We just bought this home. It has a 10 x 24 ft enclosed porch (in Florida they're called Lanais). There are six 4' x 6' window openings. Each has two 2' x 6' sliding window inserts covered with plexiglass top to bottom. This is one end (2 openings) and the front (4 openings). The other end has a standard storm door flanked by 32" wide by 6 ft high up and down windows, again plexiglass or plastic windows. All openings have outside screening behind the plexiglass.

The plexiglass was an effort to reduce costs, we understand that and empathize. But they're not as effective as glass in preventing hot or cold air getting in our out But glass is expensive and we're going to make do with things the way they are for now.

Here's my question: we want to install a small window air conditioner in the lower right corner of the opening at the end of the porch without the storm door. The sliding windows make this a tad dicey. I'm going to have to install some sort of a horizontal support so the A/C unit has something to anchor to on top.

I'd appreciate any suggestions about how to go about this. It appears as tho I will lose the functionality of one of the sliding windows (the one that would normally slide closed where the A/C unit will be located. It's important that we be able to close the opening above the A/C unit, especially in the winter and the rest of the year as well. Being completely air tight is not necessary but I'd like to make it as snug as possible.

It looks to me like I'll have to take the sliding window out, reduce its size to fit over the A/C, and re-install and close it permanently. This would provide the horizontal support needed to help anchor the A/C, which will stay mounted year round.

I'm thinking out loud and on the fly here, so this may not make a lot of sense. Appreciate your thinking. Thanks

tbone

 

Welcome to the forums! Could you post a few pictures of the inside and outside of the room? http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html It would help us see what you see and enable us to give you more rock solid advice. You should, in the meantime be figuring out the electrical part of this and where that power will come from.

 

Keep in mind that putting an AC unit near the floor is not the best location. You may end up with a layer of hot air at head height unless you have a ceiling fan or another fan in the room to stir the air.