How to properly install the air conditioner on a load-bearing wall: an overview of installation technology

If you decide to independently mount and connect a brand new air conditioner, you need to know all the technological features and subtleties. After reading this article, you will learn how to properly install the air conditioner on a load-bearing wall, so that there are no problems with either operation or maintenance.

Knowing all the features of the work, you can not only control the hired craftsmen, but also do everything yourself. Considering that the installation usually costs as much as half of the air conditioner, this is a chance to save a lot.

Here you will find tips for choosing a location for each block. We described all the nuances of installation, gave a list of everything you need with options for replacing with improvised means. We offered detailed instructions for installing an air conditioner, an analysis of possible errors and a video of the whole process that will help even a beginner to cope.

How to choose a location for an air conditioner?

The correctness of this decision determines not only a comfortable microclimate in the house, but also the health of residents, durability split systems, the size of bills for electricity and unit maintenance. In addition, in the case of load-bearing walls, errors can turn into problems with the BTI and other offices, and sometimes even the collapse of the building.

To avoid all the described negative consequences, when choosing the place and method of installing the air conditioner, you should take into account many factors - we will talk about them further.

Structural Wall Restrictions

Bearing walls are the thickest in the house, the main load is distributed on them, damage to their structure threatens the safety of all residents.

The outer walls are always load-bearing, and therefore there is no choice for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. Many owners tend to hide the communications of the internal block in the wall for aesthetic reasons. To do this, you need a groove 4 to 7 cm deep.

The reinforcement in the load-bearing walls is laid only 3 - 4 cm from the wall surface. This means that the reinforcement will have to be cut out - and this is dangerous, besides it is prohibited by SNiP 3.05.06 - 85. The prohibition of deep grooving also applies to brick load-bearing walls: although they do not have reinforcement, but a significant decrease in thickness, especially on a horizontal segment, negatively affects the resistance to loads.

Does this mean that it is impossible to install air conditioning and communications in a load-bearing wall safely and legally? Of course not.

There are several solutions at once:

1. Laying the line in the box is the most common and versatile option, it is also used in the case of installing an air conditioner after finishing the walls;
2. Back-to-back installation of units is only possible when the air conditioner is hung on a wall facing the street.
3. Styling air conditioner routes in a false wall, column, other decorative structure on a wall or ceiling made of plasterboard. Sheathing the entire wall with plasterboard, you can at the same time organize sound insulation from neighbors or insulation.

If you are not going to sell, inherit or make other transactions with the apartment, probably, illegal chipping of walls to install an air conditioner will go unnoticed and unpunished.

However, we strongly recommend not to do this for your own safety - you live in this house, not installers.

Where to hang the outside?

The efficiency and economy of the split system largely depends on the operating conditions of the outdoor unit and the length of the route. The better he cools and the closer he is, the easier it is for him to provide his home with coolness.

First, the outer part of the split system must be installed securely. The outer walls are load-bearing, thick, almost always suitable. Difficulties can arise due to insulation or a ventilated facade, and special attention is required to mount on a wall made of aerated concrete. It is permissible to place only low-power models, weighing 10-15 kg, on the balcony railing.

Secondly, it will be much easier for the condensing unit to work in the shade, on the north or east side. In addition, the compressor and radiator must be well ventilated from all directions, therefore it is important to observe all the indents indicated in the instructions. Usually it is 10 - 30 cm from the wall and on the sides, 60 cm in front and on top, at least 2 m from the ground.

Thirdly, outdoor unit of air conditioner should be located within reach, but not interfere with you or your neighbors.

Convenient locations for installing the outdoor unit:

• under the eaves of the roof;
• on an unglazed balcony;
• near the glazed balcony;
• under the window, if the drainage tube can be taken to the side;
• on the roof, if the track is no more than 10 - 20 m, depending on the model.

The last thing to consider is condensate drainage from the indoor unit. According to the standards, it should be discharged into the sewer, but in practice this is extremely rarely realizable. The tube is most often taken out just outside, under the outdoor unit.

In this case, it is necessary to provide, firstly, that it is lower than the indoor unit. And secondly, so that water does not fall on passers-by, windows and walls. You can lead the drain pipe separately from the main line between the blocks, just along the shortest path to the street, with a slight slope.

Where to place the indoor unit?

The indoor unit also cannot be hung in the corner, it is necessary to retreat at least 12 cm to the side and 10 - 30 cm from the ceiling, the exact numbers are indicated in the instructions. When installing on a load-bearing wall, it is especially important to choose a location close to the street wall in order to minimize the length of the route in the box.

Do not hang the air conditioner over a radiator, in a kitchen or other room with electromagnetic interference, behind a curtain, over a closet, over a bed or work place. In the latter case, you are guaranteed regular colds, in the rest the unit will not be able to work effectively, it may soon fail.

What do you need for self-assembly?

The high prices of professional installation, as a rule, are explained by the use of expensive professional tools, as well as the danger of work. But this is only partly true, so if you are not ready to give a tidy sum for a couple of hours of professional work, you can do it yourself.

Specialized tools can be rented from a hardware store, and consumables can be purchased where filters and air conditioner parts are sold.

Tools: professional or handy

To fix both blocks, you will need a puncher and a level, it is also advisable to have a drill or screwdriver. With a puncher, it is necessary to punch holes not only for fasteners, but also for the output of communications. That is, you need a drill or cutter with a diameter of 50 - 80 mm, depending on the model of the air conditioner. If there is no building level, it can be replaced with a piece of transparent water hose.

If you plan to connect to the mains directly, without an outlet, you will need an indicator and a tester so as not to mix up the wires and check the operation without burning the air conditioner control board.

It is also advisable to have a pressure gauge to check the freon pressure after installation.

The most essential professional tool is the copper tube processing kit. It includes a pipe cutter, a rimmer or beveller, a roller. Theoretically, the first 2 can be replaced with a hacksaw, file and emery paper, and in rent, look for only a roller to create a socket.

However, in practice, this leads to the ingress of metal chips into the tube, and then into the compressor, which causes its breakdown. In addition, if you do not remove bends, dents and burrs from the cut, after flaring the pipe edge will not be smooth, and the smallest cracks will diverge over time and lead to freon leakage.

Another specialized device is a vacuum pump, which is required to remove air, moisture and dust from the system before the first start. If you can't find it, or rent is too expensive, you can replace it with a compressor from an old refrigerator or a blower from an aquarium paired with a pressure gauge.

In the absence of such equipment and a short track length, you can simply lower a little freon before starting so that it displaces all unnecessary.

If you decide to install the outdoor unit yourself at a height of more than 2m, be sure to get insurance. When working from a ladder, call at least 1 - 2 assistants: the capacitor is quite heavy, lifting and placing it on the brackets is not an easy task.

Consumables and their selection

Before starting installation work, you need to check the equipment of the air conditioner and buy consumables. As a rule, only the unit itself with instructions is included in the kit, even the batteries for the remote control need to be purchased.

However, in some models, there are copper tubes for the freon line in the kit, and there may also be a wire with a plug for plugging into an outlet. If this is your case - check the length of the tubes, if there are not enough of them - buy new ones for the entire length, and not just the missing piece.

From an electrician, you will definitely need a wire with a cross section of 2 - 2.5 sq. mm. 2 - 4 cores, depending on the model, to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. Take the length with a margin of at least 0.5 m, so that after stripping and laying it is not stretched.

You also need to take care of connecting the indoor unit. You will need a wire to the nearest junction box and to the air conditioner, an automatic machine, possibly an outlet, a plug, a box for outdoor wire routing.

L-brackets are usually used to fix the outdoor unit. They must be rated for 5 times the weight of the device. Do not forget to stock up on dowels with self-tapping screws and anchors to fix not only these brackets and the unit itself on them, but also the mounting plate of the indoor unit.

For the route, you will need two seamless thick-walled tubes of different diameters made of soft copper for freon. Their edges must be closed from the factory so that no dust gets inside. The exact diameter can be found in the instructions, and the length is equal to the length of the track plus 1m in reserve, because they cannot be connected for lengthening.

Copper pipes need insulation - foamed rubber sleeves of the appropriate diameter and length.

Do not forget about the condensate drainage tube - corrugated hose or polypropylene tube. If it needs to be long or turns up at some point, a drain pump will be needed.

In order to disguise the pipeline without thinking about how to cut the load-bearing wall under the air conditioner, buy a plastic box. It is much easier to fix it on the walls to mask communications.

If not the entire track will be packed into a box, it is advisable to wrap it up with metallized tape.

Additionally you can purchase protective visor, anti-vandal casing and winter kit for the outdoor unit, but these are optional accessories.

Installation procedure and technology

Statistics say that the overwhelming majority of breakdowns of split systems, as well as their incorrect operation, are fully or partially caused by errors during installation. If you are ready to approach the issue meticulously and responsibly, you can get the necessary tool and equipment, then self-installation will not only help save money, but also save you from mistakes irresponsible craftsmen.

So, if the air conditioner is next to it in a box, the instructions for it have been studied, all the necessary tools and materials are ready, you can proceed with the installation.

Preparatory work and indoor unit

Having chosen a place for the indoor unit, bring an electrician to it. It is advisable to extend the new cable from the shield, or at least from the nearest junction box. In order not to get on the fittings or wiring, making a hole for an automatic machine or an outlet, it is advisable to first ring the wall with a wiring detector or at least a metal detector.

If possible, it is better to place the vending machine on an adjacent non-supporting wall. Do not get carried away by the desire to hide everything as much as possible: the outlet and circuit breaker must be within reach, without stools or stepladders.

While the air conditioner is packed, the dirtiest work must be done:

• Mark the wall: where the indoor block will be, from it there is a route to the outdoor one with a slope of 1 - 3%, where there is an exit to the street.
• If you still decide to chisel a load-bearing wall - now is the time.
• Punch a hole into the street of the required size, based on the thickness of the two copper pipes in the insulation, the cable and the drain pipe combined. It is also advisable to make it with a slight slope towards the street, or with a margin of diameter.
• Remove the mounting plate from the indoor unit, attach it to the wall and level it strictly horizontally. If necessary, transfer the attachment points and the contour to the wall with a pencil.
• Prepare the holes and fix the mounting plate securely.

Already at this stage, you can hang the indoor unit and check the level again. The slightest imbalance threatens condensate stagnation and compressor overload, so do not be too lazy to redo everything if necessary.

Fix the base of the box to the wall, not forgetting the slope. When everything is ready, it's time to sit down to rest and admire the installed unit, because the hardest and most responsible work lies ahead.

How to install the outdoor unit yourself?

The easiest way is to independently hang the condensing unit of the split system on an unglazed balcony.

Taking care of safety, make markings on the wall for the brackets. Check the width of the fasteners on the unit itself and mark the attachment points for the brackets. Make sure they are exactly at the same level horizontally: skewing the outdoor unit is just as dangerous as the indoor unit.

After installing the brackets, carefully attach the outdoor unit to them, observing the distance from the wall recommended by the manufacturer. Remember that you cannot drill additional holes in the brackets: this significantly reduces their bearing capacity.

Check the horizontality of the installed unit both along the wall and perpendicular to it.

Line laying and connection

When both blocks are installed, it's time to connect them with a route. This is the most critical part of the work, because mistakes in the preparation and installation of copper pipes can lead to a decrease in efficiency, freon leakage or compressor breakdown.

Before breaking the tightness of the copper pipes, remove the dirt in the room after working with a hammer drill. Unwind the coils of the tubes, flatten them. Measure the length you need for the line, and cut 1m more - with some allowance for bending and rolling on the first try.

Work the inside of the slices with a rimmer, holding the tube end down. This will remove the skirt - the edge is folded inward, and the shavings will not get into the tube. Then slide the nut, threaded to the end, and secure the tube in the corresponding groove in the drum.

If the finished socket has the slightest crack or other defect, it is necessary to cut off the stretched section of the pipe and repeat everything from the beginning. If the outdoor unit is installed in a convenient place, it is advisable to open and expand the second end of the tube already outside, after laying the route.

When both tubes are flared, put insulation on them. Then lay out in parallel both copper pipes in the insulation, the condensate drain pipe and the cable for connecting the blocks. The drainage tube should stick out 60 - 80cm from the wall. Remember to install the pump if necessary. Wrap everything tightly with metallized tape, combining into a single line.

If everything fits into a special box with clamps, it may be more convenient to lay everything separately, in parallel, so that the track turns out to be flat. In this case, only the part that will be laid along the street, without the box, is wrapped with adhesive tape.

Bringing out one end of the line through the hole to the street, put the rest in the box and secure with clamps. Connect all tubes to the indoor unit. Do not overtighten the nuts on the copper piping. A heat shrink sleeve may be needed to connect the drain tube.

Then remove the front panel and connect the electrician according to the instructions.

On the side of the outdoor unit there is a cover, under which there are terminals for connecting wires, and sometimes a connector for copper pipes. Connect everything according to the marking, as on the indoor unit. Attach the drain tube under the bracket.

Preparing to launch and testing

When all connections are made, check them for leaks using soap suds and a bicycle pump connected to the freon refueling fitting.

Then connect the vacuum pump and run it for about 1 hour, until a vacuum is formed. Then the pump is turned off and the valve is closed with a plug, and both valves are fully opened so that freon from the condenser can enter the evaporator. If the line is long, you will need to refuel freon - you can check the pressure with a pressure gauge.

The air conditioner is plugged in, and it must enter the test mode itself. Some models have a separate button or combination on the remote control for this - see the instructions. Only at the end of the test mode can you putty the hole in the wall and assemble the decorative parts of the box - and be proud of the work done.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

To better imagine the whole process, we suggest watching how the split system is installed by professionals:

And this video describes in detail the most crucial stage - the flaring of copper pipes:

Summing up, we note that it is quite possible to install a split system on a load-bearing wall on your own, and you will not have to gouge it. If you could not find some of the equipment, or are not confident in your abilities, try to negotiate a partial installation with the masters. For example, you can install the blocks yourself, and entrust the laying of the route to specialists, or connect everything yourself, and leave the master only evacuation, refueling and the first start.

How do you plan to install the air conditioner? Do you consider it permissible to gouge load-bearing walls? Perhaps you have experience in installing a split system? We look forward to your additions, questions and impressions in the discussion block below.