Refurbish or Replace? How AHU Maintenance Saves You Money

Although they are rarely seen and often ignored, air handling units (AHUs) are the life source of your facilities.  After all, what could be more important than the AHU which circulates air through the ductwork to provide heating, cooling, and ventilation throughout the building?

Read More – Why Commercial HVAC and Air Duct Cleaning is a Great Investment

Air Handling Unit Deterioration and Repair

These complex units consist of many different parts working in conjunction so it’s important each component is in good condition and running smoothly. But even well-maintained AHUs deteriorate over time. When a unit begins to run down, it no longer performs efficiently or it malfunctions altogether. Leakages, dirty coils, and failing components lead to high energy consumption and compromised air quality. Corroded units actually spew contaminants into your work areas. Bad news.

The good news is that proper reconditioning can get the AHU to function as it should without much interference to the workplace and for far less money than purchasing a new unit.

On average, AHUs can be refurbished for about 25 to 35% of the investment to replace it with new equipment. When done properly, reconditioning can add 15-plus years of life to your existing equipment.  

Before/after views of the floor, one of the many components refurbished on this AHU.

AHU Maintenance Checklist

Some of the processes in reconditioning an AHU are to:

• Clean heating and cooling coils and blower
• Repair/refurbish/paint interior surfaces of all components (louvers, dampers, fan blades, etc.) and drain pans, including coatings for deteriorated fiberglass and rusted metal surfaces
• Remove and replace insulation
• Apply antimicrobial coatings
• Clean heating and cooling coils and blower
• Replace filters

How AHU Maintenance from Service-Tech Saves You Money

Service-Tech recently refurbished an AHU at the 40,000-square-foot call center of an insurance company in Tampa, Florida. The unit was emitting black particulates into the building. (During the cooler months, when the humidity is not as high, the microbial growth in the AHU tends to dry out and flake off during normal operation.)

In refurbishing the unit, STC technicians cleaned the coils, fan housing, and fan blades. Using a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air-filter) vacuum, they carefully cleaned the fiberglass liner and coated the fiberglass with a sealant, then reconditioned the drain pan.

This reconditioning project proved to be an excellent investment. The customer invested only about one-third of what it would have cost to replace the unit while extending its life five to 10 years.

Reconditioning an aging AHU may be your best option too.