Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fan coil?
A fan coil unit is a self-contained hydronic HVAC device comprising a coil and a blower fan assembly used to cool or heat a room by heat exchange.
What type of industries do we serve?
AirRevive has been actively servicing fan coil units in the hospitality industry and in institutional buildings for more than 12 years. With a focus on the Hotel segment, we have completed the refurbishment or overhaul of more than 60,000 units over the years.
What do we do?
We bring your units to ‘as new’ working conditions without the exorbitant cost of installing a new system. In addition, our process is quick and avoids long periods of rooms and/or system being out of service in your establishment. We can do a fan coil unit refurbishment or a complete fan coil unit overhaul.
- What is a fan coil unit refurbishment?
A fan coil unit refurbishment consists of cleaning the air handler’s water coil, the blower assembly and the drain pan. We would typically apply a specially designed epoxy in the drain pan to seal it and extend its life cycle. As an option we also replace the existing fiber insulation with antimicrobial closed cell foam insulation that helps prevent mold and mildew and limit the occurrence of bad odors. - What is fan coil unit overhaul?
A fan coil unit overhaul consists in making repairs and changing parts within the fan coil unit to optimize the unit’s performance. An overhaul will normally include
refurbishment to clean all components of a fan coil unit that are not being replaced and replace the insulation. When we are conducting our initial survey of the
property, we will identify which parts and components need replacement through a thorough examination of all components of the fan coil unit. The typical
parts being replaced in a fan coil unit are the control valve, the actuator, the motor and the heater. In addition, we typically install a flow valve when none is
present in the OEM unit. Some other parts may require replacement from time to time. We have a tailor-fit approach where we propose replacing only the parts
that need replacement to optimize the proper operation of the fan coil units, limiting the overall cost to the property.
What is our normal process?
- Survey
During a site survey, our specialized technicians visit your property and inspect multiple fan coil units to evaluate and assess the type of units present in the building, their specifications and their state of wear & tear. - Survey Report
Once the survey is completed, we provide our client with a thorough survey report listing our findings and proposing a preliminary scope of work to restore the fan coil unit system into “as new” condition. - Sourcing potential needed parts
As we identify the preliminary scope of work to restore the state of your fan coil units, we undergo a sourcing process to find OEM like-for-like parts to be replaced. This step is important as some units we encounter are more than 40 years old and the OEM parts are hard to find. When we cannot find the proper OEM
replacement parts, we use our sourcing network to find suitable third-party replacement parts. - Preliminary proposal
Once the scope of work has been identified in conjunction with the property, and that we have identified replacement parts sourcing options, we will provide our client with a preliminary proposal for the work. Once the scope of work and the budget for the work have been determined by our client, we will schedule an
onsite demonstration. - Onsite Demonstration
Once the parameters of the work have been identified in conjunction with our client and needed parts have been sourced for the agreed scope of work, we conduct an onsite demonstration on a few units selected by the property. This allows us to ensure proper fit of sourced parts, determine workflow and tooling, to
finalize the overall cost of the work to be done. - Demonstration Report
After the completion of our onsite demonstration, we provide our client with a report on how the demonstration went. At this stage we will validate the scope of work and confirm pricing for the project to help avoid surprises during project execution. - Final Proposal
Once all parameters of the scope of work and workflow have been established, we provide our client with a final proposal for the project with final pricing.
What are the benefits of choosing fan coil unit refurbishment or overhaul?
- Alternative to replacement
- Less time out of service than replacement
Replacing an existing fan coil unit for a new fan coil unit requires putting a room out of service for an extended period of time, whereas proceeding with a refurbishment or an overhaul will limit the out of service period to a day or two maximum depending on the scope of work. - Much cheaper option
Refurbishing or proceeding with an overhaul of a fan coil unit will allow the property to enjoy all the benefits of a new unit without having to spend top dollar for a new unit or incurring the cost of the renovation work in the room that comes with it. This can be done while the hotel is still operating with very limited impact on the guest experience and overall business. On average, a complete overhaul can be as low as one fifth of the total costs of a new unit.
- Less time out of service than replacement
- Extend life of asset in a sustainable way
Since our tailor-fitted overhaul of fan coil units approach aims at only changing parts that requires changing, we extend the life of your HVAC assets for an additional 7 to 10 years, preserving older parts and material in place that are still good. By using as many of the original part as possible, we greatly reduce landfill waste. - Solve the daily guest-related cooling/heating annoyances
While doing our survey onsite, we will review all the major problems as well as any HVAC-related guest complaints. This ensures that our service improves both the fan coil unit operation and guest experience. - Removes project burden from already busy Engineering team
Outside of general coordination, we work independently of the Engineering team, allowing them to focus on their daily tasks.
Is the refurbishment process good for the environment?
Yes, as we focus on changing only the parts that require changing to make the fan coil unit perform “as new”, we are limiting the ecological footprint by leaving in place parts and material that can extend the life cycle. This helps preserve the environment by avoiding the use of new materials and parts that requires new natural resources like metals and minerals.
What is the replacement cost for a new fan coil unit?
On average, the installation of brand-new fan coil units can go from $3,500 to $7,000 for horizontal units and from $6,000 to $10,000 for vertical units, inclusive of all the accessory costs of renovation. In addition, the period where a room is out of service will range from 3 days to a week by factoring in the different trades that would be involved in replacement. Our process can be completed in a maximum of a couple days per unit at a fraction of this cost.
When can the refurbishment of fan coil unit be completed?
We can proceed with a refurbishment or overhaul of fan coil units during regular operations of a hospitality business or during a renovation project. We have done both successfully and can be seamlessly integrated into an existing construction phasing schedule. We can also accommodate a property’s occupancy schedule by completing a project in multiple phases to limit the financial impact of taking rooms out of service.
My units are 30+ years old and in terrible condition, can they be refurbished?
Yes, we have successfully refurbished and overhauled some units that were more than 40 years old. The only limitations we can encounter are the availability of parts for a like-for-like overhaul. Despite these limitations, we have developed over the years a network of various suppliers that can provide third party parts to retrofit units for which the OEM like-for-like would be harder or impossible to find.
What is the warranty?
Our standard warranty is 1 year on workmanship and parts. We take pride in what we do and will work with your team to make your fan coil units work the way they should, enhancing your guests’ experience.
How fast can we start the project?
Once we have identified the final scope of work and lead time for all parts, we can quickly mobilize our teams to start a project and give a second life to your fan coil units assets.
Are you a parts distributor or reseller?
No, but AirRevive has developed a strong supply network over the years with privileged suppliers for most of the popular brands, and we are more than happy for you to benefit from this sourcing network to find the right parts for your fan coil units.
I am having a hard time finding OEM parts for my fan coil unit system, can AirRevive help me?
As we are not affiliated with any specific brand, our sourcing team will work with your team to try to find after-market parts that could be compatible with your system.
Which fan coil unit brands can you refurbish?
We have extensive experience with all major brands, as well as some that no longer exist. Many hotels have a mix of different brands and unit types (vertical/horizontal), our services can be done to any brand of fan coil unit.