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Though the weather outside may be unpredictable with frigid winters and sweltering summers, you can almost always count on a consistently pleasant temperature when you step inside. There may be minor fluctuations in a commercial building’s temperature, but chances are they don’t even compare to the changes happening outside.

This reliability is likely due to a building’s HVAC system, working tirelessly to maintain clean and temperate air. A major component of this HVAC system is the Air Handler Unit, which we will examine in more detail to understand exactly why it’s key to an effective commercial ventilation system.

What is an Air Handler Unit?

An Air Handler Unit, or AHU, is an essential component of a commercial heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. It is used to regulate and circulate air that enters from outside a building, in order to heat, cool, and filter as needed. Each time a door is opened or people enter a room, new air is introduced to the indoors that must be managed and maintained. This is done by an air handler. Air handlers can take many forms and vary in size, complexity, and capabilities depending on the area it serves.

How does it work?

An AHU is made up of 3 main components that are all interconnected:

Air filter
Blower
Coils

These three simple pieces comprise the entire air handler unit, and work in unison to monitor air quality. An air handler is often compared to the lungs of a human being, working to take air in, alter its composition, and release it back into space. Here’s how it works: The air filter works to sort particles out of the air. The blower then takes this clarified air and passes it along the coils. Finally, the coils either heat or cool the air depending on the buildings’ needs.

What are the benefits?

Since Air Handler Units have large size and capability variations, they can be used either for a single space or an entire building. When utilized for a commercial-sized building, they are often placed either in the basement or on the roof. From here, the air handler unit can be assigned to certain areas of a building to provide heating or cooling as needed. For example, one AHU can be directed towards Floors 1-5, while another could be directed towards the right side of the building specifically. This process allows for one centralized unit to provide necessary air circulation services for a specified space.

Looking for an alternative to an AHU replacement?

We offer a unique solution to save you time and money. Click here to learn more!

If your commercial building is in need of a new Air Handler Unit, we’re here to help. Many churches, schools, daycares and community-based organizations qualify for a no-cost site inspection. Get in touch today! 703.891.4600.

Sometimes, we have a client that wants to get the most out of their HVAC system. Our client in Alexandria, Virginia had a sophisticated system that was built to handle lot of bells and whistles, like zone controls, humidity, and airflow. The problem was, there were no bells and whistles. Read on to see how we helped our client have the highest level of control over the comfort in their space.

When you need more control….

We often come across clients that want the highest level of control over their buildings’ environment. With a fully equipped HVAC system, airflow, temperature, humidity, and other factors react appropriately to the outside environment. In the case of this client, they had a system that was capable enough, but it just needed the right components. It was as if their system had a brain, but no arms or legs.

And you don’t want to sacrifice efficiency…

Part of giving our client more control over their environment was installing a variable frequency drive (VFD). For most systems, when a motor comes on, it’s just on. In the case of a VFD, the motor ramps up and down slowly and the speed of the motor modulates based on outside conditions. As you can imagine, this helps your building stay comfortable even when day-to-day weather is unpredictable. Additionally, VFD dramatically increases efficiency, since you’re not overworking or underworking the motor.

Choose a firm with expertise and a consultative approach.

The truth is that this wasn’t our first job with this particular client. It started with a system failure where we successfully helped them both deal with the most urgent replacement as well as plan for future replacements. We had built a great relationship with our client through our consultative approach. When they asked for our help with their system controls, we recommended that they enlist the help of an MEP so that they could get a full picture of what could be done with their system. Based on that, we prioritized and priced each of the recommendations so that our client could start with the first few.

Regardless of whether you’re adding complex controls to your system, or replacing a vital piece of equipment that’s at the end of its lifespan, our goal is simple: we want to keep your environment comfortable and give you the peace of mind that your system is reliable. We work in partnership with our clients to make sure that recommendations fall in line with their needs, and their budget.

To learn more, or to find out if you qualify for a no-cost site inspection, give us a call at 703.891.4600 or contact us today.