Air Handlers

Lennox Air Handlers Lennox Heat Pumps Lennox Air Conditioners Lennox Air Quality Products

An Air Handler is very much like an electric furnace and is used to distribute air throughout a home or building. Air Handlers, in Ottawa are most commonly with a heat pump but can also be used with an Air Conditioning system.

When used with a Heat Pump, the primary benefit of an Air Handler is the integrated indoor coil which is designed to capture the heat from the Heat Pump first, meaning that the Heat Pump acts as the primary heat source and the electric elements act only as a supplementary heat source, and only as required. Air Handlers are also available with hot water coils in place of the electric elements. Hot water from a boiler is pumped through the coil and the heat tranfered to the air in order to heat the home. These "Hybrid Heating Systems" are more common than ever, taking atvantage of the efficiency of hot water heating, but retaining the benefit of forced air systems.

Air Handlers is can be installed installed on either the rooftop in commercial HVAC systems, but are more commonly located in indoor mechanical room in residential applications, just as a furnace would be.

When choosing Air Handlers, it's critical to match the unit to the outdoor Heat Pump or Air Conditioning unit. Some Heat Pumps or Air Conditioners are designed to only work with specific indoor Air Handler components, while others are more versatile. These matches can have a significant impact on energy efficiency ratings, noise levels and control systems for each type of air handler.

The size of an Air Handler is also a major issue when making a purchase. It is important to choose a unit with the appropriate Heaing and Cooling capacity for the space or building. As with furnaces and Air Conditioners, an improperly sized Air Handler will not perform properly to provide the comfort levels or efficiencies desired.

As with most heating and cooling components, an air handler must be properly maintained to function at peak performance. As with furnaces, maintenance includes cleaning or replacing the filter regularly, but an annual check of the overall system is also advised.

As with any HVAC system, installation should be performed and the system programmed by a skilled technican to maximize performance and reduce the risk of operational issues.

To learn more about Air Handlers, Contact Climate Works Today!