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u/andraleia

▲ 1 r/AirConditioners

AC Recommendations For Cleanliness / Maintainability & Noise Considerations In A 350-ft. Rental Cottage?

I need to get an AC for a small cottage apartment I moved into on Long Island, NY last fall. Realistically my options are either a window unit or a portable AC.

One of my biggest concerns is cleanliness / maintainability. Every window AC I've ever used was disgusting internally - mold, biofilm, dust buildup, etc. In my last apartment, the AC was built into the wall and impossible to fully remove or properly clean. I disassembled and cleaned everything I reasonably could, used coil cleaners, etc., but black gunk would still reappear instantly & be spit out.  In the end I had to slap a MERV 8 filter on the output and call it a day until I moved out.

While I'm open to window ACs, I really do not want to repeat that experience. I need something I can clean and maintain easily in a humid Long Island climate.

So my first question would be: Are there particular models that are notably better from a maintenance / mold / cleaning standpoint?

Noise matters a lot too. I'm a bassist/musician, and what tends to drive me insane isn't airflow noise so much as low-frequency compressor rumble / resonance that masks bass frequencies in the room.

The maintenance issues also have me considering portable ACs, since many seem easier to fully inspect and clean. But I also know portable units are generally considered significantly worse thermodynamically than window units - even dual-hose models.

I've been researching units like:

  • Midea Duo
  • LG Dual Inverter
  • Whynter inverter dual-hose models

But each seems to have tradeoffs:

  • Midea Duo seems thermodynamically ideal, but I've seen a lot of owner discussion about hidden moisture buildup and difficult deep-cleaning.
  • LG Dual Inverter seems more flexible physically/acoustically, but it's single-hose.
  • Whynter seems promising as a middle ground, but I haven't found as much long-term owner feedback.

A complicating factor: the unit probably cannot sit directly below the window. It'll likely need to sit somewhat off to the side, so hose flexibility/routing matters a lot (meaning the Midea with its bulky hose-in-hose design may not work, for instance).

The apartment itself is only about 350 sq ft:

  • 1 bedroom
  • open kitchen/living room
  • bedroom separated only by an open doorway
  • only actual closing door is the bathroom

Budget-wise, I'm flexible. Cheap is nice, but I'd spend up to ~$600ish if it actually solves these problems and doesn't become impossible-to-clean nightmare fuel after one season.  I'm also not sure how long I'll live here, but I'd like to ideally bring what I buy to the next place if it doesn't have central air (augmenting as necessary for larger spaces).

Given all that:

  • Would you still strongly recommend window units over portable?
  • Are there particular models that are notably better from a maintenance / mold / cleaning standpoint?
  • Are there dual-hose portable models with reasonably flexible hoses for nonstandard placement?
  • Any thoughts specifically regarding low-frequency noise / resonance?
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u/andraleia — 2 days ago
▲ 3 r/WASPs

Yellowjacket Found In House - Is It A Queen? How Concerned Should I Be About Nesting / Overwintering?

I found what appears to be a fairly large yellowjacket inside the cottage I'm renting on Long Island, NY (Smithtown area, near the water) in mid-May 2026, and I'm trying to get a better sense of the situation, it's implications, and how to handle it.

Based on measurements and comparison photos, it seems to be around 3/4" long, with an abdomen roughly 3/16" thick. From my research, it seems likely that this may be a queen yellowjacket, but I'm not certain.

This is an old cottage that I moved into in October of last year, so this is my first spring/summer here. The structure is definitely not sealed well against insects. We've had:

  • lots of spiders year-round (especially sac spiders)
  • many ants now that it's warming up
  • several house centipedes
  • occasional wood roaches, stink bugs, etc.

One thing that concerns me is that the cottage has a drop ceiling made from flimsy material, with an attic space above it that the landlord bars tenants from accessing. She has refused to even share how to get up there; she is afraid of people falling through the floor.

Yesterday I entered the kitchen and heard buzzing above me. We found this wasp flying near the upper wall/ceiling area and got some blurry video, but after leaving briefly to put on more clothing layers, we completely lost track of it despite searching for hours.

Today we found it on the kitchen window screen and trapped it between the screen and the glass. We got much clearer photos/videos. It seemed reluctant to leave even after opening the screen from outside, and the last place we saw it was crawling into the balance cover / sash channel area of the window. It may still be there, or may have flown off.

My concern is this:

If this is a queen yellowjacket, is it likely that it overwintered somewhere inside the structure (attic, wall void, window cavity, etc.)? Or is it more likely that it simply entered from outside while scouting?

I understand one queen does not necessarily mean an active infestation, but I'm trying to understand:

  • how concerning this actually is
  • what signs I should watch for next
  • whether attic/wall inspection is warranted
  • how to reduce the chances of nest establishment
  • whether sealing window channels / gaps is useful

My landlord is currently reluctant to bring in pest control or allow attic investigation with only a single wasp sighting so far – but I'm pushing back against this hard, given my heavy phobia of wasps and the ongoing pest issues.

Any insight in identification, and advice from people familiar with yellowjacket behavior, overwintering, or home exclusion would be greatly appreciated.

u/andraleia — 3 days ago
▲ 4 r/WASPs

Wasp Identification

Found inside in Kings Park, NY today - 5/17/2026

About 1.5" long by my estimate, but I could be very off.

I live in an old cottage that I moved into in October. It is not well sealed.

Notably, there a drop ceiling with some flimsy material and cracks, and spiders / ants / house centipedes are very prevalent, often coming from the ceiling.

There is an attic above the drop ceiling, but entrances seem to have been sealed off when the drop ceiling was installed. We have been told we're not allowed in it.

I have a very large phobia of wasps and bees; my nightmare since moving in has been that the attic has overwintering bees / will have an active nest in the summer, and that we won't be able to get to it.

Some of my attempts to identify leads to the thought that this could be a queen of some kind, which is really taxing those fears.

I wasn't able to get a better video or picture of her. She seems to have disappeared when I went to go put on an extra layer of clothes. I've been searching for hours and can't find her

u/andraleia — 4 days ago