Air Handlers 101 in Sterling, VA

As its name suggests, the air handler which is the indoor unit of your HVAC system, is responsible for moving conditioned air inside your home. Below is a brief discussion about air handlers.

What Is an Air Handler?

Air handlers are indoor devices that create conditioned air and distribute it throughout your home. They come in different shapes and sizes but have some shared features, such as a fan and enclosed coils. The main distinction of air handlers from any other HVAC component is that they only condition and clean air.

How They Work

The air handler consists of an air blowing fan, a heat exchanger and an air filter. The air handler fan draws unconditioned air from your indoor space into the heat exchanger. They can also bring in outdoor air to ensure that the air remains fresh and clean instead of recycling it every time.

The air then passes through a filter where airborne contaminant particles get trapped and removed from the air. The removal of particles prevents mechanical problems that could wreak havoc on the air handler. It also improves your indoor air quality.

The air then passes through a heat exchanger coil, where it either gets heated or cooled. The final step is where the conditioned, clean air gets disseminated into your ductwork for distribution throughout your home.

Parts of an Air Handler

The air handler contains several critical parts that require regular maintenance to keep them in top shape. The components directly impact the air handler’s efficiency and level of comfort you receive. The air handler components include the following;

• Coil: Their purpose is to condition air directly or indirectly.
• Fan: Generates high air pressure that moves air through the air handler then pushes it out through the ductwork.
• Air filters: Often changed or cleaned every quarter, the air filters clean air entering the system by removing pollutants such as dust and debris.
• Control valve: This component controls the amount of refrigerant flowing through the coils.
• Air damper: The purpose of these components is to control the amount of air flowing through the air handler.

It’s crucial to maintain your air handler to keep it working optimally throughout the year. Contact a trained technician for professional HVAC maintenance services. For more information about maintenance, contact the team at Vernon Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.

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