Definition
A packaged unit is a self-contained heating and cooling system with the compressor, condenser coil, evaporator coil and blower housed in one outdoor cabinet. Supply and return ducts run from the cabinet into the building, and the cabinet typically sits on a ground pad or roof. Common versions are packaged air conditioners, packaged heat pumps and gas-electric units.
Also called: Package unit, Packaged HVAC system
Why it matters to you
A packaged unit can suit homes with no indoor room for a furnace or air handler, including some single-level and manufactured homes, as well as small commercial buildings. Because every component lives outside, the cabinet takes the brunt of Pacific Northwest rain, fir needles, moss and the occasional ice storm.
Practical guidance
Keep plants, needles and debris clear of the cabinet and change the filter on schedule. Gas, electrical and refrigerant service on a packaged unit belongs to a licensed technician, as does checking and sealing the duct connections where they enter the building.
About this definition
Written by the Home Energy Group team — a family-owned HVAC company celebrating 25 years of comfort & care across SW Washington and the Portland metro, licensed in Washington (WA LIC# HOMEEGI003J7) and Oregon (OR CCB# 184255). Definitions inform; an on-site diagnosis decides.
