# Windows Air Conditioner: What Happens if it is not Level? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527 "2015-06-14T19:44:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/1 "2015-06-14T19:44:01Z")
Anyone know? (I am excluding the very slight outward tilt so water doesn’t run into the house) Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/2 "2015-06-14T19:48:07Z")
As long as we’re talking nearly level (i.e. not on its side or upside down) the only concern I’m aware of is draining the condensate. Which means you need to ensure the outside is lower than the inside, as you said. Plus the end where the drain is, be that left or right, is not higher than the other end. The internal drip pan will be built with a slight slope towards whichever corner has the drain outlet. You need to ensure you’re close enough to level to not overwhelm that slight slope. If you did install the thing upside down or on its side or some other crazy arrangement you’d probably have problems with the compressor an evaporator too. So don’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/3 "2015-06-14T19:48:29Z")
How out of level are we talking? A few degrees either way won’t make a difference, as long as it is securely mounted. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/4 "2015-06-14T19:50:22Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Which means you need to ensure the outside is lower than the inside, as you said. Plus the end where the drain is, be that left or right, is not higher than the other end. It seems to me that modern ACs don’t come with drain holes anymore. The condensate just pools in the bottom and is blown out the back louvres by the external cooling fan. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/5 "2015-06-14T19:53:50Z")
Yep. The condensate splashing on and evaporating from the condenser increases the unit’s efficiency. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/6 "2015-06-14T21:18:30Z")
Unlevel how? Left to right or front to back? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/7 "2015-06-14T22:22:53Z")
There is oil in the refrigerant lines that lubricate the compressor, I would think that if you put it on the side it may get less oil, you might also oil clog the expansion valve. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/8 "2015-06-14T22:53:07Z")
Like a refrigerator it should be stored/transported relatively level and installed same so oil doesn’t pool into the compressor cylinders. Soooooo. don’t lay it on it’s side for transport of any great distance. When you buy one don’t haul it upside down or sideways. This is what I was told by a refrigerator repair person. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/9 "2015-06-14T23:25:44Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > Unlevel how? Left to right or front to back? Front to back. It’s a 10,000 BTU unit. The back is probably about 1 1/2" below the front. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/10 "2015-06-15T00:01:51Z")
The manual of mine states it to be at a slight angle downward towards the outside and shows pretty drawings of right and wrong. Although the way it fits into the window, it would be hard to set it any other way. I just wish didn’t make such cheap vents n such. I miss the old styles where they were more like the vents in cars and you could adjust 4 of them, up/down and side to side. Now they make just 2 wide vents and the airflow can’t be adjusted as precisely. You can only adjust the vertical so much and practically no horizontal flow. I also miss the dials. The push buttons seem to require me pressing it harder and harder each year until it barely works half the time. I remember the old ones used to last some 20 years too. I’ve been through about 4 of these cheap China made ones in the past 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/11 "2015-06-15T13:00:28Z")
This must be Windows 10. How the heck did they build air conditioning into an Operating System?!? Also, if it’s not on the level, it’s not eligible to become a Freemason. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-air-conditioner-what-happens-if-it-is-not-level/722527/12 "2015-06-15T20:08:03Z")
**Windows Air Conditioner: What Happens if it is not Level?** You get the Blue Heat of Death.