The need for an HVAC system in South Florida goes without saying. While the area has an annual temperature of 82°F its humidity causes the air to feel much hotter. This makes it important to have an air system and air handler that is working at top capacity at all times.

One of the most important parts of your central AC split system is the air handler. Often people are confused about air conditioners believing the whole unit is locate out doors and may not understand the role of the air handler.

Air Handler

The air handler unit is the indoor part of a central HVAC system. With both cooling and heating capability, the air handler is arguably the most important part of a central AC system. Ordinarily located in a building’s interior and may be installed out of the way in a small purpose built closet niche.

Air handlers come in a variety of sizes and flow ratings and are an essential part of a central ac system. Air handlers draw in air from within the home and the air is pulled through coils that contain a liquid coolant. As the air flows over the coils, heat is absorbed into the coils and the air gets cooled. The cool air continues on being pushed by the blower into the building’s air duct system. Air handlers also contain filtration to remove particles from the air as it gets cooled. The level of filtration will depend on what sized and types of air filters will fit into the air handler. Some filters can filter out dust and pollen including very small particles even as small as bacteria and other unwanted particles. The filters are essential in HVAC units and allow the unit to perform countless hours without interruption by helping to keep dust from clogging up the vents that surround the coil.

Air handlers also may contain a heater that can be turned on should a heat pump system require additional heat to warm a home, but in the case of Florida, the heaters are rarely needed. In fact most heaters collect quite a bit of dust over the long summer and warm months and that dust may actually smoke and set off the smoke alarms should enough of it build up.

Air Conditioner

The other half of a HVAC system is the out door unit, which most people call the air conditioner (though actually the entire system is the the ‘air conditioner’).

It is the outdoor unit’s job to release all the heat it has absorbed from within the air handler. The coolant from the air handler is pumped into yet more coils that are in the outdoor unit. As in the air handler the coils are encased within vents. The vents increase surface area and aid in heat transfer. At the top of the outdoor unit the large fan forces air through the coils, and in doing so the air absorbs the heat that at coolant has absorbed and removes it from the coolant. The coolant, not cooled is returned inside the home to the air handler to once again absorb more heat and carry it along the cycle.

The outdoor unit usually has five major mechanical parts. These are: a compressor, fan, condenser coil (hot), evaporator coil (cool) and a chemical refrigerant. The hot side is located outside the building and the cold side is located inside. When these parts work correctly the building’s occupants can enjoy an even temperature regardless of the heat or cold outside.

These units are available from a wide variety of manufactures and capacities offering many different features including less noise, energy consumption, longevity, air flow, even more advanced coolants.

In addition to cooling a home, air conditioners perform a function just as vital but not often though of – dehumidifying. When the air in your home is cooled water vapor from cooking, showering and other sources will condense and be drained away. Without this dehumidifying action mold would become a much greater issue in most areas, especially in Florida where we normal have a very high humidity to begin with.

Other Kinds Of Air Conditioning Systems Include The Ductless Mini-Split System and The Terminal Air Conditioner

Split System

A mini-split system HVAC is a ductless unit and contains two parts. A compressor is installed outside, piped through the wall to connect with an inside unit. This makes it possible to cool only one room if desired.

This type HVAC is cost effective and is easier to install than a regular system that requires major installation work such as ducts. All connections are done with electrical wiring and tubing.

There are both mini-split and multi-split arrangements both of which have a thermostat for temperature control. The mini unit consists of an outdoor condenser and a single indoor fan coil. Several of these units can be installed and used to cool an entire building.

A multi unit consists of one condensing unit connected to several air units. When the thermostat is activated all units react simultaneously. While these systems are highly effective, they are not recommended in rooms that do not have the same cooling load.

Ductless split units offer a huge savings on labor and installation cost. In addition, they are small, quiet and powerful and can be modified to fit a wide variety of applications. They have become very popular in recent years with architectural design.

Terminals

Terminals are small units which consist of a coil, air filer and blower, if you have ever stayed in a hotel you likely have seen a terminal air conditioner. While not very efficient, and not a good fit for a home, terminal air conditioners are more simple, and are not a bad option when you only need to cool a small space and do not want to deal with installing air ducts.

When if you need a new unit we, offer high quality products including the complete line of HVAC equipment from Bryant. We also have an emergency service and can have someone at your location in a matter of minutes when your current unit quits working.

At Mahle Cool Air & Heating we offer new HVAC units and heat pumps as well as a “lease to own” program. Regardless of the type of unit you choose, it is essential that it be installed properly if it is to be effective.

We offer 28 years of experience in HVAC installation and repair work in South Florida. All of our technicians are NATE Certified and we offer 100% guarantee on all of our work. We also offer emergency service and reasonable pricing.

Give us a call today at 941-584-6300 and let us help you with your HVAC problems.