Three reasons to apply protective coating to complete HVAC units

HVAC systems are used in places where people need protection from the elements, or the environment must be stabilized to provide general cooling or ideal conditions for food preparation or pharmaceuticals. However, while air handling units (AHUs) benefit the people who live or work in the improved environment they create, the units themselves are exposed to harsh conditions.

Since Heresite developed the first coating and application procedure to successfully protect heat transfer equipment many years ago, we’ve become well known for the ability of our coatings to extend the life of HVAC coils. Unfortunately, simply coating the HVAC coil is not enough. In severe (C5 or CX) environments, corrosive elements will find their way into the unit and can damage blowers, doors, enclosures, fans, louvers, and exposed piping. Here are three reasons you might want to consider coating your entire HVAC unit instead of just coating the coils.

1. Coating the entire HVAC unit can extend unit life with improved functionality. The coil is certainly an important part of an HVAC unit. However, there are many other parts to an HVAC system that could experience a loss in performance when exposed to a corrosive environment. Heresite has extensively tested to help our customers understand the potential wasted time and expense that can be avoided by coating their HVAC coils. Coating entire units will protect the other functional parts of the system, including the fans, pipes, and other essential components.
2. Coating will protect units placed in a high humidity or corrosive environment. High humidity environments, such as coastal areas, wastewater treatment plants, or swimming pools, can be extremely corrosive. To ensure the best possible protection for our customers, we tested P-413  by placing coated and uncoated panels in a municipal wastewater treatment facility for 2.5 years. The results showed that after extended exposure to the extreme real-world environment of the wastewater treatment facility, there were no signs of wear or degradation on the panels coated with P-413.
3. Coating increases your ability to maintain clean equipment. Food safety standards require chemical sanitization in food processing environments. Heresite’s P-413 is the only coating with a NSF/ANSI 51: Food Equipment Materials-rated phenolic-epoxy for HVAC-R coils. Coating your equipment can make it a lot easier to clean properly. Learn about this important food safety standard. In addition, many companies use UV-C lights to sterilize HVAC coils and recirculated air. UV-C sterilization can improve indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and the health of the people who live or work in buildings by destroying contaminants such as mold, viruses, and bacteria. To ensure the effectiveness of our coatings, Heresite conducted a test in conjunction with Sanuvox Technologies laboratory to test the ability of P-413 to withstand continued exposure to UV-C light. Learn more about the results of this test.

If you are thinking of investing in coating an entire HVAC unit, be sure to ask the right questions. Coating an entire AHU can be done using either a dip or a spray method, depending on the location of the unit and its size. Oversized units require careful handling by a properly equipped applicator. Although the upfront cost might be higher than simply coating the coil, the investment is worth it to reduce the unit’s fail rate.