0 %

DIY guideAC and heat pump

Remove and store a window air conditioner

With a helper, unplug it, undo its fixings, lift it in, drain it, wash its filter and store it upright for the winter.

  • 20 to 40 min
  • 8 steps
  • Every step animated
Remove and store a window air conditioner: the animation’s first picture

8 steps

Tap a step to watch it again.

  1. It's heavy and awkward: two people, one holding it the whole time.

    Never work alone: a unit falling from a window can badly hurt someone below.
  2. Turn it off and unplug it. Coil the cord and tape it to the unit.

  3. Take out any screws or brackets holding it to the window, and fold in its side panels.

  4. Hold the unit, raise the window, and tilt it back into the room together. Keep it level.

  5. Carry it to a tub or outside and tip it toward its back corner to drain the water inside.

  6. Slide the filter out, wash it and let it dry.

  7. Cover it and store it upright, never on its side. Close and lock the window.

  8. A unit held by an outside bracket, too heavy to lift, or in a window you can't reach safely: ask Handyman for a pro to help.

What you need

  • A helper
  • A screwdriver
  • A towel and a tub or tray
  • A cover or a large bag

Call a pro if

  • It's held by an outside bracket or support
  • It's too heavy for two people
  • The window is high or hard to reach
  • The window frame is rotten or damaged

Handyman says: Too heavy? I'll find a pro to help.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.

Icon Rather have
a pro do it?