An air handler generally contains the following components:
- Blower motor. This motor pushes air through your ductwork, allowing it to circulate throughout your house. ...
- Plenum connectors. Plenum connectors are boxes that connect your supply and return ducts to your air handler. ...
- Air filter. When unconditioned air is brought into the air handler, it passes through a filter. ...
- Evaporator coil. ...
- Electric heat strips. ...
Is an air handler the same as an air conditioner?
The air handler contains a blower motor, that moves conditioned air into the home. It also contains an indoor coil that aids in the cooling process. Air handlers can be used with air conditioners or heat pumps to keep homes cool. To create an efficient, high performing cooling system, the air handler and air conditioner should be matched.
What does the air handler do for my HVAC system?
The air handler has an important role to play in the function of your air conditioning equipment. It is tasked with circulating conditioned air throughout your home. Air handlers make your system more energy efficient and provide higher quality air. As a result, your outdoor unit doesn’t have to work as hard.
How much does replacing an air handler cost?
Your current system can limit your options at times. If you’d like to install a variable-speed air conditioner, you may need to replace your furnace or air handler as well in some cases. Replacing a furnace or air handler typically costs anywhere from $3,300-$7,025.
Can you put an air handler in the attic?
The argument that there may be some physical advantages to putting the air handler in the attic as opposed to taking up living space may be valid, nonetheless, one must understand that cooling systems have fixed limits of cooling capability.
What is the difference between an air conditioner and an air handler?
Air handlers are designed to move air around. That's all that they do. They don't heat up or cool down, they move air. Air conditioners, on the other hand, exist only to cool air by removing heat from the outdoor air.
How does an air handler system work?
The ac air handler is the part of an air conditioning system that circulates air through the home. The ac air handler pulls air it in through the intake vents. The air then passes over the cooling elements. The ac air handler then blows the air out through the ducts and distributes it throughout the home.
Where is the air handler on AC unit?
A split system always has an outside component and an inside component. The air handler is always the inside component. It holds the fan that moves air around, and the evaporator coil that works in conjunction with the outside condenser to do the actual cooling.
What is the difference between an air handler and a furnace?
The Key Difference Between Furnaces and Air Handlers The most crucial difference between a furnace and an air handler is a furnace actually produces its own heat for channeling while an air handler doesn't create heat (though some models do provide auxiliary heat).
How much is an air handler cost?
An air handler costs $500 to $3,500, with most homeowners paying $700 to $1,500. This does not include installation, which averages $1,500 and ranges $200 to $2,100. Air handlers connect to an air conditioner or heat pump to provide cooled or heated air for an indoor space.
Do I need an air handler with a furnace?
If you are in the market for a new HVAC system, and you are considering a conventional gas furnace and air conditioner, you most likely will not need an air handler. On the other hand, if you are considering an electric heat pump, an air handler will probably be part of your purchase.
Is the air handler inside or outside?
The air handler is the component that circulates air inside your home. It's typically found indoors, either in a closet or attic. An air handler's basic components are an air filter, a blower and a coil. The internal blower moves air through the evaporator coil and transfers it throughout the building via ductwork.
What does an AC air handler look like?
0:053:41Standard Air Handlers - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMuch like a furnace. Would here's a picture of one in a horizontal. Application up in an attic theyMoreMuch like a furnace. Would here's a picture of one in a horizontal. Application up in an attic they can also be installed in a crawlspace or vertically in a closet or basement.
Is there a filter in the air handler?
Air filters are an important component of forced air HVAC systems. Filters are installed on the return side of the HVAC air handler to clean the air to protect the HVAC motor and to improve indoor air quality. Filters should also be installed in fresh air intakes to clean outside air that is brought into the home.
Does an air handler heat and cool?
Surprisingly, an air handler itself doesn't heat or cool the air at all. Instead, it blows indoor air across an internal heat exchanger or coil to add or remove heat from the air.
Is air handler a heat pump?
Depending on the design of your home, an air handler may be a principal indoor component of your heat pump system. When properly matched with the capacity and SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) of your heat pump, the air handler is designed to efficiently circulate conditioned air through your home's duct work.
Why is my air handler in the attic?
One of the advantages of an attic AC handler installation is that it makes it easier to cool the higher levels of the home, if you have a multi-story home. Without a handler in the attic, circulating air to higher levels can be more challenging.
Is an air handler the same as a heat pump?
Air handler vs Heat Pump Heat pumps are used to control your comfort by transferring heat, rather than producing it, and the air handler assists in moving all that heated or cooled air.
Why is my air handler in the attic?
One of the advantages of an attic AC handler installation is that it makes it easier to cool the higher levels of the home, if you have a multi-story home. Without a handler in the attic, circulating air to higher levels can be more challenging.
Is an air handler a heat pump?
An air handler, or air handling unit, is the indoor part of an air-conditioning or heat pump system. Air handlers work much like furnaces in that they efficiently move air throughout the home. The main difference is that the air handlers only circulate heat when paired with a heat pump.
Is there a filter in the air handler?
Air filters are an important component of forced air HVAC systems. Filters are installed on the return side of the HVAC air handler to clean the air to protect the HVAC motor and to improve indoor air quality. Filters should also be installed in fresh air intakes to clean outside air that is brought into the home.
How does an air handler work?
What Are Air Handlers And How Do They Work? An air handler is a device used to circulate and regulate indoor air as part of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. The air handler has an important role to play in the function of your air conditioning equipment.
Why is an air handler important?
The air handler has an important role to play in the function of your air conditioning equipment. It is tasked with circulating conditioned air throughout your home. Air handlers make your system more energy efficient and provide higher quality air. As a result, your outdoor unit doesn’t have to work as hard.
What is the difference between an air conditioner and an air handler?
What are the differences between an air conditioner and an air handler? Air handlers are an important part of your overall HVAC system, but they are not the complete air conditioning system. An air handler is responsible for housing the equipment necessary to move air through your home or business. In most cases, it is located inside ...
How does a portable water handler work?
Our portable chilled water air handlers operate by cooling water down to around 40 to 45 degrees F. This chilled water is then moved through the building via pipes that are connected to air handlers. This system allows for greater flexibility, because the water pipes operate like evaporator coils in a standard HVAC system.
What is a small air handler called?
Small air handlers are called terminal units. They often come with just an air filter, coil, and blower. Larger air handlers capable of conditioning 100% outside air, and containing no re-circulated air, are known as makeup air units. Units made for the outdoors are called packaged units or rooftop units. Air handlers generally come in ...
Where are air handlers located?
While condensing units are typically located outside of the home or building, air handlers are generally housed inside. Air handlers blow air through the evaporator coil and then transfer it all throughout the building. They rely on a system of ductwork that ensures every room is equally cooled off, or heated up.
What is an air conditioning coil?
It includes the indoor coil, which depending on the setting your system is running on, is used for both heating and cooling. Air conditioning units include the condenser and are usually kept outside of your home or business. Air conditioners actively pull heat out of the building through a variety of components configured together, ...
What is an Air Handler?
Simply put, air handlers are devices used to create conditioned air, and move that air throughout a space. Air handlers come in many shapes and sizes, but commonly take the form of a fan, filter, and coil enclosed in a large metal box. They are used to condition the air inside of a space.
How does a hydronic air handler work?
Hydronic air handling units have water that flows through the coil. The water can either be hot or cold depending on if the air handler is heating or cooling a space. As the water flows through the coil, the coil changes temperature. The fan blows air over the coil, and the air is heated or cooled by the coil.
How does a direct heat exchanger work?
Direct heat exchangers work by exchanging heat directly with the combusted gas or refrigerant working fluid. Electric heaters are also considered direct heat exchangers.
Why do you put a filter on before a fan?
This is to ensure that the air is cleaned before interacting with any other components in the air handler , such as the blower or heat exchanger.
What is the purpose of an air handler fan?
The purpose of the fan is to move air through the air handler. For this reason, the fan is often seen as the “heart” of the air handler, with terms such as “air handler” and “air handler fan” used interchangeably. The air handler fan is also commonly referred to as a “blower”. Most air handler fans are centrifugal fans.
Why is an air filter important?
Improves the air quality inside your home. The air filter removes particles from the air that goes into your home, providing better air quality in your space.
What happens when air passes through a filter?
Next, the air passes over a filter. As the air passes through the filter, particles get trapped in the filter and are removed from the air stream. Filtration is one of the key aspects of an air handler, because the cleaning the air does two things:
How does an air handler work?
In coordination with your HVAC system’s ductwork, the air handler simultaneously creates a recurring cycle, delivering air out to your indoor spaces through supply vents and drawing air in through the return vents . Even if your air handler is properly sized with your outdoor heat pump, a licensed professional HVAC dealer should ensure that the air supply and movement through the air handler are balanced.
What is an air handler?
Your air handler assists in regulating the circulation of indoor air and the temperature of the air in your home that you have set on your thermostat or control system. Your air handler consists of an evaporator coil, blower motor, air filter and the electrical and electronic components required to deliver enhanced levels of indoor comfort.
What is a blower motor?
Blower Motor: The blower moves the air to the connected ductwork to circulate it into your indoor spaces. The blower motor may be a single speed, multi-speed or variable speed model. Single-speed: Operates at one, fixed speed. These motors are cycled on and off, as required by a thermostat or control system. 2.
How does a conditioned air coil work?
When your home requires warm indoor air, the coil is warm and transfers heat to the air that passes over it. This makes the conditioned air feel warmer throughout your home. Blower Motor: The blower moves the air to the connected ductwork to circulate it into your indoor spaces.
Why is it important to install HVAC?
An inadequate amount of air flow in the supply vents, return vents or ductwork may reduce the HVAC system’s balance which can potentially cheat you out of your equipment’s efficiency and sacrifice your indoor comfort. This is one of the many reasons why proper installation by a licensed professional HVAC dealer matters to your HVAC equipment’s longevity, energy costs, and indoor comfort.
What is an air handler heat pump?
Depending on the design of your home, an air handler may be a principal indoor component of your heat pump system. When properly matched with the capacity and SEER ( Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) of your heat pump, the air handler is designed to efficiently circulate conditioned air through your home’s duct work. Depending on the season, the circulated air is either cool or hot. According to the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), mismatched systems are at least 30 percent less efficient than matched systems. 1 Homeowners should keep this efficiency loss in mind when they are considering replacing only the outdoor unit portion of their split system.
What is the purpose of air filter in a heat pump?
The filter is intended to minimize the number of particulates circulated throughout your home, accumulate in the duct work, and land on the indoor components of your heat pump system.
What is an AC air handler?
The ac air handler is the part of an air conditioning system that circulates air through the home. The ac air handler pulls air it in through the intake vents. The air then passes over the cooling elements. The ac air handler then blows the air out through the ducts and distributes it throughout the home. The ac air handler is often located inside ...
How is refrigerant pumped into the air handler?
To do so, refrigerant is pumped from the outside condenser unit into the air handler as a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. Inside the air handler, the expansion valve converts the refrigerant into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. This cold gas is then pumped into the evaporator coils.
How many air handlers are there in a 2 story house?
Two story houses often have two air handlers, on per level. The main component of an ac air handler is the blower fan. This fan runs at a high enough speed to move air throughout the home. To protect the blower fan and other components in the ac air handler, a filter is placed at some point between the intake vent and the fan.
Why does condensation build up on evaporator coils?
Because of the temperature change, condensation often builds up on the evaporator coils. Most evaporates, and any excess condensation is pumped into the condensate drain line to protect the air handler from damage. In many Florida homes, the ac air handler will also contain a heating element.
What is Central Air?
A typical air conditioning system , often referred to as “central air” or “split-system air conditioning”, normally includes the following:
How does a fan work in a refrigerant coil?
A fan blows indoor air across the cold evaporator coil where the heat inside the home is absorbed into the refrigerant. The cooled air is then circulated throughout the home while the heated evaporated gas is sent back outside to the compressor.
How does an evaporator coil work?
As the liquid refrigerant inside the evaporator coil converts to gas, heat from the indoor air is absorbed into the refrigerant, thus cooling the air as it passes over the coil. The indoor unit’s blower fan then pumps the chilled air back through the home’s ductwork out into the various living areas.
What happens to refrigerant outside?
Outside the home (sometimes referred to as the “hot side” of the system), the refrigerant gas is compressed before entering a large coil in the outdoor unit. Heat is released outside as the refrigerant turns back to a liquid and a large fan pulls outdoor air through the outdoor coil rejecting the heat absorbed from the house.
What regulates the amount of refrigerant going into the evaporator coil?
an expansion valve the regulates the amount of refrigerant going into the evaporator coil
What is the chemical used in an air conditioner?
A standard air conditioner or cooling system uses a specialized chemical called refrigerant , and has three main mechanical components: a compressor, a condenser coil and an evaporator coil.
What is split system air?
Split-system offer the most common answer to the question, “what is central air ?” These systems include both an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit, typically a furnace or a fan coil, includes the evaporator coil and blower fan (air handler) that circulates air throughout the home. The outdoor unit holds the compressor and the condenser coil.
