Can you really sleep with a Window AC unit on?

[NoMailPlease]

I bought a Maytag M7X05F2B 5400BTU window unit this week and installed it into my bedroom window. It does a great job of cooling but it is insanely noisy. When the unit is just in fan mode its very quiet. But, when put into AC mode, the compressor is very, very loud. Also, there is a buzzing noise every few minutes that is stopped by tapping the unit. Now, I've never had an AC, are window units usually noisy (mostly from heavy vibration)?

There is no way that I can sleep with it turned on, so I've been opening another window while sleeping. My dream would be to have the AC on all the time but this noisy vibration is too much.

I've leveled the unit just like the manual says but it doesn't seem to matter. Do I just have a dud? Also, if I just put it on something completely soft, like the bed, and turn it on, its still noisy. The compressor seems to just hammer away.

Are window ACs usually pretty noisy? If not, what's a good, quiet 6000 BTU brand?

Thanks

[Bob]

Lowes has some super quiet high efficiency units with remote controls that are under $150.

Bob

[Richard J Kinch]

It is noisy because it is efficient.

[CBHVAC]

You are kiddin the poor guy right?...cause if you are not, you would be wrong..

[dbird]

when i was a kid we never had a/c either... but you could not sleep with the sweat running down your back until you would pass out... now as an adult i can do with out the a/c(central unit) but a little noise is better than no a/c any time........

[Arthur]

Wall/Window units have always been noisy in comparison to a central ac. As you have discovered they all should be investigated before you buy to see where the tolerance level maybe but still when it is installed in the home unfortunately it could even be louder. Even back in the 60's most of our wall unit clients finally went to central and that was one of the reasons why. Some are quieter than others but they all make a noise. Sorry I couldn't help.

Don't tell me what I can understand, tell me what I can't mis-understand (Gen. Douglas McArthur)! No matter what you do you are a problem solver....what do you do? Arthur, Website:

Email: [e-mail]

[Jim2034204]

Some are quieter than others. Sharp advertises their line as "library quiet", pretty efficient. I don't have one.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Not being able to hear your unit, I can't say if it is noisier than others or defective in any way. Yes, window units are much noisier than central air. After a night or two you get u sed to it. On a very hot and humid night, I'd do better sleeping with a heavy metal band paying in a sheet metal shop than I would in a pool of sweat.

Do your neighbors have window ACs? If so, take a listen to theirs and see if it is a similar noise level. If so, invest in ear plugs. If not, it is possible yours has a problem. Ed [e-mail]

[m Ransley]

First, Kinch is full of it , efiiency has nothing to do with it. Consumer reports didnt rate Matag. But you may have a bad unit, best is to go hear them, they are all a bit different.

[Muff]

Maytag has a great customer service, call their 1-800 number and ask for a service man to come out and check your unit. It might be installed wrong, the case coule be crooked or many other things that go wrong with installing. The Maytag warentee dervice is free and they do great service. Good luck. Muff

There is no way that I can sleep with it turned on, so I've been opening another window while sleeping. My dream would be to have the AC on all the time but this noisy vibration is too much.

I've leveled the unit just like the manual says but it doesn't seem to matter. Do I just have a dud? Also, if I just put it on something completely soft, like the bed, and turn it on, its still noisy. The compressor seems to just hammer away.

Are window ACs usually pretty noisy? If not, what's a good, quiet 6000 BTU brand?

Thanks

[Greg]

They don't call these "window shakers" for nothing. The reality is that after a while you will take comfort in the sound and you will sleep better ... if you don't obsess about it. It is like rain on a tin roof or the sound of the surf.

[Bob]

True. About 2 days and then its sweet sleep thru it all.

I knocked out some brick and stuck a 5600 btu window unit in my bedroom wall last year at this time. I just slept 8 hours last night (got up once to pee) with the unit making all of the normal noises: Compressor cycling on and off pinging water and fan blade sounds gurgling sounds of refrigerant vibration on wall Air thru vent sound Fan shuts completely off for 10 minutes once temperature is reached.

I paid $200 for the high efficiency (11.0 eer) unit and saved that much in electricity in 2 months while cooling my1950sf home . I'm now up over $800 in savings for the year and we are plenty comfortable.

[Arthur]

Food for thought. I took great pride in designing central air to be very quiet but I had a customer that moved from the city to a ranch setting then he complained it was too quiet and couldn't sleep at nights. That told me to let my customer know about that and does he want some noise.

Don't tell me what I can understand, tell me what I can't mis-understand (Gen. Douglas McArthur)! No matter what you do you are a problem solver....what do you do? Arthur, Website:

Email: [e-mail]

[HeatMan]

So I'm letting a terrible secret out....

We used to live in a house that didn't have central AC. My bride threatened divorce many times.

I finally got a small, 6K window shaker from my sister. It ran almost 24/7, the house was construction so poor. Finally, the compressor went out.

Since it was with in the 5 year sealed system Sears warranty, I toted it back to sister and she took it back and got the new compressor installed.

When we got it back it howled! Man, it was noisy! (No, Stormy was still ripping off drunks at this time). It seemed like it was hitting LRA every time it started!.

The first can was quiet and the second was no where near quiet, even though the isolators were good.

I sold that sucker quick when we moved out of that house

[JerryMouse]

Think earplugs. Fifty cents.

[Richard J Kinch]

I am correct. As a general principle, higher efficiency requires higher air flows and more direct air paths, which is to say, bigger fans and more fan noise. Of course there are other design factors involved in the noise levels, but efficiency is always a trade-off for quiet.

[CBHVAC]

You are wrong.

First, in order to get the higher airflows, you have to have larger paths for the air to flow..in a window unit, this is a simple thing to accomplish. Second, they also tend to use a smaller compressor, in relation to the condensor, and evap size and capacitys. This automatically will lower the sound from the compressor. Third, they also tend to use a splash ring on the condensor motor fan shaft further lowering the amount of noise from the compressor, by further lowering the head.

The noise in relation to the higher efficency is bunk. The noise comes in to play when you see how cheaply the units are made. Period.

By your reasoning, an 18SEER central air unit should wake the neighbors....yet, I have the most silent one on the market....not talking most silent 18 SEER, talking the most silent unit. I know you were talking window units...but you are wrong. Period. Noise in general, from a window unit, is from the construction of the unit, and where the unit is placed. Nothing more, nothing less.

[m Ransley]

Wrong Richard Higher efficiency does not mean more noise ,

[Jay Chan]

Not really. Some window-AC are noisy, some are not. That depends on the models.

I have two window-AC units in two bedrooms. One is noisy, another one is quiet. The older one is noisy, and the newer one is quiet. The older one comes with dialing knob for control, it doesn't have a remote nor digital display; the new one use soft-touch-flat-mounted-button for control (not sure what the correct termilogy for that kind of buttons), and it has a remote and a small digital display. I believe both are from Sears (Kenmore -- spelling?). I consider both are slightly underpowered for the size of rooms that they need to cool.

Not sure what the conclusion that I can get from this experience: May be the lesson is that new models may tend to be quieter than old models?

If you are interested, I can give you the model number of the quiet one. But keep in mind that the window AC is slightly underpowered for a 10'x17' bed room (south facing, right under the roof without attic). I used to have one from Panasonic which is also quiet; I am under the impression that window-ACs from Panasonic are all very good but they can be expensive and hard to find.

Or, you can ask around to see if anyone can recommend a quiet one for you.

Jay Chan

[Special Ed]

I always sleep better, no matter how noisy the unit, than I do laying there in a pool of my own sweat all night.