How many decibels is a window air conditioner?
A window air conditioner's published noise level depends on the fan speed: the Frigidaire Gallery inverter goes from 40 dBA at its slowest fan to 46 at the middle speed and 50 at the fastest.
Every fan speed
Frigidaire lists low, medium and high on its spec sheets: 40, 46 and 50 dBA for the Gallery inverter. LG lists high, medium, low and sleep for its inverter models: 54, 50, 46 and 44 dBA for the 8,000 BTU unit. GE lists high fan, low fan and, on its ClearView saddle models, Quiet Mode.
Soleus Air publishes an indoor range and an outdoor range for its saddle unit, 38 to 49 dB(A) inside and 51 to 63 outside, without saying which speed each end describes.
Midea says as low as 32 dBA. Windmill says starts at 42 dB. Danby says as low as 42dB. TCL says as low as 42dB on Quiet mode. Friedrich says as low as 42 dB in cooling mode for the whole series.
Where makers explain an "as low as" figure, it is the lowest mode. LG's footnote reads "When in sleep mode." On the units that publish every speed, the high setting is 10 to 14 dBA above the lowest figure on the same sheet. So a single low number says nothing about a hot afternoon.
Two more details. Some makers write dBA and some write plain dB, and we print each exactly as written. And Frigidaire's own product page says 41 dBA while its spec sheet says 40 on low. We rank on the spec sheet.
Is an inverter window air conditioner quieter?
Yes, on the makers' own sheets: Frigidaire's 8,000 BTU Gallery inverter lists 50 dBA on high, below the 53.5 its conventional FHWC083TC1 lists on low.
The strongest evidence comes from makers comparing their own models.
Frigidaire, both 8,000 BTU
The Gallery inverter lists 40, 46 and 50 dBA. The conventional FHWC083TC1 lists 53.5, 55.5 and 59. The inverter on high is quieter than the conventional unit on low.
LG, both 8,000 BTU
The inverter lists 54 on high and 46 on low. The conventional LW8024R lists 58 on high and 52 on low.
Windmill
Its technical specs list the inverter WhisperTech at "starts at 42 dB" and its fixed-speed Original models at 49 and 50.
ENERGY STAR says the same in words. Most certified room air conditioners include variable speed technology that, in its phrase, "quietly keeps you cool". A conventional compressor works like an on and off switch. A variable speed compressor adjusts its speed to hold the temperature.
Frigidaire also claims its Gallery is "17x quieter", footnoted as compared to the FHWC083TC1. It does not say how that figure was calculated, so we give you the two spec sheets instead. Midea, Danby and Windmill make similar multiplier claims with no baseline named at all.
Why can U-shaped and saddle window units be quieter?
U-shaped and saddle window units can be quieter because, in most cases, the compressor that makes the noise ends up outdoors, and ENERGY STAR says these designs "provide greater noise reduction".
A standard window unit sits in the window with its whole body inside the frame. A U-shaped unit, like the Midea U, straddles the sash. A saddle unit, like the GE Profile ClearView, hangs over the sill. Both let you open and close the window with the unit installed.
Midea prints the same as low as 32 dBA line for every U-shaped model it sells, and every one of them appears on our Midea air conditioner decibels page, with the warranty and price that separate the versions.
ENERGY STAR explains why they can be quieter: in most cases the control panel and vent sit inside the room, while the noise-producing compressor is located outside. It gives no figure.
Our guide to the quietest U-shaped and saddle window air conditioners checked the makers' sheets for one, and found that Frigidaire lists its U-shape Gallery at the same 40, 46 and 50 dBA as its standard-shaped Gallery.
The design is not a guarantee on its own. GE's non-inverter ClearView lists 53 dBA on high fan, above Frigidaire's standard-shaped inverter at 50. We would look for a U-shaped or saddle body with an inverter inside, and the Midea U and GE Profile PHNT10CC are both.
They are also heavy: the GE saddle units weigh 70 to 80 pounds and need a wall of the right thickness.
Some window units heat as well as cool. Our guide to the quietest window heat pumps covers only the ones whose makers call them heat pumps or reverse cycle, rather than units that warm the room with a heater coil, and how cold it can be outside before each one stops heating.
A rooftop RV unit is a different problem again: the compressor sits on the roof, a few feet above the bed. Our guide to the quietest RV air conditioners explains why a figure taken inside the cabin and one taken outside cannot be compared, and finds that most of the big RV brands publish no figure for their US models.
What size quiet window air conditioner does a small room need?
A room of 150 to 250 sq ft needs 6,000 BTU by ENERGY STAR's chart, and a bigger window unit is not quieter: LG's 10,000 BTU inverter lists 58 dBA on high against 54 for its 8,000 BTU.
ENERGY STAR's sizing chart for rooms with an 8-foot ceiling:
- 150 to 250 sq ft: 6,000 BTU
- 250 to 300 sq ft: 7,000 BTU
- 300 to 350 sq ft: 8,000 BTU
- 400 to 450 sq ft: 10,000 BTU
Reduce by 10 percent for a heavily shaded room, add 10 percent for a very sunny one, and add 600 BTU for each person beyond two who regularly uses the room. ENERGY STAR's warning is plain: "bigger is not always better", and an oversized unit costs more, wastes energy and does not cool better.
For noise, the right size matters too. LG's own figures rise with capacity: its 10,000 BTU inverter lists 58 on high where its 8,000 BTU inverter lists 54.
If you are cooling a living room and need 10,000 BTU or more, our guide to window units for a living room compares the medium and high rows within one capacity band at a time.
Does ENERGY STAR rate window air conditioner noise?
No, the ENERGY STAR label covers energy, not noise, and no federal program measures or certifies window unit noise.
We searched the room air conditioner specification and the Department of Energy test procedure for noise, sound, decibel and quiet, and found none of them. ENERGY STAR's consumer page uses the word "quietly", but that is as far as it goes.
No maker in this guide states a measuring distance, a test room or a named standard for its figure either. TCL comes closest, footnoting its figure as an internal test of the indoor side. So when two window brands land a decibel or two apart, count it as a tie, and lean on comparisons inside a single brand's range.
The Gallery's 40 dBA on low and 50 on high sit beside a fridge hum and normal conversation on our decibel chart.
How do you make a window air conditioner quieter?
To make a window air conditioner quieter, install it firmly, tilt it as the manual says, clean the filter and use the low fan or sleep mode at night.
Install it firmly. To keep vibration and noise down, LG's manual tells you to fit the unit securely and firmly. Friedrich footnotes its figures with a reminder that sound levels depend on proper installation.
Tilt it as the manual says
Most units drain toward the outside. LG asks for the back to sit about a quarter inch lower than the front. Midea asks for a quarter bubble outward on a level. Danby asks for a quarter to half an inch. GE's saddle unit is set level on its supports. Follow your model's manual.
Clean the filter. Midea, LG and Hisense say every two weeks. Danby lists a dirty filter as a cause of noise.
Use the low fan or sleep mode at night. Frigidaire, LG and Midea all give the same advice for fan noise: set a lower fan speed. ENERGY STAR adds that on humid days a low fan speed removes more moisture.
Expect some pinging. Water thrown onto the condenser helps cool it, and Frigidaire, LG, GE, Midea and Hisense all describe the sound as normal. Frigidaire and GE say removing the water plug or opening the drain seal reduces it but lowers efficiency. GE and Frigidaire both say never to drill the base pan.
How much does a quiet window air conditioner cost?
A quiet window air conditioner with published figures costs around $180 to $300 for a conventional unit and up to $480 to $570 for the Frigidaire Gallery or a GE Profile saddle unit.
Around $180 to $300 buys a conventional unit with published figures: the LG LW8024R at 58 and 52 dBA, or the GE AWCS06BBA for a small room.
Around $290 to $450 buys an 8,000 BTU inverter: the Windmill WhisperTech at the low end of that range, then the Midea U and the LG LW8022IVSM.
Around $480 to $570 buys the Frigidaire Gallery, with every speed published, or a GE Profile saddle unit.
Several of these were discounted or out of stock on the makers' sites when we checked in September.
Which window AC buying mistakes cost you quiet?
Five window AC buying mistakes cost quiet, starting with comparing one maker's "as low as" figure with another maker's full table of speeds.
Midea's 32 and Frigidaire's 50 describe different speeds.
Buying a bigger unit to cool faster
ENERGY STAR says it will not cool better, and the bigger units list higher figures.
Assuming a saddle unit is quiet at every speed
It depends on the compressor inside.
Believing multiplier claims
"17x quieter" and "12X quieter" come with no published method.
Skipping the manual
Loose brackets, the wrong tilt and a clogged filter are the causes the makers name.
Windmill's 42 dB names no weighting and Midea's 32 dBA names no speed, so neither stands on the same footing as Frigidaire's 40 dBA on low, a mismatch unpacked in comparing decibel ratings.
A unit cooling a bedroom all night has a target to meet, and how quiet is quiet enough gives that one along with the targets for the rest of the house. If a window unit you already own has started to rattle, check the brackets, tilt and filter as above before you read why your appliance got louder.
