Key takeaways
- A packaged system houses all components in one outdoor unit.
- It saves indoor space, common where there is no room for an indoor unit.
- Often used on smaller lots, mobile homes, and light commercial.
- Split systems remain more common for typical homes.
Most homes use a split system, with an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. But packaged systems, where everything lives in one outdoor cabinet, are the right answer in certain situations. Here is what to know.
Quick answer
A packaged HVAC system combines all components, heating and cooling, into a single outdoor unit, often on the roof or a slab. It is ideal when there is no indoor space for an air handler, such as smaller homes, mobile homes, and many light-commercial buildings. Split systems remain more common for typical houses.
What a packaged system is
Unlike a split system, a packaged unit contains the compressor, coil, and air handler in one cabinet outdoors. Ducts connect directly to that single unit, so no equipment sits inside the home.
Advantages
- Frees up indoor space, no closet or attic unit needed.
- Simpler, often faster installation.
- Maintenance is all in one accessible location.
Best uses
Packaged systems are common on smaller lots, mobile and manufactured homes, and light-commercial buildings, the kind of commercial work we handle regularly. They suit homes where indoor space is at a premium.
Packaged vs split
For most traditional homes with attic or closet space, a split system is still the go-to. If indoor space is tight or you have an existing packaged setup, a packaged unit makes sense. We can advise based on your home.
Wondering what fits your home?
We install and service both packaged and split systems. Let us recommend the right one.
