Cooling Towers for HVAC Companies and Contractors
Engineered for HVAC contractors, mechanical engineers, and design-build firms specifying cooling towers into commercial, industrial, and institutional projects.
The Challenge
The cooling tower challenge for HVAC contractors
HVAC contractors and mechanical firms specify cooling towers into nearly every commercial and industrial vertical — office buildings, hospitals, data centers, plants, breweries, schools, and more. Each project has its own load profile, redundancy needs, site constraints, and code obligations.
The wrong tower — undersized, the wrong material, or from a manufacturer with poor engineering support — turns into callbacks, warranty claims, and damaged client relationships. Contractors need a supplier that delivers on four fronts:
Engineering support
Accurate thermal sizing, project-specific specs, responsive technical help.
Replacement-friendly designs
Towers that fit existing footprints, basins, and piping for retrofit work.
Reliable supply & lead times
Firm delivery schedules you can build a project timeline around.
Long-term durability
Towers that don’t generate warranty calls or premature replacement.
How We Help
How CTS supports HVAC contractors and mechanical engineers
We work with HVAC firms across the full project lifecycle — from spec and sizing through delivery and long-term support.
Three ways we work with HVAC firms
- New construction — sizing and specifying towers for new buildings, campuses, and industrial facilities
- Replacement & retrofit — drop-in or modified replacement towers for aging or failed equipment
- Engineering consultation — thermal calculations, project-specific drawings and specs, and bid/submittal support
Our in-house engineering team responds with the technical detail HVAC professionals expect — load calculations, cut sheets, CAD drawings, O&M documentation, and formal quotations with full technical specifications.
Why FRP
Why HVAC companies specify FRP cooling towers from CTS
Corrosion resistance means fewer callbacks
Galvanized towers rust, scale, and need recoating — generating warranty calls and complaints over their life. FRP is non-corrosive by design and stands up to the aggressive water-treatment chemistries common in commercial and industrial systems.
Long service life protects your customer relationships
FRP towers routinely deliver 20–30+ years of service vs. 10–15 for galvanized. Put a CTS tower on a job and you’re not back in eight years handling a rust problem.
Replacement-friendly designs for retrofit work
CTS sizes replacement towers to match existing footprints, basin dimensions, and piping connections — reducing site work, rigging complexity, and customer downtime.
Engineering support that backs up your spec
HVAC contractors aren’t cooling tower designers. Our in-house engineers handle the thermal calculations, sizing, and documentation so you can focus on the broader mechanical scope.
Lower lifecycle cost is an easier sale
On projects where lifecycle cost matters, FRP delivers a clear total cost of ownership advantage — an easier conversation with owners than defending a lower upfront cost that costs more over 20 years.
Quiet operation for code-sensitive sites
Lower fan tip speeds and optional low-noise packages help you meet noise ordinances and HOA constraints common in suburban commercial and mixed-use projects.
The CTS T-2 Counterflow Cooling Tower
Flagship Tower
Specified by contractors across the U.S. and internationally
The T-2 is our flagship counterflow induced draft cooling tower, specified by HVAC contractors and mechanical engineers into projects across the U.S. and internationally.
Standard features
- Fiberglass reinforced polyester (FRP) shell and structural components
- Counterflow induced draft design for maximum thermal efficiency
- High-efficiency PVC fill media
- Pressurized water distribution system
- Stainless steel hardware
- Drift eliminators with industry-leading efficiency
Optional features
- Low-noise fan packages for noise-sensitive sites
- Redundant cell configurations for high-reliability applications
- Custom sizing per project requirements
- Cold-water basin — CTS uses non-corrosive FRP, so a stainless-steel basin isn’t required.
- Vibration switches & capacity controls — available, though CTS fans are balanced and tested before installation, so vibration isn’t a concern.
Comparison
FRP vs. galvanized steel — what to tell your customers
| Factor | FRP (CTS) | Galvanized steel |
|---|---|---|
| Corrosion resistance | Excellent — non-corrosive by design | Moderate — zinc coating degrades over time |
| Service life | 20–30+ years | 10–15 years typical |
| Maintenance | Minimal | Routine rust treatment and recoating |
| Warranty callbacks | Lower | Higher |
| Initial cost | Higher | Lower |
| Lifecycle cost | Lower | Higher |
For commercial and institutional clients planning around 20–30+ year facility horizons, FRP is almost always the right answer.
Applications
Project types we support
- Commercial office buildings
- Hospitals & medical facilities
- Data centers & telecom
- Manufacturing & industrial plants
- Breweries & food production
- Schools, universities & government
- Cannabis cultivation & processing
- Multi-tenant commercial
- Warehouse & cold storage
- HVAC retrofit & replacement
Engineering Support
Engineering support for HVAC contractors
Our in-house engineering team works directly with HVAC contractors and mechanical engineers throughout the project lifecycle — from bid to commissioning.
- Thermal performance evaluations using customer-provided operating data
- Custom sizing and cell configuration
- Bid and submittal support — formal quotations, technical specifications, drawings
- CAD drawings, cut sheets, O&M manuals, and warranty documentation
- Replacement sizing for retrofit projects — match existing footprints and connections
- Lead time confirmation and firm delivery schedules
- Replacement parts and service support across the tower’s full service life
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a cooling tower spec for a project I'm bidding?
Send us your project’s design data — entering and desired leaving water temperatures and the installation location (so we can determine the design wet-bulb). We run a thermal performance calculation, properly size the tower, and provide a formal quotation with technical specifications, drawings, and a firm lead time you can put in your bid package.
Does CTS support contractors on replacement and retrofit projects?
Yes — retrofit work is one of our core project types. We size a CTS tower to match the existing footprint, basin dimensions, and piping connections of nearly any installation, then recommend a drop-in or modified replacement.
What lead times can I quote my customers?
Lead times vary by configuration. Standard configurations typically ship within several weeks of order; larger or custom configurations may take longer. We provide firm lead times with every formal quotation so you can build accurate schedules.
Does CTS provide submittal documentation for bid packages?
Yes. We provide cut sheets, technical specifications, performance data, CAD drawings, and warranty information as part of standard bid and submittal support.
Can I get CAD drawings and O&M manuals for a CTS tower?
Yes. Full technical documentation — CAD drawings, cut sheets, operation and service manuals, engineering brochures, and warranty documentation — is available through our website or directly from our engineering team.
Is CTS available for thermal performance calculations on my project?
Yes. Thermal sizing is part of our standard engineering support for HVAC contractors. Send us your design conditions and we’ll run the calculation and recommend the right configuration.
Are CTS cooling towers CTI certified?
CTS has been a member of the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) since 1972 and rates cooling towers to CTI specifications. CTI thermal certification is available on specified models — contact our engineering team for details on your project.
Does CTS offer dealer or contractor pricing?
We work with HVAC contractors and mechanical firms on a project-by-project basis. Contact our sales team to discuss your project pipeline and ongoing relationships.
Comparison
Request a quote on your next project
Whether you’re bidding new construction, planning a replacement, or specifying cooling capacity for a retrofit, our engineering team is ready to support your project from quote to commissioning.
In-house engineering · Manufactured in Macon, GA