Quiet Window AC

[dsavitsk]

I live on the top floor of a poorly insulated building in Chicago with southern and western exposure. Even when it is not that hot out, it is hot in here. Does anyone have personal experience, or access to reviews, to suggest brands and/or models of window AC units that are quiet above all else?

[grawk]

nope

[Salt Peanuts]

If you want, I can save Consumer Reports' recent AC rating charts as a PDF and send it your way.

[cetoole]

Doug, I have been looking for the same thing. It really depends how much cooling power you need what model you should get. I will probably be picking up a Kenmore 70051 soon, which seems to get really good ratings. If your budget is larger, Consumer Reports also really seems to like the friedrich units.

[dsavitsk]

If you want, I can save Consumer Reports' recent AC rating charts as a PDF and send it your way.

That would be fantastic -- just append gmail to my username.

Doug, I have been looking for the same thing. It really depends how much cooling power you need what model you should get. I will probably be picking up a Kenmore 70051 soon, which seems to get really good ratings. If your budget is larger, Consumer Reports also really seems to like the friedrich units.

Thanks, I'll look into it. Sears is ideal as it is walking distance for me -- even carrying an AC

[Pars]

Doug,

I'm not Salty, but I went ahead and pdf'd the ratings and sent it your way... sitting here waiting for something at work, and I owe you anyhow

Chris

Edited May 17, 2012 by Pars

[dsavitsk]

I will probably be picking up a Kenmore 70051 soon, which seems to get really good ratings.

I picked up one of the little Kenmores to test for noise. Quiet it is not.

[cetoole]

That sucks. Compressor noise mostly? Any idea of the magnitude of the noise?

[dsavitsk]

Half and half compressor and fan. I'll see if Erika can borrow a db meter.

[jvlgato]

I'm sorry to say that I've never found a quiet window AC unit.

[crappyjones123]

Parents purchased our first home in America. Will be moving there after my mcat and I was thinking of a window ac in my room. I like it cold (64-67F) but the rest of the family likes it much warmer (76-80F) to where they probably won't need torun the ac but just the fan. Did any of the experiments yield a quiet ac unit? Would prefer an online purchase just bc it would be one less thing to arrange for prior to moving. Also how hard is it to install one of those things and to insulate the window well? Could I do it myself with help or would we need to hire someone?

[Dusty Chalk]

There is no such thing as a quiet A/C as of yet, but there are quieter models and noisier models. If you look around, you can find the ratings for some. You have to include some of the keywords such as "quietest" "db" "noise", etc. I can look at my model when I get home, it was the compromise I came up with.

There's also lots of things you can do like:

• Putting an absorbing sound barrier directly betwen you and the unit (without blocking air flow and overall circulation, of course, so "line of sight" only).
  
• Putting a cushioning between the unit and the window frame all the way around to prevent sympathetic resonances, vibrations, and buzzes.
  
• Making sure it fits snugly. The fewer extraneous parts to fill out the window and add to potential things to loosen, the better.
  

That said, these things are pretty darn quiet, and make a small but tangible difference through the evaporation of water.

[grawk]

I don't think a humidifier would help very much in florida.

[jwzhan]

Also how hard is it to install one of those things and to insulate the window well? Could I do it myself with help or would we need to hire someone?

shouldn't be that hard, but you probably are going to need at least two people.

here are some quite nice tips.

went onto home depot's website. most of them is measured ＞50dB. The problem with electric chiller is that the cooling capacity is directly related to the size/efficiency of the compressor... so the more cooling you want the louder it's going to get...

[Dusty Chalk]

I don't think a humidifier would help very much in florida.

Chicago. And it's not a humidifier, it's an "air washer". Alright, yes it is a humidifier.

Also: not very good for electrostats.

[grawk]

Chicago also won't be helped much with additional humidity. Unless you like feeling like you're in a rice steamer.

[crappyjones123]

im in florida and threadjacking. just for a day.

[Edwood]

Sharp makes a quiet line.

I second Jacob's suggestion.

A floor standing unit (where you hook up exhaust hose to the window) was the quietest I've heard of a window / portable unit. Costco used to carry it all the time.

They're the ones at the top of the page, with the feature "Library Quiet".

http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeEnvironment/AirConditioners.aspx?view=browse

They're not cheap, though.

-Ed