<p>We are fortunate enough to live in a climate where we have no experience with air conditioning. D is on the currently very humid east coast and has been spending some time sitting in her underwear in her dorm room. ;-) She bought a fan which provides a little relief. The dorm isn't air conditioned and students are allowed to bring 110-volt AC units which apparently many of them have. Any recommendations for where I could find one of these that wouldn't be too heavy for her to get up the stairs to her room - and is attaching them to the window securely enough so that they won't fall out onto someone's head a relatively easy task? </p>
<p>Problem is, it's end of season. Historically, they get hard to come by end of season, but it's not been too bad this year in New England, so she may get lucky. </p>
<p>Depending on BTU, she could pay as little as $75, as much as $199.</p>
<p>5000 BTU should be more than enough for standard dorm room, or bedroom in suite. I doubt you'll find anything smaller.</p>
<p>If she needs an extension cord, make sure it's a UL approved heavy duty appliance rated cord.</p>
<p>In the new units, weight is no longer an issue. They're fairly light nothing a normal healthy gollege girl can't schlepp. Many former metal parts and shrouds have been replaced with plastics. I have older 5000 BTU units that weigh more than a newer 10,000.</p>
<p>I think you can get portable A/C units that sit on the floor and vent through a window via a hose...rather than installing the unit in the window. (not sure about voltage though)</p>
<p>I was curious about that violadad. I'm from Houston where we have the 'serious' air conditioning down to a fine art...lol! Never had the opportunity to deal with portable a/cs. Just googling...they seem kind of pricey too.</p>
<p>We have one of the units that sits on the floor and vents through an adjustable outlet that's set in a window (the vent bracket is only about 5" high and expands to 36" wide.) Dh bought it for our garage at our previous home, where he had a large workshop set up at one end. It worked very well, and was much easier than the kind that has to be installed in the window. </p>
<p>We have the window type as well, because of a problem with adequately cooling the study in the house where our kids live during the school year. Now that we know what we're doing, it takes about 20 - 30 mins. to set up. The real problem is that it's heavy and your daughter may have trouble lifting it. I can't imagine trying to install it above the ground floor.</p>
<p>Even down here, Lowe's & Home Depot have sold out of most summer season items. You may have more luck ordering a unit online.</p>
<p>For the price of a 5000 BTU DaeWoo or GoldStar (low end names marketed in the NE), she'd be far better off. There are a couple of previous threads here somewhere complaining about the floor sitter's effectiveness.</p>
<p>The portable A/C units are actually very good, but there are two problems. The units are expensive. The ones I have seen are over $400. Also they need to be drained. I believe some units have pumps to remove the water. A small window unit is easy to install. The bigger units often require brackets, but the small units usually just rest on the sill.</p>
<p>I bought a 5000 BTU unit at Sam's club for less than $90 about two years ago. I think I have seen them as low as $69 this year. But the AC season is almost ending and so inventory might be in short supply. Have you tried Home Depot and Lowes? Last year, there was a thread on how to fit an AC unit into a window in the Parent's Cafe. Will the maintenance people in her dorm help her install the unit?</p>