Rental Property Investor · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2014 · 81 posts · 50 votes
Hello, I have multiples rental 2/1 apartments Florida rented for low income tenants ($650). Most of them have central A/C but I found out that these are really pain in the neck and very expensive maintenance. The tenants don't change or clean their filters, the coils get dirty and we have to spend $150 to clean the coils. Plus the A/C needs maintenances and repair on average the A/C company will charge $125 to $200 to fix it. Considering the low rent that is very large expense. I'm planning to change all the central A/C by just disabling them and put windows A/C that cost $110 at Walmart. I have other units using windows A/C and never had any complaints and I don't have to call the A/C guy to fix. I will rather buy a new one and install it. Do you think this make sense?
What you're saying makes sense, justremember that the window units create gobs of condensation. If it is just falling on the ground, not much of a concern, but I've seen a/c units wreak havoc on roofs, awnings, sills, etc. Just make sure they are properly installed.
One recommendation if you want to keep central a/c is to find a technician who works for an HVAC contractor and hire them off hour/weekend for a fraction of the price. I regularly get furnaces installed for $250-$500 labor which is a great break for me but much more than they make per hour.
Just want to share a couple of things I've learned about A/Cs through personal use down here in blazing hot Texas.
If I had rentals with central A/Cs, I would make a routine of going by and changing the a/c filters myself. If the coils get dirty, which they seem to even with cleaning the filters regularly, you can spray them with Coil Cleaner. It comes in a can at the hardware store. For about $15 bucks you can clean a lot of coils and the a/c will improve dramatically in its cooling ability. About the same outcome as your tech is charging you $125 for.
You will need to do the same thing with window a/cs. Their filters get just as dirty and must be cleaned regularly. Same Coil Cleaner works well on them.
I have had problems with window a/c units dripping water inside the home. We tried everything to stop it, and finally found out through contacting the mfr. that the problem was we were trying to cool too large an area with the a/c. The solution was to turn the a/c off for at least an hour or two per day in the morning, so it wouldn't be overworked.
Another problem I've had with window a/cs is that it was difficult to seal the window well and sometimes water would seep in during big rains, and sometimes bugs and spiders would get in. This was especially a problem with double hung windows.
I've been told by several landlords to try the window units that heat and cool manufactured by LG. Even had a Home Depot employee tell me her landlord installed one in her small apartment and that it heats and cools more than adequately. I'm considering using them in my Memphis fourplex versus the substantial cost of central heat/air. The radiators that were there have all been removed, and the furnace was removed at some point too. Helps explain why I got it for $22k! Anyone had experience with the LG window units for heating? The Section 8 office told me it should be fine as long as it adequately heats these 550sf apartments.
It can be very easy to break into an apartment through the window that has an AC unit. It happened to one of our tenants. Not only did the thief gain entry by pushing the AC unit through the window and onto the floor, the window sill where the unit was mounted was also damaged. Any ideas to make a window secure when installing a window AC unit? Any ideas for protecting the window tracks and window sills when installing a window AC unit?
hi im in a sitiation regarding mini split system. Just bought my first rental property. 3 flat in chicago suburb i currently have baseboard heater heating and have to pay the entire gas bill my self beacuse its not seperated. Was looking into mini splits that way it would be connected to their electric meter and they would pay all of theyre utilities. Also it would add a/c wich they dont have now. Any suggestions ???
I've got some houses with central and some with window units. I've decided that when a central goes out, that's it. Window units are going back in. On class C houses that I pay between 40 and 60k for, having a huge expense like that waiting down the road doesn't make any sense. Plus, the house will gain a closet.
We're going the other way. The last house with window units goes central this year hopefully.
The tenant spends less money, central air is cheaper to run, and a lot less in maintenance and far more effective. No good saying that tenants abuse central air systems by not changing filters - because they don't change the filters on window units either.
When the tenant spends less money on electric, they have more money to afford their rent. Less headache for me.
As for making a closet by removing the ac unit - you are seriously starting to kill the value of your investment in the future. We buy ex landlord houses, and no central air is a major mark down on price. Not only does it affect value, it instantly shows the landlord has penny pinched on that property for his entire ownership.