How to Reassemble Your Portable Air Conditioner After the Winter Break

The air-conditioning season is about to start, and that means it’s the right time to reassemble your PAC in preparation for extreme temperatures and humidity. In this article, we explain how to correctly unpack your winterized PAC, service it so it works like new, and reinstall it.

Inspection

If you’ve winterized your PAC correctly, there’s not much you need to do after unpacking it.

The most important thing is to ensure that it hasn’t been damaged during the winter. Inspect not only the plastic housing, but also the power cord. If you notice that the power cord has been damaged, you must avoid plugging it into an electrical outlet and turning on the PAC.

Most PACs, such as those from Honeywell, LG, and other established manufacturers, come with detailed instructions. Hopefully, you’ve saved these instructions as they are guaranteed to come in handy during servicing and reinstallation. But if you don’t have them anymore, you should be able to finish the job anyway as modern PACs are intuitive and designed for easy maintenance.

Servicing

With your PAC disconnected from all power sources, clean the housing with a wet cloth to remove any dust and grime that might have settled on it during the winter.

Next, remove the filters and gently yet thoroughly clean them with a brush. Once most debris is removed, place the filters under running water to get rid of even the smallest dust particles. Keeping your filters clean this way can save you up to 15 percent in energy costs. Some PAC filters are not washable, and those have to be replaced regularly.

Your PAC should already be fully drained since you’ve just unpacked it, but it’s not a bad idea to check anyway. Simply remove the drain plug and attempt to drain your PAC using the drain hose that came with it. When you know that the PAC is empty, you can go ahead and reinstall it.

Reinstallation

Most PACs, like those from Honeywell, come with a window kit included in the box, making reinstallation a breeze. If you’ve lost or damaged your window kit, don’t worry; replacing portable air conditioner window kits is not a problem. Simply go to our parts page or Sylvane.com and order the part you need.

Before you proceed and install your PAC either through a window or sliding door, make sure to remember the following installation guidelines:

• Always place your PAC at least 20 inches away from a wall and away from curtains and drapes to allow for maximum cooling efficiency.
• Avoid placing your PAC in an area with a lot of afternoon sun as the heat from the sun would bear down on your PAC.
• Ensure proper ventilation of your PAC by directing the hot air from the unit using a window ventilation kit. Make sure there are no kinks or unnecessary bends in the ventilation hose.
• If possible, turn on your PAC shortly before the room temperature becomes unbearable. Precooling the room allows the PAC to work more efficiently.
• Keep all doors and vents to the room with your PAC closed to prevent warm air from being introduced.

Here’s is a quick recap of the Installation process.

How to Install a PAC Through a Window

1. Attach the exhaust hose to the back of your PAC.
2. Add the window adaptor to the exhaust hose.
3. Insert the window adapter, adjust it to the width of your window, and don’t forget to lock it into place.
4. Attach the exhaust hose to the window adapter.
5. Plug in your PAC and start cooling.

How to Install a PAC Through a Sliding Door

1. Attach the exhaust hose to the back of your PAC.
2. Add the window adaptor to the exhaust hose.
3. Extend your window adaptor to fit your sliding door. Some modifications may be required.
4. Place the extended window adaptor vertically along with the height of your sliding door and gently close the door to lock it in the place.
5. Seal any gaps between the window adaptor and the door frame.
6. Attach the exhaust hose to the window adapter.
7. Plug in your PAC and start cooling.

With clean filters and place in the right spot, it should run good as new and keep you cool for yet another season. If you’re still not sure how to reinstall your PAC, we recommend you watch this instructional video on how to install your PAC.