Quick answer
A package unit is an air conditioner with the compressor, both coils and the blower in one outdoor cabinet, connected to the house by supply and return ducts. Common in Miami homes without indoor space for an air handler, package units need the same repairs as split systems plus attention to duct connections, cabinet sealing and drainage outside.
Written by Sylvia Denton, HVAC Guides Editor. Updated 2026-09-22.
Package units put everything outside: compressor, condenser coil, evaporator coil, blower and controls, all in one cabinet on a slab beside the house or on the roof. Supply and return ducts run through the wall or roof into the home. In Miami they are common on single-story homes built without a closet or attic space for an air handler, and on some townhomes and small commercial buildings.
Because the whole system lives outdoors, package units face more weather than split systems. Sun, rain, salt and storms reach the blower and evaporator side too, and the duct connections where the unit meets the house can leak air and water if the seals fail.
We service package units like any system, and add the checks specific to them: duct transition seals, the cabinet gaskets, the outdoor condensate drain and the curb or slab anchoring.
