Calling all HVAC guys!

[LabLuvR]

I will say this again and the honest AC guys will tell you its true but all the units and parts are made by basically two companies now. Its just branded with another name. And the unit will only be as good as yearly services you do to the unit.

Exactly!

[LabLuvR]

Flip a coin on the brand they are almost the same anyway and go with a good service company for the install. The air flow and other important criteria are more important than brand. Only, a few know air flows etc.

[WoodieSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggie1976
I will say this again and the honest AC guys will tell you its true but all the units and parts are made by basically two companies now. Its just branded with another name. And the unit will only be as good as yearly services you do to the unit.

Exactly!

Flip a coin on the brand they are almost the same anyway and go with a good service company for the install. The air flow and other important criteria are more important than brand. Only, a few know air flows etc.

I understand the manufacturing chains - Carrier, Lennox, Trane, and Amana being the top four or so - with most/all of the rest of the brands linked below them.

However, I have determined that there are some very real differences between some of them. For example, as I noted above, Trane is currently the ONLY ones who have the new aluminum-alloy coils in both the A-Coil and the outside condenser units AND have eliminated the galvanized plate that the copper lines run through, which is where much of the corrosion leakage comes from (supposedly). Others either only have the aluminum-alloy A-Coil and still have copper outside, or still have copper all the way around (Lennox, etc).

IMHO, this is a major improvement compared to the "decline" in tube quality (due to wall thickness reductions, copper quality, etc, etc) that the other brands are still dealing with. One major HVAC contractor in this area did an analysis of their customer's freon leaks a year or so ago vs. the new aluminum coils and found an phenomenal improvement from 12% with the copper coils to 1% in the aluminum alloy coils. That is a BIG difference, and may be enough to get me to go with Trane over Tempstar.

IMO, Lennox, who still has ALL copper coils/condenser tubes, etc, is leaving themselves way behind, despite the potential of a class-action lawsuit that's being worked on right now for their freon leak problems under warranty. Beats me why they're dragging their feet. I would have expected them to be at the leading edge.

All in all, I disagree that all of the brands and models are essentially the same. That may have some truth to it within a 'class' of products across brands, but there appear to be some distinct differences, based on what I've learned over the past four days.

I completely agree with your comment about finding a good dealer/installer/service contractor. Fortunately I think I've found at least three very good options there. I'm only sorry I'm going to end up disappointing two of them when I make my decisions on this.

[ccleroy]

Flip a coin on the brand they are almost the same anyway and go with a good service company for the install. The air flow and other important criteria are more important than brand. Only, a few know air flows etc.

Bullshit, not ALL units are the same........nor their internals.

[billyjack]

He's right. My unit is bigger than most. And a Smurf lives inside of it.

[ccleroy]

He's right. My unit is bigger than most. And a Smurf lives inside of it.

Hopefully it's not that grumpy sombitch.

[mello_collins]

what about york systems?

[WoodieSC]

what about york systems?

That name never came up and I've reversed my original opinion on Trane based on the research and detailed discussions I had this week with some good people. I'm as surprised as anything that I decided to go with Trane, but the all aluminum alloy coils and condenser finally won me over since the warranties were the same between Trane and Tempstar with just a few $'s upcharge for the aluminum-alloy.

Hopefully I've made the right call, but it may be a few years before I know for sure.

Thanks for all the info, suggestions and referrals (one of which got the job)!

[Take em']

When I replaced the system in my old house it had a 10 yr parts AND labor warranty. I will never buy another system unless this comes with it as I have nothing but bad luck when it comes to heating and air.