Air conditioning is an increasingly common fixture in homes, apartments, and public buildings such as offices, workplaces, and restaurants. However, not all systems offer the option of mounting an outdoor unit on a facade. Modern technology, however, allows for installation on roofs, attics, or balconies. Below, we present several different methods for installing outdoor units, allowing for comfortable temperatures in both historic tenement buildings and cooperative apartment buildings.
Our company specializes primarily in installing air conditioners in difficult-to-install spaces, where installing an outdoor unit on the building's facade is impossible or inadvisable. This applies primarily to buildings such as tenement houses (including historic ones) and apartment buildings. In these locations, rooftop or attic air conditioners are the best option.
Mounting the air conditioner on the roof
This is a special case of installing an outdoor unit. The location of the device does not depend on the type of roofing material - it can be successfully installed both on tiles and on roofing paper or sheet metal.
The unit is mounted using special mounting brackets. These brackets ensure the outdoor unit stands upright – leveling the unit is essential to eliminate vibration and water accumulation within the housing.
The air conditioner should be placed at a certain distance from the roof surface – the design of the arms should allow for easy repair work or snow removal in winter. Another problem is condensation drainage . In this case, the use of a condensation pump may be necessary . Please note that the gutter should not be pierced to accommodate the condensation drainage pipe – in such a case, the building administrator may require the investor to completely replace the damaged gutter.
It's worth remembering that you always need to obtain permission from the building owner or administrator to carry out work related to the installation of an air conditioner on the roof . This also applies to multi-family buildings managed by cooperatives and housing communities.
It should also be noted that the outdoor unit can be installed on both flat and pitched roofs.
Installing an air conditioner in the attic
A large attic or unoccupied loft is a suitable location for an outdoor unit. The unit requires a solid base and leveling to minimize vibrations, preventing infrasound from transferring to the living areas. However, adequate mechanical ventilation is essential. Gravity ventilation in an attic, where temperatures are often higher than outside , does not provide sufficient air temperature to facilitate heat exchange with the surrounding environment, and as a result, the unit cannot operate properly (significantly reducing unit efficiency).
When installing an air conditioner in the attic, it's also important to consider an additional solution: condensation drainage. This is accomplished by installing a special pipe to carry condensed water from the indoor unit outside. It's best to place this pipe directly into the sewer drain or gutter.
Other options for installing air conditioners
In addition to standard wall-mounted air conditioners , customers also have other solutions that allow for convenient placement of the air conditioner, ensuring optimal operation. These include placing the unit in a garage, on a balcony, or on the ground.
Placing the outdoor unit on the ground is reserved for owners of single-family houses who, in order to maintain the aesthetic value of the building, decide to place the device near the building.
The same applies to placing the generator in a garage . In this case, ensure the room is adequately ventilated – otherwise, after just an hour, the garage will become so hot that it will no longer provide the conditions for the unit to operate efficiently.
Residents of multi-family buildings have two other ways to install the outdoor unit – on the balcony or on the windowsill.
In both cases – installing the unit on the windowsill of the apartment or on the balcony , if it is an integral part of it (the area of the balcony must be included in the total area of the premises), the consent of the manager, cooperative or owner of the building is not required.
It's important to remember that when locating a unit on a balcony, it's important to ensure its optimal positioning, both in terms of warm air flow and the ability to use the balcony space. Therefore, it's a good idea to direct the airflow towards the railing – this way, the warm air won't interfere with the use of the balcony recess.
If it's impossible to hang the air conditioner on a wall, or there's no access to the garage, roof, or attic, you can mount the outdoor unit on a window sill , or even place it directly in the window. Placing the unit on a window sill doesn't require the landlord's consent.
