Q: I am renting a small, old home without central air conditioning. I have a window air conditioner, and the past few years I’ve awkwardly filled in the space around it with a large piece of plywood.

Window AC units are generally more affordable and can be installed by two people in two hours. DIY-ing the job saves you an installation bill of $140 to $500, depending on the type of unit. You can ...

We got our hands on multiple units and looked for models that are quiet, energy-efficient, and easy to install.