What is a Fan Coil Unit?

With the long list of different air conditioner types for every home and office, it can seem confusing for the average person to choose the right unit. From standard window and cassette types to split inverter aircon units, the slate of available choices — and possibilities — that you can purchase to cool your space seem endless.

But apart from these common aircon types that we are all familiar with comes another popular choice that may seem elusive yet commonplace — the aircon fan coil unit (FCU). This is a standalone aircon system that is responsible for circulating the present air in a small space, but is also sometimes a part of a complete HVAC system. The FCU is also used in a variety of configurations, the usual ones being arranged and used in floor-mounted and ceiling configuration types.

Where are Fan Coil Units Used?

Fan coil units are prevalent in different buildings and establishments with small private spaces. Some of these buildings usually include small to medium offices and even private casino rooms. These fan coil units are usually controlled by local thermostats or sometimes, the building’s management system itself. In some high-rise buildings, fan coil units are usually positioned and arranged vertically. This arrangement results in the units being located one above the other in different floors and all connected by the same piping loop.

Apart from these establishments, shopping centres with multiple small spaces also prefer using fan coil units for their cooling. Since FCUs are much cheaper to purchase and install than air handling units, these spaces normally gravitate to it for better value for money and to complement their areas.

The Advantages and Benefits of Fan Coil Units

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1. Cheaper to procure and install than other central aircon systems — Because they commonly power small to medium-sized spaces, fan coil units are relatively cheaper compared to an air handling unit system and a larger central aircon system. Additionally, they are also easier to install because of their size, resulting in more affordable installation costs than the other systems.
2. Individual room-level control for temperatures — Another advantage of having a fan coil unit system is that you can be more flexible with the temperature settings by having a room-level customization for your space.
3. Energy-efficient — With proper maintenance and operating, the fan coil unit system can produce a good deal of energy efficiency that can save power and energy consumption.