Central Air Conditioning Systems: Why Should They Have Platforms?

Imagine a central air conditioner system, with its squat air handling unit. The coils and fan are stored inside this large housing. Add a steel-reinforced platform to the housing. This is an artificial floor of sorts. The good-sized equipment package looks pretty cool at this point, no pun intended. That being said, why does the AHU (Air Handling Unit) housing need its own raised dais?

Taking Control Of The Equipment Environment

It might snow or rain, so that’s one obvious reason why an installer would take the time and trouble to add a platform to a central air conditioning system. This is expensive gear, and it processes a lot of chemical and electrical energies. Stuck on the ground, those energies would be hindered by a half metre of snow or floodwater. Worse still, the moisture could short out the mains power. Of even more concern, that moisture will work its way into the equipment innards until it makes contact with the air conditioner coils. Rust, airflow restrictions, chemical leakages, all such problems become looming threats when a central AC system housing lacks a ground-isolating platform.

A Man-Made Vibration Mitigation Solution

Fortunately, central AC systems are weatherproof. Even so, they shouldn’t be installed on a ground site that’s prone to flooding. Next on the equipment protecting timetable, how about a vibration minimizing mechanism? The steel frame and wooden slats are supporting the heavy equipment housing and its fan. The coils are similarly cradled, so they’ll process their chemical loads. If there’s a problem with how the refrigerant flows, an adjustment to the fastener nuts and bolts can quickly restore equipment flushness. The condensate drain pan is also levelled as the platform moves fractionally upward or downward on one side. A spirit level makes sure the platform is level. Finally, between the platform and the AHU base, a series of vibration-dampening rubber pads stops the box from issuing noise. Inside the housing, the equipment stops aging so fast. The big fan mounted inside the unit is generating lots of noise, as is the compressor assembly, so this vibration absorbing feature really is essential.

Installation engineers often opt for strengthened platforms when they’re installing central air conditioner units. Outside a building, the elevated bases provide protection from the elements. Moreover, they perform crucial system management functions, including that vibration mitigation feature. Even inside, within large plant rooms, central AC systems use special mezzanine levels. It’s a layout that reduces the amount of floor space the equipment would ordinarily occupy, plus it functions as a way of chemically isolating the apparatus fluids.

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