suziqed
New Member
Hello,
I will be buying my first apartment in NYC this summer and want to reconsider the HVAC. Currently there are through the wall AC units and radiators in the living room and bedroom . They are enclosed in a box that vents into the room -- heat on top and AC through the side -- which seem terribly inefficient for the AC (it must be creating a very cold space inside the box, but little cooled air makes it into the room). Here's a pic of another unit in the building without the box . The AC units are very old and I assume inefficient. I was at the new place last week and while I was there a fuse blew because both AC units were on, which isn't great, but there is little I can do at this point other than install something more efficient.
I am wondering about whether to consider installing a PTAC unit to replace either the AC and/or the AC and radiators? I know they are inferior to mini-splits, but having the half unit outside is impossible in the building (completely not allowed). I have seen Amana mini-PTACs advertised that heat and cool, but I'm not sure that the heat function is necessary because the radiators are essentially fine (and much, much cheaper while operating). Still, I'm not sure that the simple through the wall AC will be as powerful as a PTAC. The room sizes are about 250 sq. feet (bedroom) and 350 sq. feet (living + kitchen).
I would love to install a full-sized PTAC but don't have the proper sized hole in the wall. I am concerned about enlarging the existing hole because a) I'm probably not allowed and b) the apartment is on a high floor and we won't be able to access the wall from the outside.
I would really appreciate any advice or feedback. Should we just replace the through the wall AC units with new ones, with mini-PTACs and rip out the radiators too, and/or plan to remove the covered boxes around the HVAC?
Thanks!
I will be buying my first apartment in NYC this summer and want to reconsider the HVAC. Currently there are through the wall AC units and radiators in the living room and bedroom . They are enclosed in a box that vents into the room -- heat on top and AC through the side -- which seem terribly inefficient for the AC (it must be creating a very cold space inside the box, but little cooled air makes it into the room). Here's a pic of another unit in the building without the box . The AC units are very old and I assume inefficient. I was at the new place last week and while I was there a fuse blew because both AC units were on, which isn't great, but there is little I can do at this point other than install something more efficient.
I am wondering about whether to consider installing a PTAC unit to replace either the AC and/or the AC and radiators? I know they are inferior to mini-splits, but having the half unit outside is impossible in the building (completely not allowed). I have seen Amana mini-PTACs advertised that heat and cool, but I'm not sure that the heat function is necessary because the radiators are essentially fine (and much, much cheaper while operating). Still, I'm not sure that the simple through the wall AC will be as powerful as a PTAC. The room sizes are about 250 sq. feet (bedroom) and 350 sq. feet (living + kitchen).
I would love to install a full-sized PTAC but don't have the proper sized hole in the wall. I am concerned about enlarging the existing hole because a) I'm probably not allowed and b) the apartment is on a high floor and we won't be able to access the wall from the outside.
I would really appreciate any advice or feedback. Should we just replace the through the wall AC units with new ones, with mini-PTACs and rip out the radiators too, and/or plan to remove the covered boxes around the HVAC?
Thanks!