There are two types of air handlers: single speed and variable speed. A variable speed air handler operates similarly to a standard air handler except that it has a variable speed blower. This additional feature allows the air handler to heat or cool your home or business with a varying air flow, rather than a constant strong on or off air flow.

The fan motor inside a variable speed unit is able to run at a wide range of speeds to precisely heat or cool the air. This makes variable speed air handlers much more energy efficient because they typically run at a much lower speed than a single speed air handler that simply has an “On” and “Off” mode. On at 100% and off at 0%. No in-betweens. The other nice thing about a variable speed blower is that it gradually ramps up into a high speed. Unlike the single speed blowers that simply blast on, a variable speed air handler’s transition is often so smooth that it can be difficult to even tell when the unit turns on.

There are numerous advantages to using a variable speed air handler:

  1. They make living and working spaces more comfortable by reducing uneven space/room temperatures
  2. They are more quiet since they often run at a low speed
  3. They can save you money on your electric bill, by once again, often running at lower speeds and simply increasing air conditioning efficiency
  4. They are very good at removing humidity
  5. They allow for higher efficiency filtration systems