Difference Between Furnace And Air Handler

Some models also provide secondary heating and cooling parts to help out the heat pump.

Difference between furnace and air handler.

Both air handlers and gas furnaces pair with your air conditioner or heat pump and are located in either a closet attic or basement. In gas and oil furnaces the flames heat a component called the heat exchanger a sealed chamber that warms the air around it. In fact the two systems can look so similar you may think you have an electric furnace when in actuality you have an air handler. That s what makes an air handler different from a furnace.

If you have a furnace you probably don t need to think about an air handler. This is why it can be confusing to tell the difference between the two. The primary difference between forced air and central air systems then is that central air conditioning specifically refers to a cooling system. With the latest variable speed air.

Air handlers and furnaces aren t often found together. A central air conditioning system uses the forced air system within your home to deliver cooled air making use of the vents plenums and ducts to provide conditioned air. Air handlers can have heating strips within their system but that is mainly used to assist the heat pump in extreme colds. For homes with both a furnace and central air conditioning the furnace s blower acts as the air handler for the air conditioning system.

Air quality to maintain air quality both furnaces and air handlers have filters that capture dust and other impurities out of the air. Now that you know the difference you ll want to know what you should be looking for in either.