SOLUTION - IAQ SERIES
GENERAL AHU CONSTRUCTION
MARKETING GUIDE Supersedes: Form 102.20-MG1 (903)
CONFIDENTIAL
While indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns continue to rise
and advance to the forefront of the HVAC industry, help-
ful information concerning the design of IAQ-acceptable
air handlers is minimal. Beyond sloped drain pans and
double-wall panels, industry standards provide few tips
on appropriate air handling unit design for the consult-
ing engineer. YORK has been the leader in developing
and promoting air handling designs to achieve better
indoor air quality. The Solution line of air handlers
will continue to build upon previous accomplishments
enhancing designs to remain the clear leader.
This marketing guide covers some of the information
contained in Application Guide Form 102.20-AG3 on
General AHU Construction. The purpose of the applica-
tion guide is to help consulting engineers specify equip-
ment for good IAQ performance and minimal IAQ risks.
The application guide also introduces some of the latest
performance specifications and will show Solution’s
dominating characteristics in the marketplace. This
marketing guide will point out the key areas within
the application guide that place YORK competitors at
a disadvantage. Study this guide before speaking to
your customers.
IAQ AND THE HVAC INDUSTRY
Many of YORK’s HVAC competitors have focused on
ventilation as the primary solution to IAQ concerns.
Even though this may be an opportunity for IAQ
improvement, diluting contaminants with outdoor air
does not remove or prevent them from entering the
system.
YORK is focused on providing equipment that greatly
minimizes the opportunity for microbial growth.
Designing and providing the most protection possible
from mold growth within the entire HVAC system must
be a priority. The majority of the professional HVAC
industry places most of the emphasis concerning indoor
air quality on ventilation - the amount of outdoor air
(OA) delivered to an occupied space. ASHRAE Stan-
dard 62.1-2004 is viewed as the “standard of care”
within the HVAC industry. YORK believes this standard
Form: 102.20-MG1 (806)
provides guidance and good intentions for the design
community, but does not provide the specifics required
for construction of air handling unit equipment.
WHAT IS ASHRAE STANDARD 62.1?
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 is a continuous maintenance
ventilation standard for commercial, institutional, and
high-rise residential buildings. Although the standard
provides minimum ventilation requirements, it also
addresses a wide range of additional ventilation-related
topics. Even though ASHRAE 62.1-2004 is not a code,
it is written in mandatory, enforceable language that can
be adopted into building codes.
In conjunction with the minimum ventilation require-
ments, ASHRAE 62.1-2004 also addresses the three
other necessary elements for acceptable IAQ:
• Contaminant Source Control
• Humidity Management
• Filtration
Unfortunately, the standard does not quite go far enough
to meet all the needs of designers. Debate has been
ongoing on the number of details to be included beyond
ventilation rates and calculation procedures. Many
hurdles are faced when additional ventilation-related
IAQ items are introduced to the debate. Some believe
the standard already provides too many requirements
that appear to be only indirectly related to ventilation.
In addition, due to the intent of the standard, it also does
not address other building environmental concerns such
as lighting and acoustics, which are often as important
as good air quality.
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 is not an all-encompassing
IAQ-ready roadmap for AHU design.
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 attempts to provide performance
requirements for drain pans, access, humidifiers, and
cooling coils, but falls short without providing specifics

to force compliance. Most language of the standard is
generic enough that design engineers can’t provide an
all-encompassing standard for manufacturers to follow.
Let’s review some AHU specific details in relation to
performance and construction needs for an improved,
IAQ-acceptable design. The specification text provided
will be written in more specific and enforceable lan-
guage for the design engineer and ASHRAE 62.1-2004
will be referenced as necessary.
AIR HANDLING UNIT DRAIN PANS
Air handling unit drain pans are the most common areas
for microbial growth. Stagnant water within the pan can
be a prime breeding ground. Therefore, positive drain-
age pans are necessary to adequately remove condensate
from the cooling coil. The drain pan design should not
include any level surface that could allow condensate
to puddle. The pan should slope in a minimum of two
planes and to one end pitching toward the drain con-
nection as shown in Figure 1. Coil condensate should
not flow into a corner of the pan where some water
may stagnate.
FIGURE 1. DRAIN PAN SLOPE
ASHRAE provides some specific guidelines for pan
design within ASHRAE 62.1 by stating,
“Pans intended to collect liquid water shall be sloped
at least 1/8" per foot from the horizontal toward the
drain outlet or shall be otherwise designed to ensure
that water drains freely from the pan whether the
fan is on or off.”
[from Section 5.11.1]
“The drain pan outlet shall be located at the lowest
point(s) of the pan…”
[from Section 5.11.2]
Section 5.11.4 states that cooling coils are to have a
drain pan under the entire cooling coil. The drain pan
is to be sufficient to collect condensate from the entire
coil including return bends and headers. The pan is to
2 JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
begin at the leading edge of the cooling coil assembly
and extend downstream from the leading edge either:
1. one-half of the installed vertical dimension of the
entire coil, or
2. “as necessary to limit water droplet carryover
beyond the pan to 0.0044 oz./ft2 of face area per
hour under peak sensible and peak dew point
design conditions, considering both latent load
and coil velocity.”
Most HVAC manufacturers provide similar sloping pan
designs promoting positive drainage. The primary dif-
ference is the amount of access to the drain pan. Unfor-
tunately, ASHRAE 62.1 does not address the specifics to
define a pan accessible enough to clean underneath the
coil. So, YORK recommends the following to define
a cleanable pan. A minimum of one-inch clearance
should be provided from the bottom of the coil casing
to the drain pan so that the entire drain pan can be
visually inspected and physically cleaned without
removing the coil. Complete access under coil supports
is necessary as well. Without sufficient space under
the coil and coil supports for inspection and cleaning,
microbial growth may go unnoticed.
In contrast, the Trane Company does not provide suf-
ficient access underneath cooling coils and supports.
Trane developed an extended-medium drain pan and
modified their medium–large coil segment drain pan
designs to provide some downstream access. However,
Trane cooling coil supports continue to be very wide
and close to the pan making it impossible to clean the
entire pan without special tools.
YORK believes that without proper access, complete
service is unlikely to occur. Even though Trane intro-
FIGURE 2. NO CLEANING ACCESS UNDER
TRAINE COIL SUPPORT.

duced the extended-medium and modified the medium-
large segment sizes, the small and medium segment
designs remain unchanged.
Trane’s small and medium coil segments still provide
½" cooling coil designs with no access to the drain
pan. Therefore, contractors must pull the coil in order
to inspect or clean the pan (see Figure 3). ASHRAE
62.1 recommends annual inspection during the cooling
season and cleaning if necessary. Both inspection and
cleaning are more difficult with the Trane pan design.
Continue to educate your contractors and engineers
on this.
FIGURE 3. NO CLEANING ACCESS DOWNSTREAM
IN TRANE SMALL AND MEDIUM COIL MODULES.
To minimize the likelihood of stagnant water, ASHRAE
recommends either field-testing of drains under normal
operating conditions or certification (attested in writing)
by the manufacturer that proper drainage has been veri-
fied and will occur under operating conditions.
AIR HANDLING UNIT ACCESS
Service access to AHU coils is another ASHRAE 62.1
requirement. The standard states,
“Individual finned-tube coils or multiple finned-
tube coils in series without adequate intervening
access space(s) of at least 18 in. shall be selected to
result in no more than 0.75 in. w.c. combined pres-
sure drop when dry coil face velocity is 500 fpm.”
[from Section 5.12.2]
This statement, along with Sections 5.14.1, 5.14.2,
and 8.4.1.10 emphasizes the importance of service and
cleaning access around and inside ventilation equip-
ment. However, ASHRAE 62.1 softens the enforceable
JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
language of Section 5.12.2 mandating the access by
including a subjective exception. The standard states:
“EXCEPTION: When clear and complete instruc-
tions for access and cleaning of both upstream and
downstream coil surfaces are provided.”
[from Section 5.12.2]
The exception does not state anything about the level
of difficulty or a definition of minimum criteria within
the “clear and complete instructions.”
The consulting engineer must understand Section 5.12.2.
Some engineers may read this section and believe if their
coil selection shows an APD of 0.77 in-w.g., that they
do not conform to the standard. This may not be true
because the standards requirement is based on dry coil
pressure drop at 500 fpm. If the selection information
was based on a wet coil at 525 fpm, the coil may still
conform. The ASHRAE 62.1User’s Manual includes
Table 1 (Table 5-B in the Manual), which shows typi-
cal pressure drops for a number of coil configurations.
This table can be used as a guideline to evaluate the
requirements of Section 5.12.2.
TABLE 1. TYPICAL COIL AIR PRESSURE DROPS
Dry Coil Air Pressure Drop at 500 fpm
Rows
90 Fins/Ft 120 Fins/Ft 150 Fins/Ft 168 Fins/Ft
4 0.30 0.35 0.41 0.47
6 0.45 0.52 0.62 0.71
8 0.60 0.69 0.83 0.94
10 0.65 0.85 1.13 1.31
12 0.78 1.03 1.36 1.57
Source: ASHRAE Standard 62.1 User’s Manual
The intent of Section 5.12.2 is to facilitate the cleaning
of coils by limiting their depth and/or fin density and
ensuring sufficient space is provided to access them.
Three scenarios exist with back-to-back coils.
1) If the combined dry coil air pressure drop at
500 fpm is less than or equal to 0.75 in. w.c.,
they can be treated as one coil for purposes of
cleaning access. In other words, as shown in
Figure 4, they do not require an accessible space
between them.
3

FIGURE 4. BACK-TO-BACK COILS NOT EXCEEDING
0.75 IN W.C. COMBINED APD.
2) If the combined dry coil APD at 500 fpm exceeds
0.75 in. w.c., but neither of the individual coils
exceeds 0.75 in. w.c., as shown in Figure 5, an
accessible space of 18 inches is required between
the coils.
FIGURE 5. BACK-TO-BACK COILS THAT EXCEED
0.75 IN W.C. COMBINED APD.
3) If the dry coil APD at 500 fpm of either of the
coils exceeds 0.75 in. w.c., as shown in Figure 6,
an access space of 18 inches is required between
the coils. In addition, the manufacturer must pro-
vide clear and complete instructions for accessing
and cleaning both the upstream and downstream
sides of coil with the APD > 0.75 in w.c.
FIGURE 6. BACK-TO-BACK COILS WHEN ONE OR
BOTH EXCEED 0.75 IN W.C. APD INDIVIDUALLY.
4 JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
When exact requirements such as those for Section
5.12.2 are specified for AHUs, YORK’s variable size
drain pans remove the necessity for additional segments
to which YORK’s competitors must often resort. Use
caution when contemplating additional length. Don’t be
trapped increasing your bill of material and unit length
while the competition does not.
AIR HANDLING UNIT INSULATION
Often, air handling unit insulation is overlooked. Dirty,
and/or fiberglass-lined ducts, however, are often the
source of microbial growth. Therefore, AHU insulation
must be considered as well. After all, the air handling
unit is an extension of the ducted system.
ASHRAE 62.1 addresses the issue by stating,
“…Material surfaces shall be determined to be
resistant to mold growth in accordance with a
standardized test method, such as the ‘Mold Growth
and Humidity Test,’ in UL 181, ASTM C 1338, or
comparable test methods.”
[from Section 5.5.1]
This is important to know, but unfortunately “resistant
to mold growth” does not mean mold will not grow
on those areas. So, a note was added after the section
stating,
“NOTE: Even with this resistance, any airstream
surface that is continuously wetted is still subject
to microbial growth.”
[from Section 5.5.1]
Therefore, manufacturers and design engineers are still
responsible to provide other safeguards against mold
growth in the systems and equipment.
There are four prerequisites for microbial growth: dust
or dirt; water, or air with relative humidity greater than
60%; a consistent temperature, and a source of mold
spores. A typical air handling unit can provide an ideal
breeding ground for microbes.
Prerequisites for
Microbial Growth
• Dirt
• Water or RH >60%
• Constant Temperature
• Source of Spores

If leakage occurs downstream of an active cooling coil,
the unfiltered, infiltrating air may cause condensation
on the inside of the AHU. Since mold spores are every-
where and the AHU tunnel is generally held at a constant
temperature, all the prerequisites for microbial growth
have been satisfied. The microbial growth risk from
duct or AHU leakage is very high. This is one reason
why ASHRAE and SMACNA have created duct leak-
age standards. In addition, it is important to note that
duct leakage limitations have been crucial for energy
efficient designs and incorporated in ASHRAE 90.1-
2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise
Residential Buildings.
Microbial growth may also occur within an AHU panel.
If a panel is not sealed along all edges and at each corner,
air may infiltrate an AHU between the inner and outer
walls of the unit panel. If the panel is insulated with
fiberglass, the insulation can act as a trap for moisture
and dust. Mold can easily grow in these conditions.
Since AHU panels are rarely inspected during service,
this mold can go unchecked.
Suggested Fiberglass Panel Specification
Text – Panels insulated with fiberglass
insulation shall be sealed at each corner, and
entire perimeter, to eliminate airflow through
the panel.
Conversely, polyurethane closed-cell foam insulation
is not porous and completely fills the cavity formed by
the panel’s inner and outer wall. Therefore, infiltration
through the panel cannot occur. This eliminates the
possibility of microbial growth within the AHU walls.
Many building walls and roofs are insulated with closed-
cell foam today for this very reason. The foam material
creates a barrier which moisture cannot penetrate.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN INSULATION TYPES
GENERALLY USED IN AIR HANDLERS?
Fiberglass insulation, generally used in HVAC applica-
tions, is produced in a blanket or batt form. It is made
from commonly found materials, primarily silica, spun
from a molten state into fibers and is provided in rolls or
sheets that must be cut-to-fit. As previously mentioned,
there are some significant drawbacks to fiberglass, but
it can be utilized adequately within the AHU construc-
tion. However, a greater emphasis must be placed on
the panel construction when fiberglass insulation is
utilized. The panel must be sealed.
JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
Even though the use of single-wall air handling units
is fading fast due to IAQ liabilities, this construction
typically utilizes fiberglass insulation because of its
lower cost and ease of installation. Fiberglass is not a
rigid material, so when it is installed in single-wall air
units the insulation must be glued or stick-pinned to
the outer panel to prevent the insulation from sagging.
The insulation edges must also be completely sealed
since the material is a skin and respiratory irritant. The
fibers can become airborne and, if small enough, can be
inhaled and lodged in the lungs.
In 1994, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, National Toxicology Program in its Seventh
Annual Report on Carcinogens, first listed airborne
fiberglass as a suspected carcinogenic hazard. Per the
January 2005 Eleventh Report on Carcinogens, fiber-
glass of respirable size is still “reasonably anticipated to
be a human carcinogen.” In addition to this risk, single-
wall AHUs are also extremely difficult to clean. For
these reasons, many manufacturers are discontinuing
production of single-wall units in favor of double-wall
units. ASHRAE 62.1 addresses this issue in a general
manner, stating:
“Airstream surface materials shall be evaluated
in accordance with the “Erosion Test” in UL 181
and shall not break away, crack, peel, flake off, or
show evidence of delamination or continued erosion
under test conditions.”
[from Section 5.5.2]
ASHRAE 62.1 promotes the use of cleanable surfaces
through its suggested minimum maintenance activity
and frequency table. Areas that are subject to wetting
should be visually inspected and cleaned when neces-
sary. The exception listed to both Section 5.5.1 and
5.5.2 is sheet metal surfaces and metal fasteners because
they are known to be cleanable surfaces. Double-wall
panels provide cleanable interior surfaces and prevent
insulation erosion in the air stream.
Suggested Solid, Double-wall Specification
Text – Double-wall casing construction shall en-
capsulate insulation between exterior and interior
casing panels such that no insulation is exposed
to the airstream.
Polyurethane foam is closed-cell foam that has been
used by AHU manufacturers for many years. Initially,
5

closed-cell foam gasket were used to prevent air leak-
age; but custom manufacturers capitalized on the more
positive attributes utilizing the closed-cell foam as a unit
insulator. Today, it is more widely used due to more
competitive application costs.
As mentioned earlier, closed-cell foam injected into AHU
panels creates a barrier which moisture cannot penetrate
and completely seals the panel eliminating infiltration
through the inner and outer wall panel. The insulation
also contains a low-conductivity refrigerant gas, used as
a blowing agent, which is trapped in tiny cell pockets.
This refrigerant gas helps to achieve a desired expansion
rate during the foam application and provides a higher
thermal resistance for the polyurethane foam. Figure 7
displays typical insulating characteristics of fiberglass,
and foam insulations using various blowing agents.
FIGURE 7. TYPICAL INSULATION R-VALUES
Polyurethane foam has a significantly higher thermal
resistance (R-value) than fiberglass, and polyurethane
foam that uses HFC-134a as a blowing agent has a
higher R-value than foam insulations that use HCFC-22.
HCF-134a, which YORK uses as a blowing agent has
no phase out requirements under the Montreal Protocol,
unlike HCFC-22. It is therefore a better overall choice
for polyurethane foam insulations.
6 JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
AIR HANDLING UNIT LEAKAGE
In recent years, the importance of energy conservation
and indoor air quality has caused manufacturers to step
up testing procedures with in-house facilities to accom-
modate and guarantee a specific maximum leakage for
each unit. Testing has shown that unless the fiberglass-
insulated unit panels are caulked and sealed, air will
penetrate the unit panels. Unlike polyurethane foam
insulation, fiberglass insulation cannot fill the entire
panel creating an airtight seal. In a negative pressure
application, if the internal conditioned air temperature
falls below ambient air dew point temperature, the
unconditioned air will condense inside the fiberglass
panel. The infiltration will cause two major problems.
First, condensation drastically reduces the thermal per-
formance of fiberglass insulation. Second, unfiltered air
can also create an environment for microbial growth
in the unit walls when the dirt and moisture sit in the
saturated panel.
Due to the issues surrounding leakage and microbial
growth, a specific standard, ANSI/ASHRAE/SMACNA
Standard 126-2000, Methods of Testing HVAC Air
Ducts, was created for ductwork throughout buildings
to reduce the potential IAQ hazards. The standard is
used to determine duct structural strength, dimensional
stability, durability and leakage characteristics. The
HVAC industry does not yet require a similar evalua-
tion of AHUs. However, many manufacturers employ
similar tests to evaluate their products based on a percent
leakage and panel rigidity. Both characteristics are
extremely important to control infiltration, microbial
growth, and condensation formation.
PANEL DEFLECTION
The two most common ways to produce low-leakage
AHUs are caulking the unit and creating more rigid
panels. Caulking unit and panel seams to reduce leakage
is more common, but it is also a more archaic method.
Stiff panels provide better protection against leakage.
The less rigid the panels are, the more they will deflect
under the air pressure exerted on them. Excessive
deflection will create a larger path for infiltration or
exfiltration. Deflection also breaks the panel seals as
the material bows in or out.

FIGURE 8. PANEL DEFLECTION
Design engineers should write performance-based
specifications to ensure the air handling unit panels
are strong enough to handle the design conditions of
the application. This places the responsibility on the
manufacturer to provide the customer what is required.
A typical performance specification for deflection will
incorporate the maximum deflection requirement based
on the design static pressure.
Suggested Deflection Specification Text –
Maximum allowable panel deflection,
measured at the midpoint of the panel, shall not
exceed an L/240 ratio when subjected to ± 8 in-
w.g. static pressure.
There are several ways to increase panel rigidity. Fiber-
glass insulated panels require heavy gauge internal
and external skins and/or internal stiffeners provided
because the insulation adds no stiffness to the panel.
FIGURE 9. FIBERGLASS INSULATED PANEL WITH
STIFFENERS
Heavy gauge panels with internal stiffeners add to the
weight and cost of the AHU. Further, internal stiffeners
JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
cause thermal bridging which reduces the effectiveness
of the insulation.
AHU panels with foam-injected insulation are strong
yet lightweight. With typical ranges of R-5 to R-8 per
inch, it is possible for thinner walls to retain high thermal
efficiency. Appliance manufacturers utilize this method
to achieve lightweight, high efficiency designs to meet
their stringent energy requirements. This is also the
current trend among air handling unit manufacturers.
There are several benefits to specifying a panel with a
high mechanical strength. First, fatigue on the panel
seals will be minimized during operation. If the panels
do not expand, contract, or deflect during the equipment
operation, product longevity will be maximized and
leakage over time will be minimized. The high strength
of foam-injected panels and frames will reduce the ten-
dency of the unit to flex during lifting. This reduces the
stress on sealed joints and corners during installation.
Without the added sheet metal for stiffeners and heavy
gauge panels for support, the design will be lighter,
potentially reducing the amount of support steel in the
building. Smaller cranes might be sufficient to rig the
equipment, providing further potential cost savings.
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS, IMPROVED IAQ,
AND RESPONSIBILITY
One of the keys to controlling mold growth is controlling
the moisture level. There is no practical way to keep
mold spores from entering buildings and air handling
units, but, mold problems can be prevented by regulat-
ing humidity levels in the building and tightening the
HVAC system. A certain amount of moisture exists
naturally in the air within a building, but when moisture
reaches excessive levels the likelihood of mold growth
increases. One common source of excessive moisture
is air infiltration.
Consulting engineers should use a performance-based
specification to guarantee low leakage rates for AHUs.
Utilizing the following specification text, in conjunc-
tion with the spec text previously mentioned, places the
responsibility for low leakage, energy efficient perfor-
mance on the manufacturer - where it belongs.
Suggested Leakage Specification Text –
Maximum allowable air leakage shall not exceed
1% of rated CFM when subjected to ± 8 in-w.g.
static pressure. At the discretion of the customer,
one random air-handling unit shall be factory
leak tested.
7

Performance specifications allow the consulting
engineer to enforce a measurable standard of quality
regardless of each manufacturer’s unique assembly
techniques. Further, performance-based specifications
are non-proprietary. This requires the manufacturers to
certify and deliver a product that includes the necessary
precautions for an acceptable IAQ environment.
COMPLETING THE AHU CASING PERFORMANCE
LOOP
It is also important to prevent condensation from form-
ing on the exterior of an AHU. Exterior condensation
may cause puddles to form beneath an AHU. These
puddles may provide a breeding ground for mold. Sec-
tion 5.15.2 of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004 requires
insulation of indoor surfaces that are expected to be
colder than the dew-point temperature of the surround-
ing air. Section 5.15.2 of the standard further states,
“The insulation system thermal resistance [R-value]
and material characteristics shall be sufficient to
prevent condensation from forming on the exposed
surface and within the insulating material.”
The exceptions to this requirement are for areas where
condensate can be managed to prevent or control mold
growth, and where local practice has demonstrated that
condensation does not result in mold growth. Control-
ling mold growth requires the owner to spend more
money on maintenance, therefore, preventing conden-
sation on the outside of the unit, as well as within the
panels, should be the primary goal.
Reduced thickness or complete lack of insulation in
certain sections of the AHU can cause condensation to
form on the skin of the unit. Consider a built-up AHU
consisting of prefabricated frame-and-panel modules.
If the frame is uninsulated, it provides an excellent
thermal bridge to cool the skin of the unit and cause
condensation to form. The same is true of any panels
on the unit that have less than the specified thickness
or R-value of insulation.
Suggested Insulated Casing Specification Text
– All panels and structural channels shall be insu-
lated to provide a consistent R-value throughout
the unit casing. Any portion of the unit that is not
insulated, or has a lower R-value than specified
for the unit panels shall be the responsibility of
the contractor to modify.
8 JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
The frames around access doors are often a weak link
in the thermal resistance chain. A single piece, metal
doorframe readily conducts heat. On outdoor air han-
dling units in warm, humid climates, or on those in
unconditioned equipment rooms, it is not unusual to
see condensation on the exterior of doorframes down-
stream of the cooling coil. The use of a thermal break
incorporated into the doorframe will greatly reduce the
likelihood of such condensation forming. Another way
of looking at it is to say that a thermal break doorframe
will increase the exterior dew-point at which condensa-
tion will occur. Thermal break doors are available as
an SQ on Solution.
Drain pans and drain piping are often the coldest spots
in an AHU and therefore are particularly susceptible to
condensation. The Carrier Aero has a drain connection
that leaves vertically from the pan and makes a 90-
degree turn to extend through the side of the base rail.
This drain connection is uninsulated and will be prone
to sweat, causing puddles to form beneath the unit. In
addition, the Carrier Aero pan design has inaccessible
threaded connections. A leak in the connection is not
easily repaired. A leak will also produce excessive
puddling beneath the unit.
FIGURE 10. CARRIER AERO DRAIN PAN DESIGN
YORK has taken special precautions in the Solution
design to ensure a consistent R-value throughout the
unit and drain pan.
Trane T-Series and M-Series air handling units utilize
both fiberglass and foam insulation in their designs. T-
Series air handling units utilize fiberglass insulation in
the entire roof section of the unit. Unfortunately, this
is the section of the unit with the largest heat load. The
Trane M-Series utilizes foam insulation only in the drain
pan. However, because of the pan’s design and slope,
little or no insulation is provided at the lowest point in
the drain pan, the drain connection.
Surface condensation is a legitimate concern when
AHUs are installed in unconditioned mechanical rooms,
and when the cooling coil leaving air temperature is
very low. Thanks to rigorous, ongoing testing, YORK
can accurately predict the thermal performance, and

probability of condensation formation for any Solution
configuration and a given set of operating conditions. If
you are concerned about surface condensation on one of
your units due to coil LAT and/or climate, you should
request, via SQ a Condensation Analyzer review of your
application to ensure we are meeting the customer’s
needs. Where condensation is unavoidable under the
given conditions, YORK will recommend a course of
action to the customer to minimize the likelihood of
condensation in the field.
Most of YORK’s competitors will be hesitant to stand
behind their product with such boldness due to their
lack of testing. All YORK competitors will agree
with the importance of low-leakage and high thermal
performance, but few will stand behind the product
completely. Thermal performance has been overlooked
because nothing has caused manufacturers to review it.
However, the importance of IAQ is quickly bringing
this issue to the forefront. Custom manufacturers have
performed leakage and thermal testing for years. Soon
all manufacturers will be required to do so.
The design engineer should not have to determine the
manufacturers’ design and assembly practices. Per-
formance specifications require manufacturers to meet
measurable standards. They also eliminate the potential
for proprietary specifications and do not limit manufac-
turers’ design flexibility or manufacturing techniques.
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION FOR AHUS
Air handling units are typically shipped on open bed
trucks, which allow an inordinate amount of dirt and
moisture (and salt in winter months) to build up on and
inside the equipment. Driving winds can cause dirt
and moisture to penetrate poorly designed seals. These
conditions promote corrosion and mold growth prior to
installation. AHUs transported in this manner should
be inspected thoroughly for microbial growth prior to
installation. Per ASHRAE 62.1-2004,
“Porous materials with visible microbial growth
shall not be installed. Nonporous materials with vis-
ible microbial growth shall be decontaminated.”
[from Section 7.1.3]
Any porous materials, such as fiberglass insulation, with
visible microbial growth must be removed, and replaced
prior to installing the equipment. Nonporous materials,
such as crevices between sheet metal components, that
exhibit microbial growth, are to be decontaminated prior
to installation. Shrink-wrapping, tarping, or shipping
the equipment in an enclosed truck, reduces contamina-
JOHNSON CONTROLS
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
tion during shipping. Specifications written to ensure
proper shipping methods promote better IAQ during
AHU operation.
Suggested AHU Shipping Specification Text
– Equipment specified for indoor applications
shall be required to include a protective cover-
ing membrane for such equipment being shipped
by truck, rail, or ship. The membrane shall be
fully formed around the equipment exterior. The
membrane shall cover the entire top, side and end
panel surface as to protect the product effectively
during shipping and short-term storage. Storing
on job-site shall no longer require the unit(s) to
be covered with a tarp as long as the covering
membrane has not been removed or damaged.
All size or shape equipment including electri-
cal components, especially those not built with
weatherproof enclosures, shall be effectively
covered for protection against rain, snow, wind,
dirt, sun fading, road salt/chemicals, rust, & cor-
rosion during shipping cycle. Equipment shall
remain clean and dry.
Manufacturers of indoor units not having a
protective membrane, fully formed around the
equipment exterior, covering the entire top, side
and end panel surface shall be required to ship
equipment covered with a tarp, in crating or in
an enclosed truck as is necessary to protection
equipment from sun fading, road salt/chemicals,
rust, corrosion, moisture and dirt infiltration. The
contractor is responsible to inspect, and clean of
all dirt and contaminants, all indoor AHUs ar-
riving to the jobsite without the protective mem-
brane. The manufacturer is responsible for any
costs attributed to the cleaning and inspection of
indoor air units without the protective membrane.
Arrangements for short term and/or long term
storage at the jobsite shall be required.
Not all manufacturers agree on the use of shrink-wrap.
The disagreement is, unfortunately, often driven by cost
and not protection. Trane claims that shrink-wrapping
will promote premature corrosion on panels by locking
in moisture under the shrink-wrap. However, YORK
and many other custom manufacturers have successfully
shrink-wrapped AHUs for many years without corrosion
problems. Carrier has also begun shrink-wrapping their
9

Aero air handling units. It is necessary to understand the
process of shrink-wrapping prior to applying it to equip-
ment. Simply wrapping the equipment in plastic without
the appropriate protection will not be effective.
When moisture occurs under the shrink-wrap, many
times it is a result of actions taken during the manu-
facturing process such as placing the product outdoors
without appropriate protection. If the manufacturing
process is maintained indoors prior to outdoor exposure,
shrink-wrapping can be accomplished. By applying a
temporary corrosion-resistant coating on the air handlers
10
FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)
that will evaporate upon removal of the shrink-wrap and
venting the shrink-wrap from the bottom, shrink-wrap
can be done successfully.
SUMMARY
Achieving acceptable indoor air quality is more involved
than calculating and applying the appropriate ventilation
rate. Specific AHU performance and other common
sense specification items, tied to ASHRAE 62.1-2004
recommendations, can help achieve the healthy indoor
air quality environment desired.
JOHNSON CONTROLS
 FORM: 102.20-MG1 (806)

NOTES:

JOHNSON CONTROLS 11
P.O. Box 1592, York, Pennsylvania USA 17405-1592 Tele. 800-861-1001 Subject to change without notice. Printed in USA
Copyright © by Johnson Controls 2006 www.york.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Form 102.20-MG1 (806)
Supersedes: 102.20-MG1 (903)