Air Conditioner Removal

Help Around the House : Episode ARH-140 -- More Projects »
Help Around the House host Henry Harrison shows how to remove a window air conditioner, dismantle the frame and fill the opening with a sheet of plastic. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a three.

Tools

pry bar
hammer
flathead screwdriver
gloves
safety glasses
utility knife
pliers
sliding T-bevel
tape measure
straightedge
pencil
dust mask
jigsaw
needle-nose pliers
putty knife
high-impact plastic sheet
glazing

Steps

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Figure A
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Figure B
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Figure C

1. Remove the front cover of the air conditioner and use a hammer and pry bar to remove trim pieces the frame holding the unit in place (figure A).

2. Put on heavy work gloves to protect your hands and carefully lift air conditioner unit out of window. It may be wise to enlist a friend to help.

3. Remove screws and/or nails holding cover in place then go outside and take the cover off the window (figure B).

4. Put on the safety glasses, chip away glazing from window and remove glass from top section of window. Remove the center divider as well.

5. Many times older window openings may not be perfectly square, meaning the corners are not perfect 90-degree angles. Use the sliding T-bevel to determine the precise angle of each corner (figure C), and transfer those measurements to the high -impact plastic sheet.

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Figure D

6. Use a jigsaw equipped with a plastic-cutting blade to cut plastic. Make sure to wear a dust mask and safety glasses for protection. Go slowly or the heat from the blade may cause the plastic to melt and fuse the cut.

7. Install new plastic pane and tap in some small nails called brads to hold it in place. Drive the nails in as close to the new pane as possible. A good way to do this is to hold the brads in place with needle-nose pliers while carefully tapping in with a hammer.

8. Put on a pair of disposable gloves and apply a bead of glazing with hands. Smooth with a putty knife (figure D) and wipe away excess.