View Full Version : How hard is it to buy and install a home A/C unit ? How much will it cost ?
gstar0z
2011-07-11, 11:31 AM
So its the start of the stinking summer Japan heat, and here I am in one of the hottest prefectures in Japan (north of Tokyo) with no aircon unit in my apartment.
I share the place with my girlfriend, who is a crazy stinge and refuses to install an a/c because she wants to save money and says she doesnt need it. Well , I beg to differ - when its 35 degrees on the weekends, and I would like to stay home and relax, its simply unbearable. I am forced to leave the apartment, and spend the day in a shopping centre or restaurant and Ive had enough... So now back to the thread topic - Where can I get my hands on an aircon unit ? Im assuming Yamada denki, or some kind of electrical shop but wont it be quite expensive to buy a new one ?
How portable are these units , if I fork out the cash can I take it with me if i move ??
How much will it cost to have it installed ?
Any input appreciated... Im tired of melting on the weekend.
KansaiBen
2011-07-11, 11:44 AM
So now back to the thread topic - Where can I get my hands on an aircon unit ? Im assuming Yamada denki, or some kind of electrical shop but wont it be quite expensive to buy a new one ?
How portable are these units , if I fork out the cash can I take it with me if i move ??
How much will it cost to have it installed ?
Any input appreciated... Im tired of melting on the weekend.
You may want to look at a second hand one (obviously there are no warranties on second hand goods but a new one will last you years. The ones I have are still going at 15 years old.
You will need someone to install it but as its yours you can take it with you when you leave. When I moved I took the air conditioners and paid someone to install them. Installation I believe is around 10,000 yen. You are paying for the guys time and last time it took him about 2 hours to install it.
depending on size of your room a good new one will set you back 80-100,000 yen, again you get what you pay for.
I also make do with large fans as well.
trip_hop
2011-07-11, 11:48 AM
Prices vary from 45,000 up to 200,000, depending on the sophistication and size of room to be cooled. They also need to be wired to a dedicated power supply, not just a room socket. The outside unit must also be properly set up, and cables/ cooling pipes attached to any wall, and tunneled where necessary.
Installation, with a unit can cost from 5~8,000 Yen, plus extra if the unit is more than 4~5m above ground.
Would not recommend you do it yourself, esp. w/ the electrical connection. Your GF may also need her landlord's approval before messing with power and boring holes in walls.
If you do a search, I remember there were a couple of quite detailed posts here on how to deinstall and reinstall an AC unit.
gstar0z
2011-07-11, 12:05 PM
Thanks - The new units are more expensive than I thought but considering they last for so long its probably reasonable. I guess I just need to consider how long Ill use it, and where it is going to be installed.
I understand that if I get a new one, I can pay to have it installed but how about the second hand ones - Where would I find someone to install a second hand one ? Can the shop install it for you like they do if you bought a new one ?
KansaiBen
2011-07-11, 12:22 PM
I understand that if I get a new one, I can pay to have it installed but how about the second hand ones - Where would I find someone to install a second hand one ? Can the shop install it for you like they do if you bought a new one ?
I doubt they will install it if you didn't buy it at the shop. If you buy a second hand one or off Yahoo etc then you can do a search of エアコン工事 and that should spit out some names of technicians who do that. Yellow pages will also have a list of people who will do it, including some electricians.
May pay to ring around and get some quotes (mitsumori) on the work first. You have to consider also how easy it is to get parts if something goes wrong. If its a dinosaur it may be hard to get fixed for lack of parts.
Bye-Bye kin
2011-07-11, 12:32 PM
I wouldn't recommend getting a used one. My advice would be to shop around a bit: go to several of the major electrical stores and haggle the price. It's easy to play one store off another. Usually, their price will include installation. Definitely not something I would want to attempt on my own.
If and when you move, your moving company will usually put you in touch with someone who can uninstall and reinstall your AC unit.
91Coupe
2011-07-11, 02:02 PM
You would have been better off to get it a couple of months ago. Installation and the units are cheaper in off season.
We got ours from a place in saitama from kakaku.com and had a local place install it. I think the total was about 3 or 4man each with installation.
Hope you have 100V too, one of ours was wired for 200v and it almost doubled the price.
gstar0z
2011-07-11, 03:10 PM
Thanks for the info.
Ill check out whatever used shops I can find first, then maybe take a look at yahoo auction to see if there are any cheap ones. May even be able to pick up a good new one on yahoo or kakaku.com , then search the classifieds for a technician.
The reason I held off is we are moving to a new place next week, so Im waiting to get it installed there.
It seems like most places through regular real estate agents, come without an a/c. As was mentioned before, it seems most people just seem to keep theirs with them for quite a while.
TheAtomicFunk
2011-07-11, 03:51 PM
How big of a space do you need to cool and how long you plan on staying there? If this isn't your permanent digs, you might want to just get one of those "portable" 100/115v units that just sits in a room, like a big dehumidifier. Then place fans around the apt. so the cool air gets to other rooms.
They're cheap, run off 100V and you don't have to worry about finding someone to install it. Definitely would be cheaper than installing a wall unit. Also easy to take it with you when you leave.
Something like this: http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/tokka/4963505427054.html
yyoko
2011-07-11, 05:58 PM
It seems like most places through regular real estate agents, come without an a/c. As was mentioned before, it seems most people just seem to keep theirs with them for quite a while.
If you are going to live there for at least a few years maybe buying makes sense. Because if you move again soon you'll have to look for apartments without an AC (or throw away yours). Actually of all the places I went to see only one was without an AC.
well_bicyclically
2011-07-11, 10:52 PM
I paid 60,000 yen for a new Air Conditioner/Heater at K's denki. Installation was included in the price as well as removal and disposal of the old unit. Capcity 6 - 8 tatami mat. about 10,000 yen per month to operate in summer.
If you have the room for it, you can buy a portable A/C unit at a home center. They come with wheels so you can push them around and twist the vent pipe to blow in the direction you like. Easy to take it with you when you move.
If you have the room for it, you can buy a portable A/C unit at a home center. They come with wheels so you can push them around and twist the vent pipe to blow in the direction you like. Easy to take it with you when you move.
Are these as effective as a normal A/C unit?
Are they as efficient?
Are they more noisey than a normal A/C?
Wouldn't you have to duct the hot air outside - like the a/c unit outside does by default?
trip_hop
2011-07-12, 09:26 AM
Are these as effective as a normal A/C unit?
Are they as efficient?
Are they more noisey than a normal A/C?
Wouldn't you have to duct the hot air outside - like the a/c unit outside does by default?
1) Really just for localised use - you sit close to them, as opposed to high up on the wall with a circulatory fan to cool a whole room
2) Depends on what you want, cool a room, or personal cooling
3) Yes, because you are close to them
4) Some have a window kit with long, concertina-like tube to expel the hot air, or need frequent draining of water.
1) Really just for localised use - you sit close to them, as opposed to high up on the wall with a circulatory fan to cool a whole room
2) Depends on what you want, cool a room, or personal cooling
3) Yes, because you are close to them
4) Some have a window kit with long, concertina-like tube to expel the hot air, or need frequent draining of water.
Thanks for the info. So it sounds like it isn't as effective as a normal A/C in cooling down a whole room or two. Our bedroom and living room both 6 tatami size with no A/C. I was thinking two portable units might be good instead of one regular A/C unit
91Coupe
2011-07-12, 10:25 AM
My wife is notoriously cheap and if there is anything that I have learned all these years of living together is that buying something cheap will usually end up costing more because you will have to replace it more often or it wont work as well as expected.
It might not be the case for air conditioners. We have only had ours for less than a year.
gstar0z
2011-07-12, 11:01 AM
How big of a space do you need to cool and how long you plan on staying there? If this isn't your permanent digs, you might want to just get one of those "portable" 100/115v units that just sits in a room, like a big dehumidifier. Then place fans around the apt. so the cool air gets to other rooms.
They're cheap, run off 100V and you don't have to worry about finding someone to install it. Definitely would be cheaper than installing a wall unit. Also easy to take it with you when you leave.
Something like this: http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/tokka/4963505427054.html
I completely forgot about those portable on wheels coolers - that would work good with the fans.
The one on your link is 40,000 yen though... Could get a new wall mounted for just a bit more.
Theres got to be cheaper ones than that... Im thinking any electrical store would probably have a few to choose from.
TJrandom
2011-07-12, 11:11 AM
Well, I am really - I say REALLY surprised that no one offered the so obvious solution to this dilemma. Don't install an air con - too much work!
Instead - move out, and into the apt of a new gf - that has an air con already installed. Easy....
gstar0z
2011-07-12, 11:23 AM
Well, I am really - I say REALLY surprised that no one offered the so obvious solution to this dilemma. Don't install an air con - too much work!
Instead - move out, and into the apt of a new gf - that has an air con already installed. Easy....
Yeah, Im liking this solution.
Although I had been thinking, just moving to a place with an aircon included would save the hassles.
In the meantime, its still over 30 degrees everyday - I am tempted to stop at the denki on the way home, to buy a cooler on wheels.
trip_hop
2011-07-12, 11:58 AM
In the meantime when you get home, place your feet in a bowl of ice-cold water, add some ice and a little salt, and allow your feet to be your body's heat exchanger...
evilone
2011-07-15, 12:33 AM
I completely forgot about those portable on wheels coolers - that would work good with the fans.
The one on your link is 40,000 yen though... Could get a new wall mounted for just a bit more.
Theres got to be cheaper ones than that... Im thinking any electrical store would probably have a few to choose from.
The evaporative cooling units don't do a whole lot in a humid environment. They work better for dry heat situations.