Learn about Downflow / Horizontal

ManualsBrandsGoodman Manualsforced air95% 100,000 BTU, GCVM961005DX, Horizontal / Downflow

Boilers heat water and circulate the hot water or steam through

pipes to radiators in each room. There is no ductwork con-

nected to boilers, and they aren’t central air conditioning

compatible – they are used for heating only. Some people say

that they like the way the heat feels from a boiler system since

it is radiant; gentle rays of heat come from the room radia-

tors instead of warm air being blown into the room like with a

forced air heater.

Another increasingly

popular way to use

a boiler is for in-oor

heating. Tubing is

placed under the oor

that the hot water

circulates through, which makes the entire oor warm. This is

especially nice if you have tile ooring which is typically cold

to walk on in the winter. Whichever way a boiler is used, with

room radiators or with in-oor tubing, pipes or tubing are re-

quired throughout the home to circulate the boiler’s hot water

or steam. If you have a boiler and piping already, the best home

heater choice for you is to replace it with another boiler.

3) Split-System Heat Pump

A heat pump is a central air conditioner that provides cooling

in the summer, and then runs backwards in the winter to also

provide heating. It operates entirely on electricity and is usually

a low-cost way to heat a home. A split-system heat pump has

two parts, the heat pump which sits outside in the yard, and an

air handler which sits inside the home and connects to duct-

work to distribute the warm or cool air throughout the home.

Heat pumps work best in warmer parts of the country, but can

be used in the North as well when accompanied by a second-

ary source of heat (either an electric heater coil installed in the

air handler or a gas furnace.)

A split-system heat pump is a great choice if you:

You live in the Southern USA•

You want air conditioning too•

Electricity is relatively aordable in your community •

(compared to gas or propane)

You have or will be installing ductwork in the home•

You are replacing a split-system heat pump•

4) Package Units

A packaged unit type of equipment means the entire equip-

ment sits outside the home. The only thing in the home is the

ductwork which exits the home and connects to the packaged

unit. Package units usually come with air conditioning as well

as heating combined in the same equipment. The two types of

packaged units are:

Packaged Heat Pump• s – These run entirely on 220v electric-

ity, and provide both heating and cooling

Gas Pack• s – These run on natural gas or propane for heat, and

220v for air conditioning

Packaged units are a good choice if:

You have no space inside the home for heating equipment•

You live in a mobile or modular home (they blow the air •

properly through these home’s special ducting)

You are replacing an existing packaged unit•

5) Hanging Furnaces

A hanging furnace operates on natural gas or propane, and is

suspended from the ceiling. Hanging furnaces (often called a

“garage furnace”) are used in warehouses, garages, workshops,

and other similar spaces. No ductwork is required, as the unit

blows the warm air directly into the space.

Hanging furnaces are not capable of being connected to a

central air conditioning system, and most manufacturers don’t