What is an Air Handling Unit (AHU)?

An air handling unit, sometimes called an air handler, is a piece of equipment that is used to condition and circulate air as a component of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. This handler is usually a large metal box that contains a blower, heating and cooling elements, filter chambers, sound attenuators and dampers. The air handler connects to ductwork that in turn, distributes the conditioned (and heated or cooled) air throughout the building before returning it to the AHU. There are some units that discharge and admit air directly to and from the building, without the need for ductwork.

There are three basic types of an air handling unit. When trying to decide on the purchase of custom air products, Houston residents should choose from the following:

• Terminal units: Include only an air filter, coil and blower. Simple terminal units are often called fan coil units or blower coils.
• Makeup air units: Larger air handler that conditions 100% outside air, rather than recirculated air.
• Rooftop units: Air handler designed for outdoor use and are positioned on roofs

What if your building needs a Custom Air Unit?
There are times when your specifications and building design severely limit your standardized HVAC unit choices. Perhaps your current unit is shoehorned into the building’s structure, and replacing it with a different sized unit would mean tearing down walls and increasing the amount of time occupants would have to go without conditioned air. Or, maybe you have just searched and have been unable to find a unit that meets your performance requirements.

For custom air products, Houston customers can confidently turn to Custom Air Products & Services. We are able to create custom products using innovative, modular designs that allow for equipment replacement with minimally invasive processes. CAPS can design and fabricate mulitzone, double duct or standard units that are exactly proportioned to the existing equipment space; and our Registered Professional Engineers work with stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized steel on site in order to manufacture the perfect unit that meets every customer’s exact specifications. Trust our expertise the next time you need to replace your air handling unit with either a standard or custom product.