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Why don't we use awnings anymore (2022)

(thecraftsmanblog.com)
413 points samclemens | 9 comments | 15 Oct 24 22:11 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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AlexErrant ◴[16 Oct 24 00:06 UTC] No.41854344[source]▶
The "Technology Connections" youtube channel recently discussed awnings too. (And it had more or less the same message as this blog.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhbDfi7Ee7k

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malfist ◴[16 Oct 24 00:54 UTC] No.41854624[source]▶
And that has way more details than this. The only why supplied here is "we forgot" and "AC"
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lacrosse_tannin ◴[16 Oct 24 15:14 UTC] No.41860062[source]▶
I bet renting has something to do with it too. I can't just start attaching awnings to the outside of this place I don't own. The landlord doesn't care if I'm hot in the summer and cold in the winter. He doesn't pay the AC bill.
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1. SoftTalker ◴[16 Oct 24 16:02 UTC] No.41860697[source]▶
He might be paying the AC bill. In large buildings the heat and AC is central, and typically is included in the rent. The downside of this is that the decision to run AC or heat is made by the building engineer, and during the change of seasons there might be a warm (or cold) day and the AC (or heat) isn't running.
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2. philwelch ◴[16 Oct 24 16:59 UTC] No.41861298[source]▶
You can buy portable heaters and air conditioners, plug them in inside your own apartment, and pay the power bill. The AC needs a way to exchange air with the outside but that can be accommodated with a window.
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3. malfist ◴[16 Oct 24 20:39 UTC] No.41863612[source]▶
Portable AC units are highly inefficient (also a TC video) because they exhaust the air conditioned air to the outside as part of the exchange.
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4. shagie ◴[16 Oct 24 22:36 UTC] No.41864547{3}[source]▶
There are different models.

The classic one is the single hose. There are dual hose models.

https://www.menards.com/main/heating-cooling/air-conditioner...

With the installation instructions https://cdn.menardc.com/main/items/media/LUMAC001/Install_In... on page 11 you can see two sets of air inlets - one for the air exchange with outside, and one for the air exchange inside.

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5. malfist ◴[17 Oct 24 00:26 UTC] No.41865246{4}[source]▶
Both should go outside. One should take in outside air to blow over the coils and the other to return that air back outside with the extra heat from inside. All movement of inside air should be over the other side of the condenser and not go outside or come from outside
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6. philwelch ◴[17 Oct 24 05:54 UTC] No.41866796{3}[source]▶
I’m aware of this. But I lived in apartments without central AC for years, and for various reasons was unable to install a window unit. A portable AC is still significantly better than no AC at all.
7. philwelch ◴[17 Oct 24 05:58 UTC] No.41866820{5}[source]▶
Yes this is how it is installed. You can see a drawing on page 13 of the PDF.

A dual hose model is still less efficient than a window unit, but it’s an improvement over a single hose design.

8. xnyan ◴[18 Oct 24 23:53 UTC] No.41884518{4}[source]▶
Two hose is better but not perfect. The problem is the compressor body is still inside and shedding some of it's heat inside the cooling area. If your need is temporary, the inefficiency is acceptable - otherwise go with a mini split.
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9. philwelch ◴[19 Oct 24 23:42 UTC] No.41891705{5}[source]▶
Mini split is better if you can install it and don’t want to install a central AC for whatever reason. I don’t think you can usually install a mini split in a rental though.

Window AC units are preferable to two hose because the compressor side hangs outside the window (and can drip the condensed water) but sometimes you don’t have double hung windows or your landlord doesn’t allow window AC units.