have ever had oil drippings from your unit's condenser, then a concrete level slab can be beneficial. Leakage is not surprising, but it can cause undue damage if your AC is not lifted from the ground. If it is bent, it can cause oil to flow to other different parts of the AC and even cause a shortage of oil in your compressor.
You can also prevent your ac unit from sinking by providing a concrete slab for it. The sinking of the AC causes more stress for the appliance while reducing its performance. This can cause a high maintenance cost and maybe the appliance's early demise.
When your appliance is tilted to one side, that side bears the brunt of wear and tear. The nuts and bolts receive a lot of pressure. The pressure can make one side wear out easily.
Check out this AC slab from Amazon.
How Do I Fix A Sinking Air Conditioner?
If you notice your air conditioner tilting, bent or leaning then it is sinking. Never ignore a sinking air conditioner. Sinking is bad for your appliance because it puts stress on the condenser unit and causes it to get bad quickly.
The sinking could be caused by improper installation, or it may just be a natural occurrence. Fixing your sinking air conditioner is fairly easy. You can immediately fix it without calling a technician.
Get sand or a block and a wooden slab. Gently put the same under the concrete slab, park the sand under it, and do it to both sides of your concrete slab. Then, make sure all the sides are as equal. Once they are equal, you have completed your task.
Although this will work just fine, it may be temporary; make sure you call a contractor to disconnect and completely change the concrete slab.
Should Air Conditioners Be Slanted?
Tilting your AC is not always a good option, except if it is a window AC. The window AC unit needs to be titled to avoid water from dripping on the wall. The tilt should be about half an inch.
It is possible to over-tilt, which may cause damage to your appliance. Consult your AC manual or repair guy for help in that case. Sometimes manufacturers already make provisions during installation for window AC units to be tilted. In that case, there will be no need to tilt the air conditioner. The tilting should be about half an inch.
Other types of air conditioners do not need to be tilted. When they are standing on a horizontal surface, the surface should be flat, without hindrance.
Does An Air Conditioner Have to be in a Window?
Air conditioners do not necessarily have to be in the window. Some can stand right inside your room if you like. But there are advantages of using a window air conditioner. Depending on what you prefer and if they are convenient enough for your home, then you can choose either.
Window air conditioners are less expensive than other types of air conditioners; they consume less energy with more output. They are also conservative about your space. They are hung on your window, so you do not worry about where to keep them. Window AC can be installed easily, too.
Although they may create an eyesore on your wall if not installed properly, you can still keep your space neat by having collector pans for the dripping.
What Happens If I Tilt My Air Conditioner?
Since tilting windows, AC units may be an advantage to the owner by making the water drip outside. Tilting other types of air conditioners may not be so good.
This is what happens when you tilt your AC units:
- Because of the tilting, the lubrication oil will not get to some part of the compressor.
- This causes some kind of collision in the components of the compressor.
- Continuous usage will amount to wear and tear.
- The result becomes permanent damage to the AC unit.
To Wrap Up
Raising your AC unit is a prerequisite for a longer lifespan of the appliance. Failure to raise it optimally is cost incurring and lethal to your appliance. When you raise your AC unit from the ground, make sure the surface is not tilting or sinking. A flat concrete slab should help with this.
For more on proper AC maintenance and installation, read these recommended articles: