So the crux of my problem is how to secure mounting brackets for a window mounted air conditioner to the exterior brick wall. Any advice for a not-very-handy man?
A Google search pointed me at Tapcon ™ anchors. Is this the way to go? Will I need a special drill (hammer drill) ? Anything to watch out for?
TIA
No tapcon anchors. All you need is screws and wall plugs or whatever they are called. You can find them at any hardware store.
Hammer drills (and “diamond” drill bits) are used for drilling rock or concrete. You can drill a brick wall with a plain old drill and bit. Just make sure that the hole is deep and wide enough for the wall plug to go in. Also, don’t worry if the wall plug goes in too easily. The screw will force the plastic flaps open and the whole thing will be secure.
Those wall mounted AC units are quite heavy and you will need something stronger than “plastic wall plugs” I am not familiar with Tapcon anchors but it sounds like the way to go.
You should bolt the brackets to the wall rather than using screws and yes you will need a hammer drill with masonry drill bit. You should be able to hire the drill and bit and get the correct size bolts from the same shop.
The place to make the holes for maximum support is in the center of the bricks but if you really want to save money knock out some of the cement between the bricks and knock in a shaped piece of wood perhaps an old piece of broom stick and use the biggest screws you can handle.
Don’t forget to slope the unit slightly away from the wall for the condensation run off
Good luck.
Talk to someone at your local building supply center. Describe what you are going to do in detail and let him recommend a product. I agree with Fargesto, plastic anchors and screws may spell disaster for something as heavy as an AC that vibrates like mad when running. My personal recommendation would be metal expansion anchors and lag screws, or the aforementioned Tapcon screws or other self-boring anchoring system.
As far as drilling, you can probably use a standard drill equipped with a masonry bit, although a percussion drill would make the work go faster. A standard bit is a waste of time and money for this type of work.
Once you set the anchors and mount the bracket, give it a good stress test before bolting the AC to it.
Have someone else do it. Hanging a heavy chunk of machinery with little more than static electricity and a prayer isn’t a good project for the not-very-handy.
Go to your favorite neighborhood hardware store and see if they can refer you to someone who can do this right the first time. Assuming this can be done while standing on the ground, you can probably find someone to do it for a case of beer and twenty bucks.
Tapcons or those plastic plug things aren’t up to this task. You’re more in the territory of lead shields and lag bolts, or expanding wedge or sleeve bolts.
There’s a decent description of masonry anchors here.
Thanks for the tips, folks. I’m going with Hilti brand concrete anchors. I’ll be trying to drill the holes masonry drill bit on my electric drill; if that doesn’t fly, I’ll rent a hammer drill. We’ll see what hilarity ensues.
BTW, no one’s safety is at risk (save my own) on this project. The air con will sit on a sill not 3 feet from the ground over a patch of earth upon which no animals or small children congregate. I’m also planning on using additional wooden supports.
Screws and wall plugs would be fine. The screws are there to hold up the brace, not the air conditioner. The brace should be set so that the force is evenly distributed along the wall. The screws will get a little shear and some tension but the brace should do the real work. Hey, I got an “A” in statics.
That works fine except for the vibration factor. If this was a bookshelf, no problem.
I trust the Hilti name, you should be fine.
