Can You Convert a Wall A/C Unit Into a Window Unit?

Central Air Limitations

• Central air conditioners rely on large, outdoor compressors and condensers to produce enough cool air to circulate through your entire home. These outdoor units are connected to your home's ductwork and supply air through the walls of rooms throughout the house. However, since the air conditioning unit is located outside, and due to its size, it can't serve as a portable window unit. Instead, you can choose to close vents in rooms that you don't need to cool, giving yourself more control over the cooling a central air system provides.

Wall Units

• A wall unit air conditioner, also known as a through-the-wall unit, is an air conditioner that mounts in an opening in a wall of your home. This allows it to expel warm air outside while blowing cool air into the room where it's installed. Wall units are similar to window units in terms of size and design. In some cases, air conditioners are sold as both wall and window units. This means that you can easily convert a wall unit that isn't part of a central air system into a window unit.

Conversion Process

• Converting a wall air conditioning unit into a window unit consists mainly of removing it from the wall and reinstalling it in a window that is large enough to contain it. The window must also be within reach of an electrical outlet, since the air conditioner will continue to use a standard 120 volt outlet for power. If the air conditioner is attached to a thermostat, you'll need to disconnect it and either rewire it in the new location or use the air conditioner's built-in temperature and timer controls.

Considerations

• Window and wall air conditioners function best when the rooms where they operate are well-insulated. Removing a wall unit means that you'll have a large opening that you need to seal with insulation, an interior wall and exterior cladding. Placing a wall unit in a window also requires some type of material to seal the space around the air conditioner. While window units often come with seals or expanding buffers, a wall unit may not.