We provide superior heating, ventilation, air conditioning services. We repair and install all makes and models of furnaces, heating systems, air conditioning systems, and hot water heaters. We also provide our customers with 24-hour service 7 days a week.
A Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (often abbreviated PTAC) is a type of self-contained heating and air conditioning system commonly found in hotels, motels, senior housing facilities, hospitals, condominiums, apartment buildings, add-on rooms & sunrooms. Many are designed to go through a wall, having vents and heat sinks both inside and outside. Different standard dimensions are available including 42×16 inches (1067 x 406 mm), 36x15 inches, and 40x15 inches. PTAC units are unique air conditioning units. PTAC units act much like a standard window or wall air conditioning unit but are meant for thru the wall installations. Besides providing you cooling comfort in the hot weather days of summertime, PTAC units also provide you heat to warm your surroundings in the cold winter days.
PTAC units are not meant for every application where a window or wall unit can go, there are many reasons for that, one such being they require more work for installation and are a permanent fixture to the house. With a window air conditioning unit all you need to do is open the window and remove the air conditioner, with a PTAC unit you invest in opening a hole into the wall for the sleeve. These units also do not come in as many varied BTU sizes as window or wall air conditioners do. Both styles of air conditioning units work with the same basic parts and both air conditioning units require the same maintenance of the filter.
PTAC units are generally larger, more expensive, and require specialized care. When the PTAC unit does need repair this is where we come in, we have a crew of professional servicemen who only work on PTAC units, this is their skilled specialty. Our crew of professional servicemen will come to your home and diagnose all functions of the PTAC unit. Doing this will ensure you the peace of mind that the unit will be repaired correctly, they will explain to you what needs to be done, what the cost will be and when you can expect a proper working PTAC unit returned to you.
PTAC units are generally larger, more expensive, and require specialized care. When the PTAC unit does need repair this is where we come in, we have a crew of professional servicemen who only work on PTAC units, this is their skilled specialty. Our crew of professional servicemen will come to your home and diagnose all functions of the PTAC unit. Doing this will ensure you the peace of mind that the unit will be repaired correctly, they will explain to you what needs to be done, what the cost will be and when you can expect a proper working PTAC unit returned to you.
We here at American Air Cooling & Heating NYC are proud to mention that most of the requests for service on PTAC units only require the PTAC unit to undergo a deep steam cleaning process. This single procedure usually rectifies the ailments of the unit and returns it to factory standards. We commonly work on popular brands such as McQuay, Islandaire, Ice-Cap, Ice-Air, Suburban, GE and IEC.
Although PTAC units are used mostly to heat or cool a single living space using only electricity (with resistive and/or heat pump heating), there are cooling-only PTAC units with external heating through a hydronic heating coil or natural gas heating.
Our installers are true professionals from start to finish: they are well trained, well disciplined and well groomed. Our installers are equipped with state of the art equipment and materials to assist in providing you with a quality air conditioner installation. They are true tradesmen.
American Air Cooling & Heating NYC is proud of our installers and upon completion of your installation so will you. Our installers are EPA & OSHA certified and factory trained. These certifications are earned through the highest standard of testing within the heating & air conditioning industry. We go to great lengths to protect your home and personal belongings during the installation by using drop cloths, and foot booties.
American Air Cooling & Heating NYC wants your business and will earn it through our professional services. We will exceed your expectations. In our eyes everything matters, and we want you to experience nothing less then perfection and the best customer service you expect and deserve.
We sell, repair and install McQuay PTAC units, Iceair PTAC Units and Islandaire PTAC Units in NYC, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island
Assuming central a/c is not an option--nearly every apartment dweller would opt for a more discreet relative of the window a/c...one that, identifiable only by its flush-with-façade metal venting grille, announces itself more subtly to the street and leaves windows alone to do the things intended by God and architects. Enter the through-the-wall air conditioner and the PTAC unit. Here's a primer.
A through-the-wall air conditioner is exactly what it sounds like. It is mounted inside a sleeve that has been installed in a space cut into an exterior wall, generally underneath a window. Most combine heating and cooling in one unit. They look similar to an enclosed radiator attached to the wall with a vent on top.
PTACs are usually installed when a building is constructed and hooked up to a building’s hot-water system. Hot water produced by the boiler flows into the PTAC, and circulates the resulting heat into the apartment. The PTAC has a separate chamber containing coolant that produces cool air. They are vented to the outside through a cutout below the window typically covered with a metal grill, similar to a through-wall a/c.
PTAC machines are generally a little more expensive to buy than a through-wall air conditioner, but the cost to run them is about the same.
Friedrich, LG, GE, Amana, and Frigidaire are the most popular brands. There are standard calculations to determine the number of BTUs you need--room size, ceiling height, amount of sunlight, number of occupants, and proximity to the kitchen.
The most of important issue is the size and type of the sleeve, a plastic or metal box installed in a hole in the wall that supports the weight of the air conditioner. Generally, your air conditioner sleeves were installed when your building was constructed and were meant to accommodate whichever brand of air conditioner was installed at the time.
You’ll need to start your shopping with the dimensions of the sleeve (height, width, and depth) along with the brand, model, and size of the a/c currently in it, and the type of rear (outside) venting grille in the sleeve. And don’t forget to jot down the voltage and amperage of the electrical plug, along with the capacity of the outlet the a/c will use. If you’re buying a unit that requires more electrical power than your existing outlet can handle, you’re going to need an electrician to upgrade your wiring. And that will require lots of permits along with permission from your landlord, or co-op or condo board.
Timers, remote controls, and programmable thermostats are so 20th century. Now you can control your a/c a with your Smartphone. Some companies, such as Friedrich, make models that can be controlled over WiFi. Con Edison makes a device that acts as an interface between the a/c plug and the a/c, and can be controlled via the web, and other similar contraptions can be purchased separately.
Although cutting an opening through the masonry of an exterior wall is physically a relatively simple undertaking that costs around $2,000, like most things connected with New York City real estate you’ll have to get the requisite building and construction permits, permission from your landlord, co-op, or condo board, and maybe even an architect. If you live in a landmarked building or district you’ll have to get the go ahead from the Landmarks Preservation Commission too.
Even if you're doing a simple replacement of an existing unit, this is not the place to start skimping on services. Wall air conditioners are very heavy and need to be installed correctly with special attention to its degree of tilt within the sleeve, distance between the unit and the sides of the sleeve, distance from the exterior venting grille, and position of the plug that controls how much condensation accumulates. You’ll be in for some serious headaches and expenses if it’s not installed properly, unless of course you enjoy water leaking into your wall, or that of your neighbor.
PTACs can have an upside for a landlord or a co-op because they allow greater control of heating costs--room by room rather than building wide.
Because a PTAC is hooked up to the building’s water, the units need to be rigorously maintained to get rid of clogs that can cause leaks. These can go unnoticed for long periods of time, causing floors and walls to buckle and often damaging apartments below the one in which it’s housed. Damage from PTAC units is, in fact, among the most common apartment insurance claims in New York City.
In addition, PTAC units are prone to the musty, mildew-y odor known as 'dirty sock syndrome', which is generally thought to be caused by bacteria and mold accumulating on heat pumps. The PTAC’s dual heating and cooling functions make them susceptible to it. Frequent professional cleaning can help sometimes, but the problem has no good solution; the very nature of the PTAC unit makes it susceptible.
American Air Cooling & Heating NYC possess vast experience in installation of thru-the-wall sleeves, PTAC wall sleeves and accessories. We have managed, executed and coordinated numerous projects with many property managements and owners of condos, coops and other buildings in and around New York City area of thru-the-wall air conditioner sleeves and PTAC wall sleeves installations.
Thru-the-wall air conditioners are essentially Room Air Conditioners installed in the wall instead of window using wall sleeve. Thickness of the wall is a deciding factor whether to install thru-the-wall sleeve or slide-out chassis sleeve. Thru-the-wall sleeve, grille and other assembly do not come with the air conditioners and are sold and installed separately. PTAC wall sleeve is different from regular thru-the-wall sleeve in size and type.
Thru-the-wall sleeve or PTAC wall sleeve installation in high rise buildings in Manhattan and other areas is a very challenging task. It requires great amount of expertise and skills. That's why we have a dedicated team of EPA and OSHA certified Techs, Supervisors and PMI certified Project managers.