Finding the right air conditioning unit for your home is very important. At first, choosing the best AC unit doesn’t seem that complicated, you just want to have more BTU if the home is large. But the truth is that once you hear notions like FCU and AHU air conditioning, then things become a lot more complex. This is where you have to wonder, which is the difference between fan coil and air handling units? Let’s find out right away.
Air Handling Units
The Air Handling Units are devices that handle air. That means the device will cool, heat or transport air. Most of the time, Air Handling Units are large machines that will be a part of the HVAC system. The main focus for such a unit is to take air from the outside, cool it and then blow it inside. It’s a system that works incredibly well, and it can bring in front a very good set of results in the long run.
These are the best air conditioning units because they can handle a lot of air. Some of the recirculate the indoor air, others don’t. The ones that don’t recirculate the indoor air are called makeup air units. You will find Air Handling Units on rooftops, although most of them are on the side of buildings too. These are some of the most popular types of air conditioning units, and that’s the most important aspect you
need to take into consideration.
Fan Coil Units
A Fan Coil Unit is a self-contained unit. This usually has a heating or cooling exchanger and a fan. The fans will be in the same space with the Fan Coil Unit. You can easily control this manually or with a thermostat. Some people like Fan Coil Units because they offer a lot of customization and you don’t need to deal with ductwork. These recirculate the air inside and they don’t take air from the outside. In many cases, the smaller fan coil units are named terminal units because they can be seen hanging at times.
Which is the better option?
Most of the time the air handling units are used outside, while the Fan Coil Units are used inside. The FCU has a single fan, the AHU can have multiple fans and multiple controls for the system based on the situation. That’s because an AHU is a lot more complex, and it can even have reheating and humidifying sections based on the situation.
In the end, it’s all a matter of personal preference. Lots of people use Fan Coil Units because they want to avoid any ductwork in their home. However, the AHU is a lot better because you have more complexity, more features and even reheating and humidifying properties. It’s a great option to keep in mind, and it will bring in front astounding results. As a whole, they are both very good, you just need to pick the option that suits your needs the most.