An Air handler is a fan coil unit that provides heating, ventilation, cooling, and air filtration for your home or office. Air handlers are typically found in larger systems but are actually part of many smaller HVAC units.
Parts of an Air Handler
The typical air handler is made up of the following parts:
1. Pan
The pan covers all the components inside the unit.
2. Fan Motor and Blower
The fan motor and blower sucks in fresh outside air through an intake grill and passes it over the evaporator coil. It then blows warm or cooled conditioned indoor air into your home through an exhaust grill.
3. Filter
The filter traps dust particles that are already in your incoming air outside the house.
4. Evaporator coil
The evaporator coil cools the indoor warm air by using a refrigerant (Freon) passing over it, absorbing heat from the indoor air. The warm indoor air is then propelled into the home through a vent.
5. Condenser coil
The condenser coil cools the outdoor Freon gas, which is then condensed into a liquid and passed over the warm indoor evaporator coil. This condenser coil heats the warm indoor air from the ductwork.
6. Condensate drain pan
This catches any condensation that forms on the coils, allowing it to flow out.
7. Intake grill
The intake grill provides a path for outdoor air to the fan motor and blower.
8. Exhaust grill
The exhaust grill allows airflow to leave the unit, carrying indoor air back into the home after being conditioned by the evaporator coil and passed over the condenser coil where heat is removed from it before releasing into the room. A filter is often installed in the exhaust grill to capture any dust particles.
The Ins and Outs of Handling Air
The air handler unit exchanges the indoor and outdoor air. The heating portion of the unit operates much like a radiator in that it takes heat from inside your home, heats the air passing over the heater coils, then outputs warm air into your living spaces. You will often hear an air handler referred to as a “radiator.”
The fan motor is responsible for exchanging the air. The fan motor is typically belt-driven and will create noise while operating.
The outdoor air that passes into your home through the intake grill must be filtered before entering the evaporator coil. If this is not done, you may experience short cycling of your system and reduced efficiency because unfiltered dirt in your incoming air will be passed into the coil with the fresh air, taking away from the heating capacity.
The indoor air exhausted from your home through an exhaust grill should also be filtered before it enters the outside environment. Allowing unfiltered air to leave your home can negatively affect your indoor air quality and increase the load on your air conditioner.
Standard Air Handler or Heat Pump?
An air handler will not typically have a heat pump but may also be capable of heating your home in addition to cooling it during the summer months. When a unit is installed with a heat pump capability, you will find both heating and cooling coils inside the unit. This type of unit is often referred to as a “four-way” air handler. At Clockwork Heating and Air Conditioning, we can provide you with an air handler that best suits your needs.
Other Types of Air Handlers
1. Split System
A split system is a heating or cooling system composed of two separate components, typically outdoor and indoor units. The larger outdoor section of the unit is mounted on the exterior wall of your home or attached to your furnace. This outdoor section contains the condenser coil, fan motor, and compressor(s) that operate much like a central air conditioner or heat pump. The smaller indoor section of the unit is typically mounted on your furnace, consisting of an evaporator coil and a blower/fan combination.
2. Multiple-Split Systems
As the name implies, this type of system is so named because you will find multiple split-type outdoor condenser units connected to one or more indoor evaporator coils/blower units. This type of system is typically used in large commercial applications where individual zoning is desired.
3. Central System
A central air conditioning unit receives cold air from one or more outdoor units through a pair of refrigerant lines. It transfers the cooled air to multiple indoor evaporator coils/blower units located in your living areas.
Contact Us Today
If you are in Athens, you can trust Clockwork Heating and Air Conditioning for your heating and air conditioning repair installation, and maintenance services. For more information about your present system or an air handler, contact Clockwork Heating and Air Conditioning today!
