What size room does the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner cool?

It is rated to cool a room up to 550 sq ft (12,000 BTU · 3.5 kW).

Do I need a professional to install the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner?

Not to replace a unit, but usually yes for a new opening. Sliding it into an existing wall sleeve it fits is a job you can do yourself (it is heavy, so plan on two people), with no refrigerant work. A new installation means cutting an opening through an exterior wall and fitting a sleeve, which is contractor work and usually needs a building permit.

Does the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner heat as well as cool?

Yes. It also heats, rated 10,600 BTU of heating output.

Through-the-wall unit Heats too

Frigidaire · Model FHTE123WA2

12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner

Name: Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner
Brand: Frigidaire

A through-the-wall air conditioner rated at 12,000 BTU for rooms up to 550 sq ft. It heats in winter too and installs in a wall sleeve.

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Will it cool your room?

Room size (assumed)550 sq ft ≈ 51.1 m²

Fits a 51.1 m² room

This unit's cooling matches a 550 sq ft room. Set your room size to check the fit for your space.

At a glance

Best for replacing a through-the-wall unit in an existing wall sleeve.

Cooling

3.5 kW

Size

Average

Noise

58 dB

Audible

Install: Slides into a wall sleevePermission: A new wall opening usually needs a permit

Performance

Cooling capacity: 12,000 BTU · 3.5 kW
Heating capacity: 10,600 BTU
Room coverage: up to 550 sq ft
Energy Star: Not published
CEER: Not published
Annual energy (cooling): Not published

Noise, size & features

Model number: FHTE123WA2
Indoor noise: 58 dB(A)about as loud as a dishwasher
Outdoor noise: Not published
Indoor unit: 24 x 14.5 x 21.5 in
Outdoor unit: None
Refrigerant: R-32
Wi-Fi / app: Not published
Outdoor unit needed: No
Wall sleeve: Not confirmed by the maker
Warranty: 1-Year Limited Labor and Parts Warranty

Will it fit your wall sleeve?

We could not confirm which sleeve sizes it fits from its maker's own documents, so check the installation manual against the inside width and height of your sleeve before you buy.

Every through-the-wall AC and PTAC by the sleeve it fits

What is good

At $629 it undercuts 13 of the 16 other 12,000-14,000 BTU through-the-wall units we list with a live price.
Uses R-32 (GWP 675), the low-GWP class new US residential equipment moved to.

What to watch

At 58 dB(A) it is louder than 20 of the 24 other through-the-wall units we list that publish a noise figure.

Installation & the rules that apply

This is a through-the-wall air conditioner. It sits in a sleeve built into an exterior wall, so the window-unit mounting and bracket rules do not apply to it. Swapping it into an existing sleeve is a like-for-like replacement; cutting a new opening changes the building's exterior wall, which usually needs a building permit and, in a condo, co-op or historic building, approval first.

Installation

Slides into a wall sleeve

Refrigerant

R-32

GeneralRenters: get written landlord consent firstReviewed June 2026Often blocks install

GeneralCondo / HOA: exterior changes need approvalReviewed June 2026Permit required

GeneralHistoric / listed buildings: consent before any exterior unitReviewed June 2026Permit required

MassachusettsMassachusetts: local historic district approval (MGL c.40C)Reviewed June 2026Permit required

United StatesUS: local mechanical and electrical permits (vary by city)Reviewed June 2026Permit required

See full rules by region

Common questions about the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner

How loud is the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner?: 58 dB(A) indoors, about as loud as a dishwasher.
What size room does the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner cool?: It is rated to cool a room up to 550 sq ft (12,000 BTU · 3.5 kW).
Do I need a professional to install the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner?: Not to replace a unit, but usually yes for a new opening. Sliding it into an existing wall sleeve it fits is a job you can do yourself (it is heavy, so plan on two people), with no refrigerant work. A new installation means cutting an opening through an exterior wall and fitting a sleeve, which is contractor work and usually needs a building permit.
Does the Frigidaire 12,000 BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner heat as well as cool?: Yes. It also heats, rated 10,600 BTU of heating output.