risks window air conditioning

Major Risks Associated With Window Air Conditioning Units

If you’re looking for a cheap solution to keep your home cool this summer, you might be considering window air conditioning units. These units may seem like the economical choice to some homeowners who see the higher cost of installing a central air conditioning system.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, our air conditioning contractors are here to tell you that this simply isn’t the case. Not only are window AC units far less efficient than central air systems and even swamp coolers, they come with several specific risks beyond just the additional money you’ll pay each month to power them. Let’s go over several of the reasons why you should almost always stay far away from window AC units.

Home Safety and Security Concerns

For starters, there’s the practical placement of a window AC unit: It goes in your window, as the name implies, which means the window itself must be left open at all times. If the unit is installed even slightly improperly – or even in cases where it’s installed optimally – the risk of break-ins or other home security concerns goes way up.

Experienced thieves will know exactly how to remove this kind of unit from your window, even if you think you’ve fastened it in well. From here, entering the home during a period when you aren’t around and burglarizing it will be easy.

Human Health and Mold Growth

Another potential issue with window AC units: The possibility of mold growth. For these window units to operate, they pull humidity out from the air and use it as part of their output to cool the area – but this kind of collection of humidity also increases the potential for mold to grow in or around the unit, threatening several areas of human health. Those with allergies or asthma could see these conditions aggravated, and even fully healthy people could become sick due to mold exposure.

Fire Hazards

There are a couple potential issues when it comes to window AC units and fire hazards. For one, if the unit is installed in the only window in a given room where a fire starts, escaping through that window will be more difficult and the unit could be a life-threatening hazard. For another, window units may become dislodged or fall during a fire or other major home event, leading to further safety risk and damage.

Air Quality and Efficiency Issues

Finally, window AC units are highly prone to imperfect seals between the unit and the window. This allows outdoor air inside, leading to major air quality issues in many cases. In addition, this outdoor air will make the unit work even harder just to cool the space, raising your monthly utility bill significantly.

For more on the issues with a window AC unit and why you should stay away from them in favor of central AC, or to learn about any of our heating, air conditioning or plumbing services, contact the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.