Air Handlers

What an air handler does

It moves conditioned air through the ductwork and houses the indoor coil where refrigerant absorbs or releases heat. In an all-electric system it replaces the gas furnace entirely, which is why there is no flue and no combustion air requirement.

The heat kit is not optional in most climates

Below roughly 35°F a heat pump alone may not meet demand. An RXBH heat strip kit installs inside the air handler and supplies supplemental heat, plus emergency heat if the heat pump fails. Kit size should reflect your heat pump's capacity at design temperature and your electrical panel capacity — not simply the largest kit that fits.

Matching and orientation

The air handler must be an AHRI-certified match to your outdoor heat pump; tonnage alone is not sufficient. Cabinets are multi-positional and suit upflow, downflow and horizontal installation, and all include the A2L sensor required for R-454B systems.