A sickroom that runs hot all day wears on everyone in it, including the person who sits with the patient through the afternoon. A window air conditioner is a common answer, and it is also a job that goes wrong when the unit is lifted by one person, plugged into the wrong outlet, or tilted the wrong way. The steps below cover the install from the first measurement to the first cold run. Your hospice team can tell you what temperature range they want the room kept near, and that should guide the setting you choose.

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Decide the room and the window first

Pick the room where the unit will run and the window it will sit in. Open the sash fully and look at the lock, the track, and the sill. Check whether the window has a screen that must be taken out, and whether the frame is wood, vinyl, or metal, because each takes a different bracket. If the home is rented, ask the landlord or property manager in writing whether a window unit is allowed before you buy one.

Measure the opening, not the box

Measure the window opening's width at the top, middle, and bottom, the height of the sash opening, and the sill depth. Then read the unit's dimensions in the manual and check that the unit fits with its side panels in place. A unit that fits the opening only with the panels removed will leak air around the sides, and a unit that sits deeper than the sill will not seat on its support. Measure twice, then write the figures on the box so whoever buys the seal kit knows the sizes.

Check the outlet before you plug anything in

Read the amperage on the unit's label. Look at the outlet it will use and find out which circuit feeds it. If other electrical equipment in that room already draws from the same circuit, have a licensed electrician look at the load before you add the unit. Never run the unit on an extension cord or a power strip. If the plug or the outlet is warm to the touch during the first run, unplug the unit and have the electrician look at it before the next use.

Who does which part

The family handles the measuring, the seal, and the test. A helper handles the lift, since two people should carry the unit in and seat it on the sill support. An electrician handles any outlet or circuit work, and a handy person can add the bracket if you do not want to drill. Decide who does each part before the day. The person who reads the manual should not also be the one holding the unit at the window.

The steps, in order

First, lift the unit in with two people and set it on the sill support. Second, slide the side panels into place so they close the gaps. Third, attach the support bracket from the kit under the unit to the sill, or to the outside wall if the kit calls for it. Fourth, tilt the unit very slightly outward, as the manual directs, so that water drains to the outside and not into the room. Fifth, close the sash against the top of the unit, lock the window if the design allows, and fill the gaps around the sides and top with foam weatherstripping. Sixth, plug it into its own outlet directly. Seventh, run the fan on its own, then the cooling setting, and listen for rattles or water.

The first run decides it

Give the unit an hour on its cooling setting before you decide it is in for good. Check that the room is cooling, that the outlet and the plug stay cool to the touch, that the drain runs outside, and that the panels hold without buzzing. Note the setting you chose and tell the person who sits in the room where the controls are. The install is finished when the first hour passes without a problem and the people who use the room can change the setting without asking you.