Need to buy an air-conditioner and I'm an idiot.
Does anyone have any advice?
My parents said they would buy me an AC for my birthday next week since I am dying here in my new apartment and don't think I will last the summer without AC. My studio is about 550 sq feet, but I will keep the door to my dressing room and BR closed which will make it about 500.
Looking for a good value window AC at a good price. Just enough to keep me cool at night. I have a fan, but that hasn't quite been doing the trick and it hasn't even been that humid yet here. I will probably buy from Amazon since I get free shipping.
My window is about 33 inches wide and I can make it as high as an AC can go. Would appreciate any suggestions. I am famous for making stupid purchases, so any advice would be most welcome. Thanks in advance! 
= new reply since forum marked as read
I find the white noise kind of soothing. But good to know that 5000 BTU's will be adequate. Thanks!
There were some lower BTU options available. I definitely want a model that saves on energy, so this is a great link. Thanks!
I also heard that they were more expensive to run. I am looking for something that is a bit more economical. Thanks captain queeg!
Maybe it's because of all the nooks and crevices.
One time, way back in my college days, I owned a small condo. It was about 400 sq ft, but it had a lofted ceiling that made it feel much larger. Anyway, one summer I was away for a couple months. When I got back, it was in the 90s, and I just couldn't get my condo cool. I went to Sears and told the man how large my condo was. He told me I needed a 9,000 BTU unit. I ended up with a monster 15,000 BTU unit, just to make damned sure! 
When the condo was built, the construction people left a little space where a wall unit should go. I had to cut out everything (sheetrock on the inside, siding on the outside, insulation in between.) Then I had to heft this monster A/C unit up into the hole. That thing was at least 80 lbs! I finally got it all ready, turned it on, and was instantly overjoyed by how cold it made my place! Mind you, it took some extra work to really make it look like it fit in the oversized hole in the wall, but I was so glad I had it.
The moral to the story is, if you are questioning which size to buy, I would err on the larger size. I may be completely wrong in my assumption, but it seems to me like a slightly larger unit doesn't get taxed as much trying to cool a space. Plus, the components are larger and (hopefully) sturdier.
A bigger unit should be more efficient. Remember how I was telling you that the units I bought a couple years ago have a sort of secondary, swamp cooling system? That's one way to keep the cost down. When the room temperature reaches a certain point, my unit will simply switch over to the swamp cooler system to maintain that temperature for as long as it can. Some other posters have mentioned the energy star rating. That's always important to check. It's good that you are shopping around and learning about all this so you can make an informed decision. I honestly think that a little more outlay up front could turn into savings on your electrical bill over the long run if you get a good unit and set it up properly.
I hope you get a window unit soon! I really hate trying to sleep in a hot room (just impossible,) so I can empathize.
Pardon my ignorance here, I really don't know much about these things at all. It just has to fit in a small window, so that is my only requirement (about 33 inches wide). Do you have a particular model in mind? I am open to suggestions.
Right now, I am sleeping with a fan and blocks of ice in pillowcases and it's not really working out that well so I am looking for something that I can order via Amazon Prime that will be an easy set up. Fortunately, we had a big storm tonight which has cooled things off a bit, so there has been some relief, but it won't last for long.
Thank you for your opinion! 
Thank you!
should be fairly comfortable. My bedroom area is kind of sectioned off so I can close off some other space to make the main room cooler.
Thanks for your advice!
I am one of those "ladies" who likes it at around 65-degrees inside. But I will settle for 70.
And yes, the hallway is cool and most other people in my building have AC, so that will help insulate and cool my unit.
Thanks for all this great information! I am getting an excellent education here from you!
A big concern is the quality of the outlet you plug this thing into (applies to any large appliance).
As you plug it in, if the outlet does not grip the prongs tightly, replace the outlet.
After you run the unit with the compressor operating for a half-hour or so, feel the outlet plate. If it is uncomfortably warm or hot, replace the outlet.
I've done home electrical repairs and installation for many years and the best preventative measures I've found are:
a. open up any old outlets and check the terminal screws (it's shocking how many I find loose and that can cause fires),
b. check the wire clamp screws inside the breaker panel (again, many are often found loose), and
c. replace any outlets that do not grip cord plugs tightly.
Although best done by a pro electrician, any mindful electrical hobbyist can perform those tasks, being careful to shut off the circuits while doing the work.
Those measures will both save you in electric billing and help avoid electrical fires or possible damage to your AC unit.
Glad to be of help. This sort of thing helps to keep me sane........
I hope to get one of my brother's down here to help me with this so I am bookmarking this thread to save all of your very helpful tips and advice. This has all been very helpful and very much appreciated! 
1. I have a moderate-size ranch-style home with two window units and circulating fans. Currently, one of my window units is out, so we're doing with one 8,000BTU Kenmore unit and I keep the circulators going all the time. I live in KY, where the heat and humidity is high in the summer.
So, creating a circular movement of the air in your space using floor fans will make a world of difference.
2. Make sure you have adequate amperage available in a nearby outlet for your unit. My 8,000BTU unit draws 7amps and does fine on a 15amp outlet, but that's because there's no other heavy loads on that circuit. For example, if your refrigerator or toaster-oven is on the circuit you want to use, you might frequently trip the circuit breaker. You also do not want to operate an AC unit on a long extension cord, as that can be very dangerous (and it may violate local codes).
I suggest asking an electrically-minded friend to analyze what's on your available outlets, and do a map of your breaker panel.
3. I checked Consumer Reports and they give the best ratings to LG (although expensive), GE, and Kenmore, whereas Frigidaire and Whirlpool had very mixed test results. They actually buy and test the units in their lab.
4. Condensation water drainage control is always an issue with window units. Because an air conditioner removes humidity from your living space, that water is condensed and disposed of either by a.) a drain hole at the rear of the outdoor part of the unit, or b.) by using the fan blade of the compressor motor shaft to throw the water out of the exterior case in droplet form. In either case, that water can be both and annoyance if it drips down onto a neighbor, or the droplets can collect on, and damage woodwork near the unit. I had to install sheet metal deflectors around mine to keep it from damaging the window frame.
5. If possible, get the dealer to plug in and run the unit to make sure the fan noise is not offensive to you, and to observe how the controls and air-directors work. Some units have fans that create buzzes and whines that drive me nuts.
6. Be sure to check the conditions of the warranty that's supplied for the unit and consider purchasing an extension if the cost is not excessive. Also, it is very important to know that there's a local service center near you for the brand you purchase. You probably don't want to drive 100-miles to make a warranty claim if the unit fails.
Hope these help and good luck!........
This is very helpful! Those are issues I hadn't even considered, so I am glad you brought them up! I have a balcony outside my window, so the condensation would probably drip down onto the balcony instead of the neighbor below me.
I will definitely take all these things into consideration when I make my purchase. Thanks again!
Don't know what type window you have, but make sure your window is held in place with a security screw or two so that there's no way that if the window is prone to vibrate open or if someone accidentally bumped it, that the AC unit will not topple out of your window.
I also secure the expanding "wings" mine was supplied with using small wood screws so they can't be accidentally be slid open.
It's also worthwhile to think of those two things in terms of security for your home!
You may need some pieces of foam rubber to seal around any openings created by the installation. For example, mine is mounted at the bottom of a traditional wood frame double-hung sash window, where the lower sash is raised about 1-foot for the AC unit. However, that creates a large gap where outside air can come in at the top of that lower sash and I have to jam foam rubber in across that gap each year when the AC is installed after winter. That's easy to overlook!
Although I think most come with this as standard, the remote control that came with mine is very handy.
KY.........
10 hours a day as well. Start it in the evening around 8pm and have it turn off at around 4am. Something like that.
Thanks for your help and advice! That definitely gives me some kind of idea as to what it will cost me to run and if it's not that hot, I will just use my fan. Also, I may go away for a few long weekends this summer so I wouldn't run the AC at all when I'm out of town.
Thanks again!
I sure hope so. I haven't seen any updates from you about it.
and he bought it for me for my birthday! It is being shipped and will be here by Tuesday. That was so sweet of him! I did not expect it at all.
We decided to go with a portable unit since it will be easier for me to deal with living in a place w/ out a lot of storage and much less hassle to set up. Thanks for asking and thanks to everyone for all their advice and help!
Our message boards move quickly here. Sometimes I don't get a chance to see everyone's post and sometimes I loose them . I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss an update. I also don't want you sweltering in the heat.
Hooray for your brother! Give him a fist bump from me.
The portable unit makes sense. That way you can move it from living area to bedroom and less hassle is always a good thing!
He's a great brother! He's running in the World Famous Utica Boilermaker 15K this weekend in upstate New York w/ his wife and his kids run in the kid race too. I hope to see him within the next few weeks.
Thanks again!
