An air handler is the indoor component of a heat pump or all-electric HVAC system. It houses the blower fan, the evaporator coil, the filter, and (often) electric resistance heating elements for backup heat or supplemental heat at very cold temperatures.
In a traditional gas furnace + AC setup, the furnace itself contains the blower and the AC evaporator coil sits on top — so there’s no separate “air handler.” In an all-electric heat pump system, the air handler replaces what the furnace would have done.
What’s inside an air handler
- Blower fan (variable-speed ECM in modern units)
- Evaporator coil (cooling and heat-pump heating)
- Filter rack
- Electric resistance heat strips (backup heat)
- Drain pan and condensate connection
- Control board and safeties
Related: Evaporator Coil, Blower Motor, Heat Pump.
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Right Way Mechanical is a family-owned HVAC contractor serving Wheat Ridge, Arvada, west Denver, and the Colorado foothills.