You don’t have to be an expert to know the basics of how your heating and cooling system work, and just a little bit of knowledge can go a long way toward getting better performance from your systems. Understanding how an air handler functions is a good first step to getting a handle on how your entire system works.
The name “air handler” is apt: It’s basically a piece of equipment that handles the air movement within your heating and cooling system. Air handlers are usually part of either the furnace or heat pump. They are a critical component to the heating and cooling process because they blow air over the coils or heating component. Once the furnace or A/C conditions the air, it moves through the ductwork.
In order to heat and cool your home efficiently and comfortable, the handler must be matched to the size of your HVAC system. The A/C system’s compressor is the unit that sits outside your home. If its capacity is a 4-ton design, then your air handler should be able to handle that much air capacity. So, at minimum, the handler should be a 4-ton system. Problems such as coil freezing occur with undersized systems.
Oversized systems are less problematic. If you’re planning to replace the various components of your entire HVAC system, and you start with the handler, you can oversize it just a bit by one ton. The critical point to consider here, however, is your ductwork. If it can’t accommodate a larger flow of air, it’s not worth it, as larger systems often cost more. In this case, a skilled HVAC contractor and installer can work with the efficiency and settings of the handler and the compressor to get even better results.
Understanding how your HVAC systems work is critical to getting the performance from them that make your home comfortable and energy efficient. Let the experts at Jon Wayne help you select an air handler that will get you maximum performance for your energy dollars.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air handlers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Jon Wayne Heating and Air Conditioning services San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Seguin, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Boerne, and Comal County. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.
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