How does rooftop ac work

Commercial buildings with flat roofs have ample space atop the structure for installation of HVAC equipment. On the roof, HVAC systems are protected from theft and ground space is conserved. Rooftop HVAC units are also called packaged units, as all components are packaged together in one cabinet.

Because of their environmental exposure, rooftop units are built to withstand sunlight, rain, wind, frost, and other conditions. Rooftops units are different from split systems, which have separate equipment housed indoors and outdoors. Rooftop HVAC units function similarly to other types of heating and cooling equipment, providing efficient comfort to occupants.

There are several reasons Atlanta area business owners choose to install rooftop HVAC units for their facilities, including:. In commercial buildings, square footage is at a premium. Because all HVAC components can be installed atop the building, a rooftop unit frees up the space that would be consumed by indoor equipment if a split system was in use. Because of their installation location, rooftop HVAC units are largely protected from theft and vandalism.

HVAC units installed at ground level are easier to access. Copper theft or vandalism could cost a business valuable production time if the facility is left without heating or cooling. Call NoW Schedule Your Service How does a rooftop unit work? As the air is passing through, the dampers or movable plates inside the rooftop unit control airflow.

The air is passed through the filters to eliminate any contaminants. Finally, the fan spreads around conditioned air via the ducts of the building. Why install a rooftop HVAC unit? Saves space.

A rooftop unit saves space by freeing up the space that would otherwise be used by an indoor HVAC system. Compared to an indoor system, RTUs are weather-proof and robust.

This enables them to prevent debris, rain, snow and tiny animals from getting in — but only air passed through it. RTUs are also common because they consume less space and demand less maintenance. Since they are mostly placed on rooftops, the possibility of theft or someone tampering with them is low. While some RTUs heat and cool only, others can do both.

How RTUs heat.