Transom windows above interior doors add interest to hallways and can be hinged to allow free movement of air. They are easy to open and close, allowing airflow and maintaining a consistent temperature in the room even when the door is closed. Transom windows can be used to illuminate rooms by natural light, reduce the need for electric lighting, and reduce heating and cooling costs. They also help bring in fresh air, which can help reduce the spread of germs, bacteria, and other airborne particles.
Old tall double-hung windows functioned similarly to transoms, with the top lowered to let out hot air and the bottom raised to bring in cool air. Modern transoms are attached to the horizontal crossbeam over a door, known as the transom beam. Originally designed with hinges, transom windows acted as a way to suck warm air from bedrooms and cool them down. With modern heating and air conditioning, most modern transoms are fixed (non-operating), but operable transoms are still an authentic and nostalgic customization option.
Transom windows have been proven effective in enhancing natural ventilation in high-rise residential buildings in tropical climates. The opening near the ceiling allows warmer air to form an updraft and draw in cooler fresh outside air. However, installing an operable transom is not a solution for temperature balancing, as a large opening at both the top and bottom of the door is needed. Hinged transoms above interior doors provided cross-ventilation with windows, and modern air conditioning has replaced a summer breeze.
Transom windows were used to allow additional light into or out of a room and to allow easier passage of heat or cool air between rooms. With indoor air conditioning, the ventilation aspect of transom windows is no longer as necessary, making them an attractive choice for homes without air conditioning or those looking to reduce energy consumption.
📹 The COLDEST And QUIETEST AC Unit Ever Made!Still Use Your Window!
In this video I show you how to install the Midea U Shape AC – the coldest and quietest window AC unit ever made! I will also go …
Why is the transom important?
The transom is a crucial part of a boat’s structure, supporting the stern and aft sections, and supporting the motor of motorized recreational vessels. It can be attached permanently or mechanically lifted out of the water as needed. The transom is also used for attaching swim platforms and reboarding devices. Many boat owners choose to place their vessel’s name on the transom, as it is easily visible above the water line. Today, boat transoms are made of aluminum or reinforced fibreglass, resistant to degradation in saltwater and other elements.
They are strong and can support the weight of engines, fixtures, and people who lean on the transom during repairs. The transom absorbs a significant amount of force from the boat engine, especially on powerboats, where it transmits it to the hull.
Why do old houses have transom windows?
Transom windows were used before electricity and air conditioning in homes to provide natural light and airflow, while maintaining privacy. They were originally designed to open from the bottom up using metal hinges, and are now primarily decorative and do not open. Transom windows come in various shapes, colors, sizes, and materials, and can match any design aesthetic. Rectangular and semicircular are the most common shapes, with single or multipaned rectangular windows typically installed over doors and extending the doorframe’s length. Sidelights on exterior doors extend the unit’s width, while semicircular windows, also known as fanlights, are installed above both doors and windows.
What is the main benefit of using structural transom units?
This document examines the advantages of prefabricated structural transom units, emphasizing the benefits of a fixed length and semi-rigid end connection. This feature enables efficient setting out and self-alignment, which in turn reduces labor costs.
Are transom windows out of style?
As observed by Rohrbach, transom windows have gained considerable popularity in recent years, largely due to their distinctive aesthetic appeal and minimalist design. Such windows are not merely ephemeral fashions; rather, they are anticipated to retain their popularity due to their durability and distinctive character. Rohrbach posits that transom windows represent an optimal solution for admitting light into a domestic setting while simultaneously imparting a distinctive character to the interior.
Why do old houses have transoms?
Transom windows, popular in Europe during the Gothic period, gained popularity in the 18th century during the Georgian architectural period. They were a natural extension of Palladian designs, which tended towards arched windows. Stained glass was traditionally used in church transom windows and later in private homes in the Victorian era. Transoms provided more than visual enjoyment, serving practical purposes such as locating painted or stained glass address numbers or the owner’s or building’s name.
They also provided extra light in buildings without electricity or fewer windows, increased air circulation, and privacy without sacrificing security. Transoms were so widespread that their open state in publishers’ offices allowed aspiring authors to pass on their unsolicited work directly to the publisher. This led to an idiom used in analogous situations, such as the one from St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Lowell, MA, which has an even lovelier message behind it.
What are the disadvantages of a clerestory roof?
Clerestory roofs offer energy-efficient, cost-effective, increased natural light, and a variety of home styles. However, they are prone to damage and may increase inside temperature. To choose the best roof style for your home, consider 14 common roof types and their characteristics. Gable roofs, with two evenly sloping sides, are one of the most common types, with four main types: side gable, cross gable, and Dutch gable. Understanding the characteristics of different roof types can help you make the best choice for your home and ensure its longevity.
What is the disadvantage of transom window?
Transom windows, traditionally used for ventilation, are now fixed and only provide natural light. They are located above a door frame and provide additional natural light into an entryway or room. Transom windows are named after the beam that separates the top of a door or window from the wall. Glass panes, also known as lites or lights, are part of these windows. A fanlight, a type of transom window, has a semi-circular shape and is also known as transom lights.
Do transom windows help with heat?
Transom windows, often found in historic homes or schools, are used to circulate indoor air and maintain room temperatures, known as pressure balancing. They can be used to keep bedroom doors closed in winter to prevent hot rooms. Modern solutions to pressure balancing include transfer grilles, jump ducts, and multiple air returns. Transfer grilles are rectangular holes in interior walls covered with grilles, allowing bedroom air to cycle back to the air return. These products limit light and sound transmission between rooms, making them an affordable and enjoyable weekend project.
What is the purpose of interior transom windows?
An interior transom window is a decorative element that is commonly found in farmhouse-style architecture. Its purpose is to divide an open room into two distinct spaces, such as a kitchen and dining room, and to allow natural light to flow between rooms.
What are the advantages of transom?
Transom windows, also known as transom lights, are a unique architectural feature that can significantly enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of a home. These horizontal windows can be installed above any door or window, allowing natural light to stream into living spaces while providing ventilation and airflow. They come in various styles, including semicircular, rectangular, and custom designs, and can be installed as part of new construction or retrofitted into existing structures.
Transom windows offer both functional and decorative benefits, adding architectural interest and character to a home. They have been a popular architectural element for centuries, originally intended to improve ventilation and light distribution in buildings.
What is the difference between a clerestory and a transom window?
Transom windows, which are installed above doorways, permit the influx of light and fresh air into a room when the door is closed. Clerestory windows, on the other hand, are narrow windows that are installed at or above the roofline in an interior living space.
📹 Portable Air Conditioners – Why you shouldn’t like them
You can support this channel on Patreon! Link below Oh no. It’s a new version of a well-established product that trades efficiency …
We have the 10k unit. It has worked flawlessly for the last two summers. We originally bought it as a back up A/C unit in case of a power failure. As elderly empty nesters we used it to cool our room at night while programming the rest of the house a little warmer as we have a single exterior A/C unit. Worked just fine with our Champion duel fuel 4250w inverter.
Just installed the 8000 btu unit in our bedroom a week ago. FANTASTIC! Our bedroom windows are pretty wide, and I’ve tried a couple traditional style ac units, and even after purchasing additional side panels, I never was able to get a true seal. Those cut to size foam pieces work great! The best part is I can actually hear the tv with the ac on! I’ll never consider a traditional unit again!
I have had two of these for the past 3 years and am well satisfied. There are some irritations though. You have no direct control of the fan speed. You can REQUEST the fan to be low-medium-high but it is only a request. If the room is over the set temperature the unit will switch to high fan until the air is cooled down. This can be a real irritant if you are shooting article or trying to get to sleep. In sleep mode the unit is very quiet, almost to the point of not hearing it. But if a slight draft of warm air hits the inlet it will switch to high fan which is as loud as a normal air conditioner. Another irritant is if it is set to economy the fan will shut off completely once the air temperature reaches the set temperature. You then have no air circulating through the unit. The air in the room will rise in temperature too much before the unit switches back on, and then it may switch to high fan for a while. (noisy) As for economy, the 8000 BTU unit uses a little over 6 amps on high cool on a 95 degree outside day. On low cool it only pulls 2.6 amps! This is less than the fan alone on most standard AC units! Truly very efficient. These do cost a LOT more than the cheap noisy bargain units but you will easily recoup the extra $200 or so in the first year or two of electric bills.
I picked up one last year for a part of the house, loved it, picked up a 2nd (with amazon points!) for a nother area. Super simple with the caveat that if you have an old home with ‘non-standard’ sized windows, you may/will have to customize the insulation/gap fill that comes with the unit. I just used a hot-wire styrofoam cutter and cut up the packaging material to make them. Nice units, not loud except fan on high, which is to be expected. As with all AC, figure out the space you plan to keep cool and size accordingly, bigger is not better. Due to my old window sill, depth etc. the brackets wouldn’t fit, and I was going to make some, forgot about it, and ran all summer without them. The support frame design is really nice and solid. Heh.
I’ve been using an 8K BTU unit since 9/2021, and overall, I have been fairly happy with it. The biggest thing that may be worth mentioning is the installation process. First, the fact that it comes with a bracket is quite nice in my opinion. Most units expect to just hang on the window, so if you want them to be more secure, you end up having to buy a bracket separately. For me, that makes the inclusion of one a nice touch. Anyway, I did find that the installation can get finicky if your window ends up being slightly abnormal. For example, those slides that need to be screwed in? Those don’t line up with the window frame for me, so I can’t use them. I also had to do a lot of extra gap plugging where the AC and frame meet. Another issue that I ran into is that I sometimes get a bit of a rattling noise in my unit. If I push up on the bottom of indoor portion of the unit, the rattling will stop. As noted, it does not always do this, but when it does, it is a bit of an annoying noise. Other than that, I have no qualms with its noise while running. I mean… it certainly beats one of those godforsaken portable units any day! In regard to reliability, I haven’t had a ton of problems with Midea products yet. I did have one of their cube dehumidifiers die on me recently. (The compressor seems to be bad given that it makes a gurgling noise after attempting to run for a bit.) Although, I think one good thing to note is that since my unit is nearly 3 years old, it’s possible that some of the issues have been resolved in revisions over the years.
I installed the 10,000 BTU version in the master bedroom a few days ago. The master was an add-on to the original house, and the original AC and heating system couldn’t handle the extra space well. A local HVAC company wanted $7,000 for a mini-split. The Midea solves the problem perfectly – and it is so quiet!
We have the 10,000 BTU unit in our 3 seasons room and it does an amazing job. Dead silent and at 20ft you can feel the breeze as if you were just a few feet away. Its been hot in NE Ohio and my electric bill doesnt seem to be affected so far. It also uses the same control as our Breeze33 mini split that we recently installed in our addition. All top quality stuff.
I purchased this unit a while ago after searching for a very energy efficient unit. We live totally off-grid and I wanted to minimize the power usage for appliances such as this. It cools very quickly and during daylight hours, it doesn’t use nearly as much energy as we produce, so I don’s use any of our stored power. At night, I can run it for hours with very little energy drain from the batteries. We typically don’t even need to use the A/C, we just run the dehumidifier and it will drop the temp by around 10 degrees. We highly recommend it.
I’ve had three of them. They work well. Very quiet, very cool, and the scheduling app works well enough and is compatible with Amazon Alexa. 10K and 12K models. Downsides: They get funky smelling after a year or so. You must take them apart and clean the squirrel cage fan to fix that. After year two or so, the various DC motors, compressors and fan, start getting louder. That being said, I still think they are a great purchase and a decent value for the money and much easier to deal with yourself when compared to the overpriced garbage equipment being peddled by residential AC companies and the DIY mini split companies. The best time to buy them is during the winter. They are considerably cheaper that time of the year.
I have the 8000 BTU model in my small 200 sqft shop. I’m in South Florida so it runs 365 days -24 hrs a day. It’s done this for over a year now and I love the hell out this unit. It puts the rest of them to shame and yes… it’s very quiet. If it failed tomorrow I’d buy another one in the blink of an eye! It’s everything the manufacturer says it is! Wakodahatchee Chris
Just installed their non-split 8000BTU version, and it’s been a lifesaver! Our central air has been out for over a week, with no end in sight because the part is backordered. We have one person with MS, meaning they’re always too warm, and another is a disabled senior citizen. It’s been over 90ºF most days, and the nights aren’t cooling off very much. I’m especially thankful because this is one of the very few on the market that fit in the window it’s in, which is the only window it can be in for this situation. It’s cooling off an area closer to 600 square feet, running 24/7, and keeping it comfy in here. This tiny beast is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made!
They updated the model from the original model I got through Kickstarter and that remote looks dope. I don’t use the remote I have and exclusively run the AC through the app. Which is great because I can control the AC when I’m not even home. I usually turn it on as I’m heading home so when I get there my room is at the temperature I want it to be without even waiting for it to cool down. Also if it’s not that hot and you just need a fan, it’s the most quiet fan I ever owned and works great with an exhaust in another room if you need some air circulation.
I was an early adopter for this unit when they did the kickstarter. I have had 2 of these for me up her ein Michigan when we only need them for 1-2 months a year. Love them. We have them on auto cycle and never hear them. One is in the kitchen area and one in out master bedroom. Although they are only 550sq ft each. They both actually cool our house down, liek our entire two story 2100sq ft home. Now upstairs is not the same temps but cooler. Anyhow, love these units. Good review!
So interesting! When I saw (only) 1 year warrantee, it was game over. But due to the almost overwhelmingly positive reviews in the comments, one of these may be worth a second look. At this point, my wish-list item is a solar powered mini split but it’s in the 5-6K range, so not cheap. I haven’t found my house yet, so remain committed to looking at everything. I love reading the comments > where the rubber meets the road – thanks to all!
I bought this unit 2 years ago and I love it! The quiet efficiency that this article reports is borne out by my experience. I have this in an upstairs bedroom where my central ac just doesn’t reach very well and now I don’t have to run the central ac nearly as much. This ranks as one of the best purchases I have ever made, of any product!
Wanted to use this in my daughter’s room to replace a 30 year old wall mounted unit but the 115V circuit is already at near max load, so we went with another 230V wall unit to minimize downtime. The temps right now are incredibly high. But I like this to supplement my bedroom until I can retrofit my house with mini-splits. That way my wife, who works from home isn’t freezing until I get up for my night shift…I like my bedroom cold for sleeping.
I bought 2 of these units when they came out and was absolutely blown away with my energy savings. Usually I was paying 350+ electric bill monthly to run 2 units. When I got the energy bill after installing the Mideas I was like this was wrong. Nope, $ 120 was the average bill. Love Mideas. Just bought their dehumidifier and am impressed with it’s results as well. Easy to empty, filter is easy to get to and clean. Good stuff
I bought the 12,000 BTU model 3 years ago. I opened it for the 1st time 2 days ago. We got hit by hurricane Beryl and all it took was a 2,000 Firmen inverter generator to power it for 5 hours. It kept my master bedroom at 70 degrees, super cold compared to rest of our house with no power. We didn’t have to drill a hole. We just screwed the brackets to the side of the Sheetrock with no issues. It literally took 10 minutes to install, I spent more time perusal the install article than installing it. My family and 2 dogs slept so well and for the price of two or three hotel night stays, this thing has paid for itself already
Been using the 10000 unit. I had to drill a hole in the bototm for great drainage and coates it so it wouldnt rust. Also sprayed with vinegar before winter to prevent mold. The diffiser isnt all that good not much range. I used a window spray foam to seal the air gaps foam was useless. The window space im using barely fits 10inch ac. So i have to remove the windows to even install this but once it’s installed I like it. I dont think its good for 450sf but they sell it as an upto… so more like 120sf gets comfortable with this unit.
I have two of these units in my home. One for about 18 months, one for about 1 month. They are GREAT! Very quiet, and very effective. MUCH better than the previous window units. I will probably never by another kind of window unit. There is just NO comparison! But they are NOT better in any way than a quality mini-split. They are not more effective, not more efficient, and not quieter. But they ARE a lot cheaper!
Got this a month ago in nyc. 8000btu for 300sqft living room/kitchen. It produces A LOT of condensation about a gallon every 4 hours. I bought a drip pan and tube to control the water from trickling outside all day. I contacted midea immediately via email and phone and 3 weeks later they responded saying my unit is out of warranty (<1 month old vs 12 months warranty) and that they would give me contacts for people I can pay to repair it 😂 contacted Amazon and they gave me $100 back
Got the 8k btu and its awesome. Worth the money. I do hate the beep it makes though. Found that it you install their smarthome app, you can turn the sound off and than delete the app. The app itself was getting in the way of controling with the remote – it woukdnt remmeber changes and it would randomly turn on or off.
I recently bought installed this unit 12,000 BTU in my mobile home living room window and it is AWESOME!!! I was using a portable AC unit for a year and a half before it finally died. I personally think air conditioners were not meant to be built in this form, they might work well in a tent for an outdoor party, but after a while they get weak and start to leak water. It was literally 90 degrees even with the weak and dying portable air conditioner two weeks ago here in central Florida, now the entire home is cool. When you come in from the outside on a nice 95 to 100 degree day, it feels like you’re walking into a cool and cold grocery store. All I have in my room is just a stand up box fan that looks like a portable air conditioner, and it reads 75 because all that cold air from that window unit makes it over here. Midea makes a great unit, I got a small Midea window unit 5000 BTU in my room that I run at night when I sleep, then in the morning I turn on the big split window unit u shape Midea and it continues a cool flow of air through the entire house! Before, I could walk to the kitchen and the heat and humidity would kick in and pretty much sweat most of the day, now it gets pretty chilly and very fast maybe five minutes after the Midea u shaped AC is on, and it is quieter than my air fryer! And when they say it can blow out 20 feet of air you can feel it literally flow up the walls. And you can also set it on dry and it will be very cool in the house and I gotta remind you I live in central Florida and it’s been getting up to 100 degrees here.
Good article, I personally like the GE saddle style window AC, it also has the inverter technology but the saddle style is an upside down U shape that straddles the window sill. This saddle style allows more view through the window because most of the AC unit is below the window sill or sash. But your article is very well done sir! Thanks for posting this.
A couple minor clarifications (I used a pair of these for a few years): While they do have power conversion (“inverter”) technology inside that is mostly just for the variable-speed blower fan; and The power conversion technology soft-ish starts the compressor (more friendly for the electric grid), but it is not Variable Capacity (a lot of the newer heat pumps with similar “inverter” markings are Variable Capacity). I was quite happy with the units. I’ll be looking to find them new homes as my situation has changed (that’s a good thing).
Just happened upon this article and said no shit. I bought this exact AC unit last year and I love it. It really is pretty quiet for a window shaker. Still working good so far this year. Only thing I can complain about is that the remote is kind of quirky. You have to make sure that its pointed directly at it for every button press.
Great article, but buyer beware – The AC worked great for 3 Summers. After that, it no longer produced cold air. Contacted Midea who directed me to three different service locations, all over 1hr away and none of them supported Midea products anymore. I will attempt to take it apart and fix it on my own. As mentioned in another comment, the entire unit must be disassembled in order to clean the interior cooling fins. That said, when it worked, it was great and extremely quiet. I loved it, but noted a few design flaws. Water collects in the belly pan by design in order for the fan to splash it up against the cooling fins. This causes the belly pan to rust very quickly. Due to this design, the weep/overflow drain holes are closer to the center of the unit as opposed to the very back like other AC’s. This is to ensure the belly pan always has water in it. If the window has an exterior sill, the drain holes line up directly over the siding, dripping rusty water down the side of the house, leaving rust stains. Lastly, the AC developed mold on the fan and interior cooling fins. I’ve never had an AC develop mold as they all had proper draining and ventilation. I’m hoping it’s related to the cooling issue and that it will resolve itself once I’m able to properly clean the fins on the inside.
I have the 12000 btu one and love it. Best decision I made, got tired of cooling my whole house when I’m mainly in one room and paying ridiculous PGE prices when I can have my room comfortable. This thing cools my room down fast. I’d recommend it to anyone. I’ve had mine for over a year now. Still runs perfectly and quiet
Great job on the article. Looks like a winner. I guess if we get one tomorrow, I’ll have to see if the app requires me to allow my location to use it or if they sell any of my data. This is an epidemic. Just found out LG televisions sell your data by default out of the box unless you go through the menu and toggle it off. They’ve sold mine for about 3-4 years before Lois Rossman exposed it. Consumers have to keep pushing back or we will own nothing and be happy. Wink-wink.
I have 3 track storm windows, so the installation would be more difficult requiring building up the sill. So I bought the very similar Dreo inverter unit that installs like a conventional window AC system. The 8000 btu unit was on sale last year for $200, including shipping and longer warranty with registering the purchase. The comparative downsides noted so far are the absence of WiFi access, the remote isn’t illuminated and the unit is a little heavier than the Midea.
I have this unit. The first year I was impressed. Second year I noticed the buildup of dust on the round fan blades. No way of taking it out so you have to clean each individual blade which takes me 45 minutes. Definitely tell a different in air flow when cleaned. Kinda like the difference when you clean an extremely dirty ceiling fan. Ended up cleaning it around 3 times last summer. This year, it doesn’t seem to cool like it has in the past. I have to set it to 73 and it still goes over 76 during a 95 degree day. I turn it down to 70 around 7 at night and I’ve gone to bed at 11 and it’s 74+ in my bedroom. It’s 72 outside now, it’s set on 70 and the room temp is above 73. If the blade was easier to clean, I’d like it more. I want to purchase another one but have been looking at the other brands that have similar products. Cleaning that fan is something I really would like to avoid on a future purchase.
I had a Quasar Window unit 20 years ago that had a gap on the bottom and hung on the window sill. The big difference is the Quasar hug down instead of up. This gave you almost the whole window to use. The compressor part was then separated from the room by the wall. Super quiet. I loved that unit for a number of years but then I moved to another house and sold it at a yard sale.
I bought the 8K BTU unit in March 2021. Unlike the other 3 standard window units that never survived over 3 years before leaking the refrigerant, this has been totally reliable and **much** more efficient. I don’t know about the newer versions, but there is one thing that is a problem with mine: The dehumidify function is a problem. If set on dehumidify the unit will run until there is ice on the evaporator coils It never stops cooling, no matter what the room temperature might be. In my area the spring and fall can be oppressively humid and I was counting on not having to use a power hog dehumidifier. This was the only fault I have with the unit. I found a remote controlled switch that has a temperature sensor and can be programmed to switch on and off at preset temperatures. I use this in humid season and leave the Midea on dehumidify. The switch controls temperature by switching the power to the unit. The Midea remembers the settings even when power cycles. I have to watch for evaporator icing but this is usually not a problem. This way I can have low humidity and comfortable temperature.
Because the screens that are removed from the window are a fixed size, prior to the installation of this AC unit. Although you can open the window, why would you without a screen to keep the mosquitoes and flys out. In addition, you’d have to re-seat that foam between the window above the AC unit each time you slide the window up. You lose the operation of window ventilation on a cooler day even using this style of AC so that’s not a selling point. If its less noisy or uses less power than a typical window unit maybe a selling point.
I bought one of these about 3 years ago for a basement office room. Because of the lack of a full size window, I just vented it through the wall into a storage area. I previously had a Maytag AC unit in the same spot. The Maytag would put out a ton of heat into the storage room. It was noisy and just OK for cooling the room. The Midea is 100% better. It much quieter. Cools faster and better and it puts out a FRACTION of the heat that the Maytag did. In fact it barely raises the temp of the storage room. Another plus – while I keep a tray on the floor below the unit to catch water, the Midea never leaks water onto the tray. The Maytag would put out tons of water and I’d have to empty the tray every other day. It’s also Energy Star rated and barely affects my monthly electric bill. Midea AC units = A++++++
Too bad my windows are 52″ wide 🥲. I would suggest putting a stick between the top of the window and the top of your lower sash for security. Like a broomstick in the track of a glass sliding door. 😉👍. I was about to order this unit until I read the specs. Unfortunately I only have 3 windows at 36″. ( bedrooms ). My couple year old Trane unit is pretty efficient but I’d like something to run off solar just in case. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Just subbed to your website.
Just a caveat about the window locks – and air conditioner installs in windows in general – on many modern windows, the upper panel can be lowered then swung out for cleaning. If you only lock the lower panel in place, that doesn’t stop somebody from swinging out the panel – and oftentimes even remove it. For the times I’ve put an A/C unit in the window on the ground floor, I’ve placed wooden blocks on both the inside track and secured some between the top of the lower window and the outside frame to prevent convenient access. Setting up the window-sensors to alarm with the window set up for the A/C is another consideration for those who have a security system set up.
I live in Sacramento, and it can get to 115+ degrees in the summer. We have a central air conditioner, but oftentimes when it’s that hot, it’s still not good enough. We bought one of these a few years ago, loved it so much we bought a second one for the additional rooms that just get too hot with the sun beating down on it in the afternoon. We LOVE our units, it’s such a great device!
i put one of these in my kitchen window once the daytime temps hit 80 . Itcools my entire downstairs, approx 750 sq ft. and also stops that hot air from heading upstairs . It is quieter than my range exaust fan . Best money ever spent . I WAS GOING TO INSTALL WHOLE HOUSE AIR BUT NOW I DO NOT NEED TO,THAT IS OLD TECHNOLOGY.
Hi! I love the articles you are making, planning to build the shed platform and ramp (2 sheds – both already built, new one needs a ramp, old metal one removed from the newer platform (built last year by a contractor) needs a new platform. BUT — I really came to tell you this…please clean those corners and crevices! A steam unit will really help loosen the crud that tends to accumulate there, also use a toothbrush, toothpick and I also have a few really old metal nut pickers, used to remove nut meat from walnut and pecan shells, that were a legacy from family, that are extremely useful for getting really stuck on crud out of corners. I really cringed seeing your shots showing the crud! (OCD a bit here 😉 )
I’ve used this for 2 summers now in LA after using 2 portable units and it’s better than both of them combined (had one in living room and one in bedroom). Now I leave it on in the living room and leave my bedroom door open and it’s all I need. If doing this, make sure to turn it on in the morning on a hot day if it’s not already on because cooling down a hot apartment is more difficult than already keeping a cool apartment cool.
I recently bought an 8k Midea for our bedroom. My GE was not cooling and was incredibly noisy. It was only 2.5 seasons old. All my AC units seem to fail in the third year – GE and Frigidaire. I decided to try Midea. The installation was much more tricky and unexpected, especially with a porch roof under the window. I simply removed a foot and made it fit, no cutting, just in case it needed returned. It’s level but still works. The sealing around the window is not that good. The sealing system is overly complicated. I used Gorilla Clear tape to seal over the gaps. That negates opening the window! In operation, the unit is super quiet. I often have to put my hand up to it, to see if it’s working! It cools the room very well too 🤞it lasts longer than 2 seasons!
Absolutely phenominal unit. I’ve had mine for almost 2yrs with zero problems in S FL. It’s in my Florida Room that doubles as a home office. Even better, the unit integrates with Alexa and Google Home. So I’ve added a motion and temperature sensor to automatically control the unit. Installation took about 20minutes solo. I did have to get a little creative to fill a small hole, but this was a very easy fix.
I bought one of these 2 years ago. I live in a 1997, 8×19′ uninsulated Dodge van and the unit fits perfectly in my rear window. I did get the 12000 btu because a 5000btu did not cool my van on those hot days. I turn the unit on when my inside temp reaches 95°f inside my van, and in 15-20 minutes it cools to my set temp of 76°f and maintains that temp. I use a 25-3000w generator for my power source. I am very happy with its function, and durability even while going down the road. Thanks, Media for a great product.
From my experience, Inverter Technology can be both good and bad. You explained the good, but there are two potential problems to watch out for. First, the technology makes LOTS of electrical noise on your powerline. Maybe you don’t care but for me, I used home control technology over powerline, and couldn’t use it with an inverter device on the line. Maybe this is better now, don’t know. And often this noise cause other problems and you may never know. Like your Bluetooth mice in the area don’t work well. The second problem is longevity. Time will tell, but from experience, inverter devices aren’t very long-lived. Again, time will tell.
Id like to try this unit for my BR at night.. but I have not seen a up / down window in years….everybody around here has side to side windows and this unit does not work…. FYI if you live in an HOA check first and see if your HOA allows window air conditioning… I have lived in two places with HOAs and they did not allow them…. I don’t live in HOAs anymore
I purchased one of these in early May ’24 to install in my second floor bedroom/office that last year would raise about ten degrees over the course of the day, during the summer due to its south-facing wall. It’s just as easy to install as stated in the article. I increased the drainage slope, and also drilled drain holes on the bottom corners of the outside part of the unit to help with condensate drainage. Saw in some other articles where the condensate would not drain and cause the molding of the blower wheel.
but it still I can honestly say that I really don’t see the point in this. It still blocks most of the window opening just like a conventional window unit. Sure, it allows you to open the window but it still blocks most of it. The GE ClearView style is a much better option. Instead of having the slot on the top, it is on the bottom allowing the air conditioner to drop down on each side of the window making most of the window usable and not blocking most of the view.
A little tale about this air conditioner. My wife and I bought that exact air conditioner, the 12,000 BTU model for our open living/kitchen room after having used the 8,000 BTU model in our bedroom. The bedroom conditioner work well and was very quiet and was fairly easy to install and we loved the support bracket. Well, 12 never worked from day one. I went through all the possibilties including whether the compressor was coming on, and it was, as well as all the other funcitons and controls. Everything seemed to be in working order but with no cold air coming out of the unit. So I called Midea and was put on with a tech who walked me through all the checks that I had already done once but I went through them again and it was determined that the unit was somehow faulty. So I asked them for either a repair station where I could take it within a reasonable distance or if they could come to my house, or if they would replace it if I returned it. To my surprise and disappoinment they refused to have it checked by a tech or repaired and did not want to replace it. My only option was to recieve my money back which they did. I got a check within a week. What was so disappointing is that I have a brand new air conditioner that does not work and I do not want to put it in the landfill because it’s such a waste and I cannot find anyone locally that will check it for a leak or lack of coolant charge. I’ve taken off the cover to the mechanics on the outside half and made sure everything is working properly and to be certain that the compressor is coming on but I do not have the testing equipment to see if it has a leak or needs a charge and a year later I’m still looking for someone who can check it but without luck.
Midea is a Chinese company. They also make Arctic King AC. Had an Arctic King AC for 3 years before it died so be very wary of this brand, there is a reason it’s cheap. don’t expect quality or for it to last very long if you will be using it a lot. I live in south Florida so used a lot and arctic king(midea) couldn’t handle it
Why do none of these DIYers concern themselves with the fact that their machines are talking to servers that are not within your authority? All of these phone apps that everyone nuts over are connecting your home to SOMEONE ELSE’S SERVERS! The only thing keeping them from either taking control of the devices or in other cases selling info about your home is a flimsy promise. I want to know more about the options. Can I connect it to Home Assistant and actually control the device without it talking to outside servers? Is there a PC app that I can use instead? Does the system still work if the internet connection goes down? It just feels like everyone is drinking the kool-aid of the Internet of Things.
This does NOT allow you to still use the window. Because the window screen is gone and the gap between the 2 window sections still needs insulation this is no better than a typical AC window unit when it comes to using the window while the AC unit is installed. There are other benefits to this unit, noise being a huge one, but the statement in your title, “Still Use Your Window!” does not apply.
very clever trick, using the split to move the noise making section (I’d assume) of the unit to the other side of the window … well though out bracketry and hardware, too … gotta admit – never heard of this brand before … I just got a small LG unit last summer I’m happy with, so I don’t think I’ll be replacing it any time soon excellent presentation
I bought two of those to see if I would like a mini split instead of upgrading my central air. I will keep them as they are. Incredible cooling in the deep south with barely any shade. Highly recommend them. One 12k in the LR and a 10k in the back bedroom keeps my 1200sqft house cool. Mine are a/c only. No heat so that has to be considered in your decision. But again, I’m in the south. Winters are not usually that cold and I use my gas fireplace almost exclusively for heat.
I install AC units for a living and I actually bought one of these just to try them out. Now I have three in my house and my son also installed two in his house and they’re a lot cheaper than mini splits. I mean by far ! They’re not only cheaper but they work just as well in my opinion as a mini split. They are very quiet, but I would not say they are quieter or even as quiet as a mini split with that being said they are still probably half the noise of a standard window unit and very efficient.
Does anyone know if window AC Units do not work when the temp is over 100 degrees? This is my first Las Vegas summer and I have had 2 window AC units now and during the hottest time of they day between 4-7 pm my AC unit will not blow constant cold air. It will cycle on and off the cold air and sometimes feel like it’s only recycling hot air for hours. My current unit is brad new. My apt does get direct sunlight. At night time when the temp drops below 100 degrees my unit works well. Thanks for any help!
Buyer beware…. I had two of these units and both failed within 8 months of use. They are a GREAT concept, whisper quiet and worked really well, until I got the error code. After talking with their support they confirmed that all the freon had leaked out and the units were dead. Took quite a while to get my refund from Midea, but I have moved on to a new unit. (Not Midea). Been cool ever since.
I’m in Chicago on year two of using 2 Midea window units bedroom & dining room. I’m cooling 1000 sf with smaller units(windows not wide enough for larger units) It’s not the coldest air all the time but it’s comfortable. They’re definitely the quietest units I’ve ever used. A little awkward to install but they are great and affordable. If I move they’re coming with me. I love your articles and watch all the time.
I saw one just like this, but it went over the wall/bottom frame instead of over the window. I will also say, from experience, the typical “Japanese” style AC units are actually very effective in regulating the temperature. True air “conditioning” to keep the temperature and humidity level more stable and tolerable.
Now if can only make one of these without wifi in it. I was hoping you found one that did not have the wifi. Only reason I have Not bought one of these. They all have wifi for apps in them. So hard to find anything these days not connected to apps. Trying to limit wifi exposures these days is very hard to do.
I just went to pick one up from the HD, and either all the reviews hope it’s a good one 👍🏼 definitely excited to install and thanks for the instructions. I was ready to get a mini split, but the fact of not having to open the hole in the wall and having and electrician install an outlet for 220v Made this possible 😅
Love the articles. I also have this Medea unit. As you’ll soon find out at the end of the season, I would love if you did a follow-up article showing how to change the hamster wheel drum to get it out and easily cleaned with the mold that is synonymous in building up in the system. Trust me, you’ll see what I mean in about a year and getting to that hamster wheel is not very straightforward or have any good articles on the internet to do it
This is my 3rd year with the 12k model. I’m using it to cool 800 sq ft and it works fantastic. I’m able to clean the blower fan and condenser easily with a waterpik and it flushes to the outside. It looks as new as the day I bought it, and the air remains smelling fresh. All ACs need regular cleaning to prevent mildew and dampness odors, and other models required uninstalling it. This makes regular maintenance a breeze!
Anyone else have trouble with these tripping a GFCI receptacle? I recently installed the 8K BTU unit in a detached studio and it’s great, but it consistently trips one (but not the other) of the Leviton GFCI receptacles. I’ve swapped GFCI’s between the two circuits, so it’s working fine now, but it’s odd that it will trip one but not the other of the same model of GFCI.
I Absolutely Love mine! I am just stunned that a window ac can be whisper quiet while keeping the room completely climate controlled…if I didnt try one out, I would never have believed how nice these units are… One tip: there are improvements made on the very latest models, these have touch sensitive front buttons vs the older models push buttons… on the latest ones there is a drain plug on the right rear.. I’d recommend removing it from day one so the unit can drain water properly as these can have mildew issues for people who had the previous units with No drain.. especially important to allow it to angle down about an inch in rear so water will get out… I think most complaints regarding mildew were from people who had the previous versions, no drain hole and mounted the ac level so it would Really build up moisture and stay wet inside..
When choosing a window or wall unit A/C, be sure to match the unit to the room size. Why? Almost any unit will blow cold air, but an important function of ALL air conditioners, but not mentioned in your presentation, is humidity removal. Buying an oversized unit (more BTUs than needed for a particular area) will cause the unit to short cycle and will shorten the compressor’s useful life. It will also result in the room having a higher moisture content than it should. Ever walk into an air conditioned room feeling cold, but humid? Inadequate humidity removal due to improper A/C sizing, was probably the issue.
our master bedroom is upstairs in our house gets about 6 to 8 degrees warmer than rest of house we have tried several window units brands over the years and all ok not great the best we had was a haier from walmart it cooled very well alot quieter than others but after 5 years it stopped, 3 years ago we bought this Midea U and its amazing on a 100 degree day our room can be 60 degrees its downright cold and super quiet the app is amazing you can set unit to come on at certain times or temps, can dehumidify, has a eco mode as well its the best $400 we ever spent on a window unit
I bought that 12000 15 months ago and can tell ya I live it,, my central doesn’t run and I do have a small ranch ( 2 bedrooms and with a fan in the dining room it’s cooled my 1000 sq ft house,, it’s in a living room window,, if it goes out I will get another, hands down amazed at the cold air, quietness and my electric bill went down noticeably from running the central.
15 SEER isn’t bad for a window unit, but it’s still a ways off from even the low end of mini-splits. At that price, if all you need is a single room, it’s definitely a contender, but once you start getting into 3+ zones, you’re still gonna be better off price wise with a mini split. Of course we’re not talking about places where you couldn’t realistically install a minisplit.
I have one and it is amazing. I have it running all day in my office in the summer off of a Ecoflow battery and a solar panel and it only pulls 224w of power (low fan speed set at 67 degrees). Saves a ton of money not having to run the entire house here in CA. I have had it 2 years. Highly recommend.
I was needing a window A/C unit that could just “drop in”. The GE Profile Clearview series was a perfect fit. I can open and close the window, and did not need to install any platforms. Soleus Air Saddle is similar. No drilling or destructive changes were necessary, because gravity holds the units in place and they cannot fall out.
Ive had one of these a couple years. They dont sell them locally so I had to order it on shamazon. It is of course heavy so UPS was almost guaranteed and did damage it. It basically came with on of the corners outside the room pretty well bent. Since this one went on the back of the house and it still worked, and figuring a replacement would show up the same or worse, I just accepted my fate of having a bent AC. It still works, though I will say it builds up a fair amount of water before it overflows the bottom of the drain. Enough so that it starts splashing in the fan making an annoying noise that keeps us up at night (its next to the bed). I ended up very carefully drilling a drain hole in it. At the end of the day its a good unit. However there are other options on the market that also include dehumdification and heat pump functions. None of these fit in my small window, but I’d recommend anyone reading this comment to get one of those instead as there is great value in the heat pump function if you have decent sized window to put it in. My 2 cents.
Keep in mind folks, Midea’s “room temp” is probably read by the a/c unit itself, not an independent thermostat in the room that’s distal from the unit, thereby giving a faIse reading that’s likely lower than the actual temp in distal parts of the room. I bought GE’s split quiet 12000 btu window a/c to replace my older standard a/c and it took a dump within months. My old standard a/c I replaced was way louder, but it blew air much more forcefully throughout the room…so much so I could feel the moving cold air in the adjacent rooms The split unit was so anemic when it came to the fan’s force of air, I had to use a supplement fan to do the same thing. Bought another old school 12000 btu Frigidaire with no wi-fi. Yes, it’s louder, no bells and whistles, but in my opinion it’s worth having that cold, forceful air getting the job done, especially when it’s triple digits outside.
Great article as usual! I may buy this unit. Thanks. Just to educate a little, the window sill is the shelf below the window on the outside; usually sloped to shed water. The inside shelf is called a window stool. I hold no judgement because in the USA many learned the window sill to be on the inside. Cheers!
I installed the 8k BTU Midea in 2023. installed in the Primary bedroom. This room struggled to keep cool with central a/c as it was south and west facing with windows on 3 walls. Now its the coolest room in the house! The unit is fairly easy to install. Just watch the article. I took it out for the winter (not required). Took just 10 mins to reinstall. Once the foam insulation is cut to size, it’s straightforward.
Thank you for this article. Very helpful. Here’s my experience. I bought an 8K BTU unit for a small bedroom that only had a single window. In the past, once a traditional AC went in, you couldn’t use the window anymore. Installing it was a little tricky (I’m not a handy person), but with the written instructions and their own installation article (similar to this one), I figured it out. Some of the screws were a little tight. And I had to drill larger holes in the bottom of the inside bracket to accommodate the supplied screws, but not a big deal. I loved it so much that when the 10,000 BTU units went on sale at BJ’s in early spring for $299, I picked up 6 more. I ran around to a lot of BJ’s to do this. 2 of my windows are small and non-standard, so I had to cut away at the sides with a multitool to get them to fit. The other four went in easily. I have become an “expert” at installing these. Absolutely the best window AC units I have ever used. Super quiet. You don’t even notice them on. And super fast at cooling. To save electricity, I close my bedroom and only leave that one on. When I wake up on a hot day, it can be about 80 in the rest of the house. I tell my Google Assistant, “Google, turn on all the Air Conditioners”. You feel the blast of cold air immediately. In 10 minutes, the whole house is cooled off. That may have to do with the size of the units relative to the space. I would suggest getting the largest unit(s) you can find. Other articles suggest that these use about half the power of conventional units.
At minute 7:50, please note: Some windows do NOT have “lip” on the inside lower frame so there is nothing to keep the window from being lifted up from the outside. Please advise people to install a DIY bar or cross brace that will put pressure on the upper edge of the lower window panel and secure the bar/brace into the upper corner of the window jamb to keep the window from being opened from the outside. This is important as window ACs are often used as a way to break into a home.
Just bought one a couple weeks ago. I love it, I love all the features. It is quieter than a normal window AC, but it’s not as quiet as I thought it would be. I had an issue with the installation due to my house being brick with a brick sill. The sill stuck out too far so the support legs don’t rest properly on the outside wall.
I have been using this ac unit for 1 year plus. Bought two more this year at Sams. All working good. Remote sometimes gets “confused” and will not shut off ac with remote but you can still use app or controls good on front of ac unit. It is well worth the money. Do read the yellow sticker on side of box as of right now this is the most efficient 12,000 window unit on the market. My electric bill has been cut in half even during middle of summer with 2 of these ac units running all the time. This unit does not have a heater. While it is not perfect it does the cooling job well and is easy of wallet to run during the summer. I do highly recommend this unit.
love my midea U, had it for almost exactly 3 years now. got the 8k BTU one and it is fine for a small office. My cat pushed a preset on my standing desk and nearly broke the thing, it was bent nearly 45 degrees away from the window… when I raised the desk back it went back to normal and hasn’t had any issues. The only complaint I have is the seals that come with it are not the best and it’s easy to wind up with gaps. The unit itself is great though and having it on wifi is really convenient sometimes.
Had mine for 3, going on 4 years. Bought one of the early production models. It was an open box missing parts. It no instruction manual and was missing half or more of the install parts. Kind of funny to see what it should have looked like haha. I can say that even though I had to design my own way to seal the window as all those parts were missing that this unit was worth every penny and my extra labor and time to design my own system to lock it into place. My design is much more secure, impenetrable with bullet proof glass and welded metal and a beefier locking system. I live in a nice neighbood, I was a fabricated and owned a security/FFL company that supplied arms to the us military, federal, state and local police and turned vehicles into bullet proof and light explosive security vehicles so I just used extra stuff I had laying around and my skills. Either way, this is the BEST unit I’ve ever purchased. I’ve burned through 3 other units that i have in a different window and this one is not only still working, but still works better than the other ones I’ve purchased. I feel dumb now for not just buying another one of these. I’m my head, I kept thinking about how long it took to install since i bought an open box/ missing parts unit. Seeing this though, I’ll never purchase anything but a Midea again. I can’t believe how cold and how durable it is. I LOVE that it shuts off when it’s reached the set temperature. My other units turn the compressor off, but the stupid fan keeps going.
In Hawaii, the vast majority of homes have jalousie windows and have no sill. It’d be great if that AC unit was inverted with the mass on the bottom/hanging on the wall. You’d lose maybe the last bottom slab of glass, but the rest of the window would still be able to open and let light in. Thanks for the article.
These units saved my arse last year. AC went out and all quotes were 16-20k for replacement. Bought 4 of these units for $275 each and installed 2 mini splits systems in the fall once temps came down. Total cost of everything was $5k and now I have seer 22 AC Sold 3 of the 4 units for $600 this spring
I’m going out on a ledge and assume it can’t be used in a non-double-hung window like my sliders because of gravity. Big disappointment. I have a 1956 built home in California with sliding windows and one window I added that’s a casement. I’d have to cut a hole in the wall to install it, then re-drywall and re-stucco, because it needs a casement window. I also assume one can’t use the screen while it is installed so if you rely on a window for cross ventilation most of the year, you would need to remove the unit in order to do so.
We’re starting our 4th summer with our 12K units. We live in the Texoma part of TX, not as humid as Houston, but not as dry as Lubbock. I have never used the “Cool” setting on ours. Instead, we use the “Dry” setting, and leave the daytime temp set at 76. Right now (6:30 pm) after hitting 100 today, my 10×10 office with the door open is sitting at 73 (that’s as hot as it ever gets during summer). At night, the unit in our room is scheduled to turn on at 7 pm, on “Dry” mode, at 75. I programmed it to incrementally lower the temp down to 68 over the course of 3 hours, all while staying on “Dry” mode. In the morning, our room is regularly 63 – 65, with the unit barely being audible as it runs. At the same time as the window unit runs, the main AC is set to run at 70 during the night, and 76 during the day. Bottom line, in a moderately humid climate, just run them in “Dry” mode. I almost forgot – Make sure the wifi dongle is plugged in if your unit has wifi, and definitely download the app!
I bought this unit at Costco last year. It works great and is very quiet. I recommend you add extra foam below the unit, as the support frame has a couple gaps that bugs can use to invade. You need to be down low to see them, but they are there. I have an Echo Dot 5th gen in the room, and created an Alexa routine to turn the A/C on for an hour when the room gets warm.
Help! I bought this AC unit last summer, never unboxed or used it until about a month ago. We set it up, plugged it in and immediately got the error message EH 06, which is apparently a room temperature sensor, part #11201007003424, which is always out of stock, apparently. I did order it from an authorized warehouse and it’s apparently still out of stock. I’m wondering if the sensor is somehow just not plugged in properly. I took the front panel and the screen off the front and you can see the sensor, you just can’t see where it’s supposed to be plugged in. Can somebody please guide me about getting inside the unit enough to just see where it should be plugged in? Even if I did get a new part, how in the heck am I supposed to replace it if I can’t get inside the unit? Thanks. HELP!!!!!!
Good AC but has some issues in certain windows. Mine makes sound loud 20-30Hz noises in my current house window. It’s an all wood house so not the most solid house around. It’s sometimes annoying sometimes not. Just depends on my mood I guess. Also has a very high pitch noise that is always there. Like the kind that is around 15kHz + or – a bit. It varies in amplitude depending on where you are in the room. It tends to run and run and run until it’s at least 3 deg below the set temperature which is silly but knowing it does this makes it easy to counter it. I have it set to 76 but it always keeps the room 73. It’s a good AC with flaws. But ignoring the few issues above it technically is the quietest AC I’ve ever used. If I was at my old house and got this I don’t think the bass it makes in this current window would be an issue at all.
These have been around for a while. Over a few years I replaced all my window units with the 12k Midea U shaped AC. They’re great. Performance is solid, energy consumption good, and very quiet compared to the competition. Costco usually has them on sale in the spring. Last one I bought was around $300. Yes, for the 12k unit.
If they can make a window air conditioner with an upward facing “U”. why not make one that faces down and doesn’t obstruct the view? What’s more, the exterior could be anchored directly to the wall to prevent theft, and the window would allow for a clear security camera view from inside, and allow escape in the event of a house fire.
When our central AC died its final death (after several resuscitations), we cooled our tri-level with these portables with one on each floor. To combat the hose heat, we wrapped each one with two layers of Reflectix (like a bubble wrap sandwich with mylar bread). Ugly as homemade sin, looked like a medieval knight reached thru each window with an armored arm, but zero heat came off them back into our home. We limped along with these “R2 units” in our 112F summers for FIVE YEARS while we saved up for a new central system. Our electric bills were the same with these as with the old system. They did require some “creative” placement tho, as they draw a helluva lit of amps (13!). Our 1970s wiring has multiple rooms sharing one 15 amp circuit. We had to turn off everything else in two rooms (and tape down the light switches to avoid blown fuses/tripped breakers) and turn the R2s off to vacuum. We also parked a turbo fan in the doorway of the room the upstairs R2 was in to pull the cool air out & circulate it to the other bedrooms. Still, $1100 for 2 ACs & 1 AC+heater kept us comfortable for FIVE YEARS while we saved up $16K. With adaptations, these can be good.