Naftali, now founder, chairman and CEO of Naftali Group, said installing central air was essential to upgrading the hotel and attracting high-paying clients. On the whole, high installation costs and strict landmark regulations mean it's unlikely window air conditioning units will be disappearing anytime soon.
BTU Chart for Sizing an Air Conditioner
| Room/Area Size: | Examples: |
|---|
| 500-600 sq ft | 20x25-20x30 rooms, ave. 2-bedroom apartment |
| 600-700 sq ft | 25x25 room, apartment w/ open floor plan |
| 800-900 sq ft | 20x40-30x30 spaces, home w/ open floor plan |
| 900-1,000 sq ft | 30x30-25x40 spaces, small home, 3-bdrm apartment |
Unlike heat in the winter time, New York does not consider air conditioners to be a “necessity” under the law. Therefore, a landlord's failure to provide air conditioning does not violate the warranty of habitability. In fact, there is no requirement that a landlord provide air conditioning at all.
What makes them so heavy? Copper, mostly. Air-conditioning systems—both centralized ones and window units—have three important components: an evaporator, a condenser, and a compressor. (Units can be as massive as 213 pounds, the weight of the heaviest window unit sold by the Friedrich Air Conditioning Co.)
A work permit or equipment use permit is generally not required to install a common window AC unit, unless the unit exceeds three tons/36,000 BTU/hr. For more information, see the NYC Building Code.
Your AC compressor is the part that's responsible for circulating refrigerant (the liquid/gas that cools your home's air). Due to normal wear and tear, parts inside the compressor can become loose and create a loud banging sound as they rattle around inside the compressor's outer casing.
While some people may consider air conditioners a necessary item, California law considers them amenities. Air conditioning is not on the list of features that landlords must provide with an apartment, so tenants cannot force a landlord to put in an air conditioner.
It's highly unlikely that your air conditioner will fall out of a window unless you make one of two mistakes: choosing a unit that doesn't fit the window and failing to secure the unit in place. A standard air conditioner won't fit securely in a window that opens side-to-side or opens out.
People used to survive just fine in New York City during the summer before air conditioning was invented, so in the strictest definition of the word "need," no. You don't. You will be absolutely miserable if you don't have A/C in New York City during the summer, though.
Summer in NYC: 7 Tips for Surviving the Summer Heat
- Dress cool.
- Carry water.
- Avoid the subway if possible.
- Hang out by the water.
- Sip a frozen cocktail.
- Take a day trip.
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How to Keep an Apartment Cool Without Air Conditioning
- Use fans correctly.
- Close the shades during the day.
- Create a homemade solar reflector.
- Cook outside.
- The homemade air cooler.
- Put your pillow in the freezer.
- Drink lots of cold water.
- Take a cold bath or shower before bed.
How to stay cool without air conditioning
- Take a cold shower or bath.
- Use cold washrags on your neck or wrists.
- Use box fans.
- Close your curtains or blinds.
- Sleep in breathable linens.
- Sleep in the basement.
- Don't refrigerate or freeze blankets or clothing.
- Close the doors of unused rooms.
Because evaporative air coolers (AKA swamp coolers) work through evaporation, the relative humidity of the air is a large factor in whether a swamp cooler will work. That being said, a swamp cooler may work in New York State, but it is not always going to be effective.
There are ways for apartment dwellers who want to beat the heat.
- Keep bedroom curtains closed.
- Turn your fan into an air cooler.
- Cool down the air.
- Exchange the hot air in the apartment.
- Air cooling system.
- Keep windows closed.
- Cross ventilation.
- Using sheer panels.
Use floor fans to move cool air from one room to another. For example, if you have a window air conditioning unit in one room but would like to cool an adjoining room, close off any entrances in the air-conditioned room except the one for the room you would like to cool.
Since many New York City apartments don't come with air conditioning, adding a unit or system is usually up to you. Of course, plenty of residents stick it out with a fan and live to tell the tale.
Pricing Table For Standard Installations (Excludes Custom Work).
| BTU/Size of AC | With Bracket Install (we provide the bracket) | With Bracket Install (you provide the bracket) |
|---|
| Up to 8,000 | $135 | $85 |
| Up to 10,000 | $155 | $105 |
| Up to 12,000 | $165 | $115 |
| Up to 15,000 | $195 | $145 |
A portable indoor air conditioner is an excellent way of keeping a room without windows crisp and fresh. A portable air conditioner works similarly to a fan but produces much colder air.
To avoid buying a new air conditioning unit next year, take the AC down from your window once temperatures go below 60°F, and store it properly using the tips below.
We recommend you remove any air conditioner from a window location. During the winter months, heat could escape through the accordion extension panels on the A/C and the chassis; cold air could also infiltrate your home the same way. To avoid injury, move the unit with another person.
The top front cross bar that is screwed onto the top of the ac unit, is what prevents the unit from falling backward and out of a window. this bar acts as a lip and catches on the window bottom from the inside of the room when the window is closed down onto the top of the ac unit.
If your building allows your super to do the job—and for liability reasons related to potential smashing of passers-by, many buildings don't—the normal gratuity is $50-75 per unit, says Joseph Shkreli, a BrickTank expert who has worked as a resident manager in several Manhattan apartment buildings.
During the day, indoor temperatures must be 68 degrees if the outdoor temperature falls below 55 degrees. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., indoor temperatures must now be 62 degrees (up from 55 degrees), regardless of the outdoor temperature.
Apartments, especially top floor apartments can get extremely hot in the summer. This is due to lack of airflow in the apartment, clogged or closed vents, a lack of coolant in the A/C unit, or full sun coming in for many hours during the day. There are a TON of things you can do to keep your apartment cool.
Regarding the heat factor, city-based interior designer Shantanu Chaudhari says, "The topmost floor flats are usually 4 to 5 degrees hotter than the rest of the floors. Leakage is also a potential problem if the builder hasn't done a good waterproofing job. She says, "Heat is a problem, but only during summer time.
Window AC unit installation is not a whole home cooling solution. If you want to cool more than one area, you'll need to purchase and install additional units. Depending on the price of the unit, it may be more cost-effective to have a whole home air conditioner installed.
How To Cool Down A Hot Apartment: 9 Tips for Renters
- Keep your blinds closed. Up to 76% of the heat that enters your apartment does so via the windows.
- Shut the door.
- Switch out your sheets.
- Lower your mattress.
- Reset your ceiling fans.
- Use your built-in fans.
- Swap out your light bulbs.
- Add plants.
A portable air conditioner typically won't cool an entire apartment or house since they are intended to cool a specific room like a living room or bedroom. An AC unit's power is measured by BTUs. Typically, the higher the BTUs, the larger the room that the unit can cool.
In the absence of an air conditioner, it's best to place a fan in a position so that it's blowing on the people in the room, but with the window shut. “[Fans] don't cool the room; they cool the body because there's more air movement,” says Persily.
Dust from outdoors gets into your apartment through doors, windows, and cracks in your apartment walls. Pollen, soil particles, particulate matter from smoke, and other unwanted particles find their way and contribute to the accumulation of dust in your apartment.
To keep your house cool, you need to keep the hot air out, so this means keeping windows – particularly south-facing windows – closed and covered with blinds or curtains during the day. Then at night time, when the temperature has dropped, you can open everything up, to give your house a good airing.
