Dumb A/C Question, I know! (apartment, Home Depot, buy)

[Rogarven]

This is a dumb question but since I live in the Southwest, I would like to know opinions. My daughter is now settled in an apt. in Havertown. It is an attic apt. and therefore needed window A/C units. We have a smaller 6K unit in the bedroom and a 10K unit in the small living - kitchen area. The 10K is rather heavy. Is it customary in PA to remove the A/C during the winter months or do you really put lots of insulation and foam around it and hope to keep the cold out and the steam heat in? While there are the "accordion" shades on the sides, they are pretty flimsy and thin. Here in Texas, we usually leave the units in all year. Opinions please. Thanks!

[newmarlig]

When I lived in an apartment with a window unit, I just left it in the window all year. And when I was growing up in the 1960's we had window units in all rooms that also stayed in the window. I don't know if that's the normal way, but it was for my family.

[G Goo]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

This is a dumb question but since I live in the Southwest, I would like to know opinions. My daughter is now settled in an apt. in Havertown. It is an attic apt. and therefore needed window A/C units. We have a smaller 6K unit in the bedroom and a 10K unit in the small living - kitchen area. The 10K is rather heavy. Is it customary in PA to remove the A/C during the winter months or do you really put lots of insulation and foam around it and hope to keep the cold out and the steam heat in? While there are the "accordion" shades on the sides, they are pretty flimsy and thin. Here in Texas, we usually leave the units in all year. Opinions please. Thanks!

We take ours out every late August/early September for the obvious insulation problems; they also block sunlight which is at a premium during the winter months. And they are ugly, inside and out.

[orrmobl]

Bring them in - it's a good excuse to clean the windows twice a year and you will definitely lose a lot of heat in the winter unless you buy the special insulated foam covers they sell at Home Depot...and even then you have to open the window to install them!

[andreaspercheron]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

This is a dumb question but since I live in the Southwest, I would like to know opinions. My daughter is now settled in an apt. in Havertown. It is an attic apt. and therefore needed window A/C units. We have a smaller 6K unit in the bedroom and a 10K unit in the small living - kitchen area. The 10K is rather heavy. Is it customary in PA to remove the A/C during the winter months or do you really put lots of insulation and foam around it and hope to keep the cold out and the steam heat in? While there are the "accordion" shades on the sides, they are pretty flimsy and thin. Here in Texas, we usually leave the units in all year. Opinions please. Thanks!

We have window units and we take them out for the winter months. The only time I've seen them stay in is if they are semi or permanently attached to the building (like a built in), if you take it out you can preserve more heat inside because there won't be any gaps. If it's that heavy, maybe in your case you should leave it in. She's up in the attic anyway, heat rises and if it's covered enough and insulated enough I'm sure she'll be fine.