Difference Between Furnace And Air Handler

For homes with both a furnace and central air conditioning the furnace s blower acts as the air handler for the air conditioning system.

Difference between furnace and air handler.

The primary difference between forced air and central air systems then is that central air conditioning specifically refers to a cooling system. Both air handlers and gas furnaces pair with your air conditioner or heat pump and are located in either a closet attic or basement. That s what makes an air handler different from a furnace. With the latest variable speed air.

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. This is why it can be confusing to tell the difference between the two. Air handlers can have heating strips within their system but that is mainly used to assist the heat pump in extreme colds. In electric furnaces this is simply a matter of the exposure of the heating elements to the open air.

Now that you know the difference you ll want to know what you should be looking for in either. Air quality to maintain air quality both furnaces and air handlers have filters that capture dust and other impurities out of the air. In gas and oil furnaces the flames heat a component called the heat exchanger a sealed chamber that warms the air around it. If you have a furnace you probably don t need to think about an air handler.

The two main components that you should consider are efficiency and comfort level. Air handlers tend to be paired up with heat pumps and help manage air flow throughout the building.