Most HVAC buying advice assumes a split system: an outdoor condenser, an indoor furnace or air handler, and a line set connecting the two. But millions of homes don’t work that way. If your heating and cooling come from a single cabinet sitting on a slab beside the house or up on the roof, you own a packaged unit — and when it’s time to replace it, you’ll be shopping a different section of the catalog entirely.
Goodman and its sister brand Solace build some of the most widely installed residential packaged units in the country. This guide walks through the current 2026 lineup — packaged air conditioners, packaged heat pumps, gas/electric “gas packs,” and dual fuel — explains how to read the model numbers, and helps you pick the right type, tonnage, and efficiency tier for your home or your customer’s.
Table of Contents
- What a packaged unit is (and who needs one)
- The four types of Goodman packaged units
- Goodman vs. Solace packaged units: what’s the difference?
- Efficiency tiers: 13.4 SEER2 vs. 15.2 SEER2
- How to read a Goodman packaged unit model number
- Which type is right for your home?
- Sizing: tonnage and furnace input
- Installation planning: airflow, curbs, electrical, and gas
- R-32 refrigerant in packaged equipment
- Warranty and registration
- FAQ
What a Packaged Unit Is (and Who Needs One)
A packaged unit puts every major component — compressor, condenser coil, evaporator coil, blower, and the heat source — inside one factory-assembled outdoor cabinet. Supply and return ducts connect directly to the cabinet, either through the side (horizontal) or the bottom (downflow). Nothing but ductwork and a thermostat lives inside the house.
That design is the natural fit for:
- Manufactured and modular homes, where the ducts run under the floor and there’s no mechanical closet big enough for a furnace.
- Slab-on-grade and crawlspace homes without a basement, attic, or utility room for indoor equipment.
- Rooftop installations on flat-roof homes and light commercial buildings.
- Replacements — if the home was built around a packaged unit, the ductwork is already laid out for one, and swapping like-for-like is almost always the simplest and least expensive path.
If you’re still deciding between the two system styles, our earlier guide on packaged units vs. split systems covers that comparison in depth. This post assumes you already know you need a packaged unit and want help choosing one.
The Four Types of Goodman Packaged Units
Every residential packaged unit cools. What separates the types is how they heat.
1. Packaged air conditioner (GPCM3)
Cooling only, with a blower and space inside the cabinet for an optional electric heat kit. This is the choice for hot climates where heating demand is light, or for buildings that get their heat from another source. With a heat kit installed, it becomes a simple cool-plus-electric-resistance-heat system — inexpensive to buy, but the most expensive type to heat with if winters are real.
2. Packaged heat pump (GPHM3)
Heats and cools with the same refrigerant circuit by reversing its direction. Goodman lists the GPHM3 at 13.4 SEER2 and 6.7 HSPF2, in 2- through 5-ton sizes, with a scroll compressor, a multi-speed ECM indoor blower motor, and airflow that converts between horizontal and downflow. An electric heat kit provides backup and defrost heat. For all-electric homes in mild-to-moderate climates, a packaged heat pump typically costs far less to run in winter than straight electric heat. (For how that backup heat behaves, see our guide to auxiliary vs. emergency heat.)
3. Packaged gas/electric — the “gas pack” (GPGM3)
An air conditioner and a gas furnace in one cabinet: electric cooling in summer, natural gas or propane heat in winter. Gas packs are the standard choice wherever gas is available and winters are cold enough that you want strong, hot supply air regardless of outdoor temperature. Because the furnace section sits outdoors and vents directly from the cabinet, there’s no flue to run through the house.
4. Packaged dual fuel (GPDM3)
A heat pump and a gas furnace in the same cabinet. The heat pump handles mild weather efficiently, and the furnace takes over when it gets cold. Goodman lists the GPDM3 at 13.4 SEER2, 6.7 HSPF2, and 81% AFUE in 2- to 4-ton sizes, with a two-stage gas valve. It’s the most flexible option and the one that lets you choose the cheaper fuel as temperatures and utility rates change — the logic is explained in our dual fuel guide. Availability varies, so contact us if dual fuel is what you’re after.
Goodman vs. Solace Packaged Units: What’s the Difference?
If you browse our packaged units category, you’ll see Goodman models alongside Solace models whose numbers look nearly identical — a Goodman GPHM3 next to a Solace S-GPHM3, for example. That’s not a coincidence. Solace is built on the same Daikin-family manufacturing platform as Goodman, and the “S-” prefix marks the Solace-branded version of the equivalent design.
In practice, that means you should compare the two on the things that actually differ: price on the day you buy, stock availability in your tonnage, the efficiency tiers offered, and warranty terms. Solace also offers a higher-efficiency packaged tier (below) that broadens the choices. Browse Goodman package units and Solace package units side by side, and read our honest review of Solace if the brand is new to you.
Efficiency Tiers: 13.4 SEER2 vs. 15.2 SEER2
Packaged units have lower efficiency ratings than split systems, and that’s normal — fitting both coils into one compact cabinet limits coil surface area. Two tiers cover most of what we stock:
- 13.4 SEER2 (“3” series: GPCM3, GPHM3, GPGM3 and Solace equivalents). The value tier, and by far the most common replacement choice. Lowest purchase price, simple single-stage operation, and widely available in every size from 2 to 5 tons.
- 15.2 SEER2 (“5” series: Solace S-GPHM5 and S-GPGM5). The step-up tier. Higher seasonal efficiency means lower cooling bills, which matters most in long, hot cooling seasons and in areas with high electric rates.
Whether the upgrade pays for itself depends on your climate, your rates, and how long you’ll stay in the home. A mild climate with cheap power rarely justifies it; a Gulf Coast or desert Southwest home that runs cooling eight months a year often does. Our SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2 guide shows how to run that math. Always confirm the exact ratings for a specific model on its product page or AHRI certificate — ratings can vary slightly by size.
How to Read a Goodman Packaged Unit Model Number
Goodman model numbers look cryptic, but they follow a pattern. Take GPGM33608031, a 3-ton gas pack:
- GP — Goodman Packaged.
- G — the unit type: C for cooling only, H for heat pump, G for gas/electric, D for dual fuel.
- M — the cabinet generation; the current “M” series is multi-position (horizontal or downflow).
- 3 — the efficiency series (3 = 13.4 SEER2; 5 = 15.2 SEER2).
- 36 — nominal cooling capacity in thousands of BTU/h. Divide by 12 for tons: 24 = 2 ton, 30 = 2.5, 36 = 3, 42 = 3.5, 48 = 4, 60 = 5.
- 080 — on gas models, the furnace input in thousands of BTU/h (here, 80,000). Heat pump and AC-only models skip this field, which is why a GPHM33631 is shorter.
- 31 — electrical and revision code.
The practical takeaway: on gas packs, the same tonnage usually comes with two or three furnace sizes. A 3-ton unit, for instance, is offered with 40,000, 60,000, or 80,000 BTU/h input. Picking the right one matters, which brings us to sizing.
Which Type Is Right for Your Home?
- Replacing an existing unit? Start with the same type. A gas pack replaces a gas pack; a heat pump replaces a heat pump. Changing types can mean adding a gas line or upgrading electrical service for heat strips.
- No natural gas or propane? A packaged heat pump with an appropriately sized heat kit is almost always the right all-electric answer.
- Cold winters with gas available? A gas pack gives the strongest, most consistent heat. Dual fuel is worth a look if your electric rates are low relative to gas.
- Hot climate, minimal heating? A packaged AC with a small heat kit, or a heat pump for cheaper heat on the handful of cold mornings.
Sizing: Tonnage and Furnace Input
Don’t simply copy the tonnage on the old data plate. The original unit may have been oversized, and insulation, windows, or duct changes since then can shift the load. An oversized packaged unit short-cycles, removes less humidity, and wears out faster; an undersized one runs constantly on design days.
The right approach is a room-by-room load calculation (ACCA Manual J). For a fast starting estimate, use our HVAC system sizing tool, then confirm with your installer. On gas packs, size the furnace input to the heating load, not the cooling tonnage — a 3-ton home in Georgia and a 3-ton home in Ohio need very different furnace sizes. Too much furnace causes short cycling and temperature swings, and can push temperature rise outside the range on the rating plate.
Installation Planning: Airflow, Curbs, Electrical, and Gas
Packaged units are simpler to install than split systems — no line set, no refrigerant charging in a typical install — but the details still matter.
- Airflow direction. Confirm whether your ducts connect horizontally (through the wall or skirting) or from below (downflow, through a roof curb or floor). Multi-position cabinets handle both, but the conversion has to be done correctly before the unit is set.
- Duct connection dimensions. Supply and return openings on a new cabinet rarely match a 20-year-old unit exactly. Plan for a transition or curb adapter, and seal every joint — outdoor duct leakage is pure waste. See our ductwork guide.
- Pad or curb. Ground units need a level, stable pad with service clearances per the installation manual; rooftop units need a properly flashed curb rated for the weight.
- Electrical. Check the nameplate minimum circuit ampacity and maximum overcurrent protection against your existing circuit. Heat pumps and AC units with electric heat kits can require substantially larger wiring and breakers than a gas pack.
- Gas. Gas packs ship set up for natural gas; propane requires the manufacturer’s conversion kit. Gas piping, leak testing, and combustion setup are jobs for a licensed professional.
- Condensate. The drain needs a proper trap and a route away from the foundation.
Transitions, disconnects, whips, thermostats, heat kits, and pads are all in our parts and supplies section, and contractors will find meters and analyzers under tools.
R-32 Refrigerant in Packaged Equipment
Goodman’s current-generation packaged heat pumps and gas packs use R-32, the lower-global-warming-potential refrigerant the Daikin family adopted as R-410A equipment was phased out of new production. For a packaged unit owner, the transition is about as painless as it gets: the refrigerant circuit is factory-charged and factory-sealed, so there is no field-installed line set to evaluate or replace.
R-32 is classified A2L (mildly flammable), so installers should follow the manual’s requirements and local code, and anyone servicing the sealed system needs appropriate certification and A2L-rated tools. Our R-32 vs. R-454B comparison covers the refrigerant itself in detail.
Warranty and Registration
Goodman advertises a 10-Year Parts Limited Warranty on its packaged units when the product is registered online within 60 days of installation, and its dual fuel model adds a 20-Year Heat Exchanger Limited Warranty under the same registration condition. Miss the window and coverage is typically shorter (some states don’t allow warranties to be conditioned on registration). Warranty terms vary by model and brand, so read the certificate for the exact unit you buy, keep your invoice and installation records, and register the day the unit starts up. Our HVAC warranty guide explains what keeps coverage intact.
FAQ
Can I replace a gas pack with a packaged heat pump?
Usually, yes — the duct connections are similar — but you’ll need adequate electrical capacity for the heat kit, and the gas line must be properly capped. Have an electrician confirm your panel can handle it first.
Are packaged units less efficient than split systems?
Their top ratings are lower, because the cabinet limits coil size. But a correctly sized, properly installed packaged unit with tight ducts will outperform a higher-rated split system that’s installed badly.
How long does a packaged unit last?
Lifespan depends heavily on climate and maintenance. Because the whole system lives outdoors, keeping coils clean, changing filters, and clearing debris around the cabinet matter even more than with a split system.
Do packaged units come with heat strips?
Electric heat kits are generally sold separately so you can choose the kW size that matches your load and electrical service. We can help you match the right kit to your model.
Can a homeowner install a packaged unit?
Setting the cabinet and connecting ducts is more approachable than a split system, but electrical and gas connections must meet code and often require licensed trades and a permit. Check local requirements before you start.
The Bottom Line
Choosing a Goodman or Solace packaged unit comes down to four decisions: the type (AC, heat pump, gas pack, or dual fuel), the tonnage, the furnace input on gas models, and the efficiency tier. Match the type to your fuel and climate, size it with a real load calculation, confirm the airflow direction and electrical before you order, and register the warranty as soon as it’s running.
Buy Comfort Direct stocks Goodman and Solace packaged units in 2- through 5-ton sizes, with free shipping on orders over $99, 0% APR financing through Affirm, and a price match guarantee. Not sure which model fits your home? Call our team at (877) 843-4822 or email Info@BuyComfortDirect.com and we’ll help you match the right unit, heat kit, and accessories before anything ships.