If you have wall unit air conditioners that you need to remove and store for the fall/winter here’s some tips to help you be mindful of not injuring yourself while doing so.
- Always have a second person help you lift the air conditioner out of the window. If you live alone have a neighbor help you. A window unit AC is often much heavier than it looks and is daunting to lift/carry for someone who is physically healthy let alone someone who already has back/shoulder/ knee/hip/etc issues. Be sure to also make sure that anyone below you knows that you will be doing this so you can keep the area outside directly below the AC unit clear so as to avoid any accidents should the unit fall while you’re trying to remove it.
- Before beginning place an old towel on the floor under the unit where you will be working. This is especially important if you don’t have a carpeted floor. Fluid and/or oil from the unit may leak during the dismounting and can cause you to slip or lose your footing which is especially dangerous while lifting/carrying this heavy item.
- Store your AC unit in a clean/dry area wrapped in a heavy duty garbage bag or the original packaging if you still have access to it. It is also a good idea to either replace the filter before stowing it or clean and completely dry the filter you already have and replace it in the unit (once it is COMPLETELY DRY) before stowing for the winter. Also be sure to have the unit sit in its upright position wherever you store it for the winter so the oil in it can resettle and so you’ll be able to lift it properly when it is time to bring it back out next year.
