You might feel nervous about your Window AC during a rainstorm. After all, the whole unit is sticking out your window. Most household appliances would get damaged if you left them out in heavy rain. Luckily, a Window AC is not one of them.
Does rain damage a Window AC?
No, rain does not damage a Window AC. Window ACs are designed to be able to withstand the elements and all of their internal components are water resistant.
Your window AC does have vents on the external component that are designed to push excess heat out into the world. These vents are designed to deflect rainwater falling downward. Nevertheless, they can let some rain into your Window air conditioner.
But this isn’t a major issue provided your Window AC drains properly. You should have mounted your Window AC so that it tilts very slightly downwards. This encourages excess water to drain out your Window AC and down onto the street.
The only way that a serious amount of water is going to build up in your Window AC is if the drainage holes are clogged. This could cause problems if you leave your Window AC flooded for long periods of time. Luckily, it’s a very simple problem to solve.
Unclog the drainage holes with a pipe cleaner (yes, the kind used for arts and crafts), and the water will drain right out.
Mark is a journalist who has written about home products for two years. He holds a masters degree with distinction from the London School of Economics and an undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh.