08/24/2022- American Weathermakers continues to use Ruud products primarily for most of our installs. No one manufacturer can make the right product for all applications, so we have partnered with York HVAC as well to provide all options for our customers.
“American Weathermakers”
Schedule a Sales Engineer today.
From Evanston to Libertyville, every consumer asks the same question when he is buying a new HVAC system: “What is the best brand of equipment?” Many of the brands of equipment look similar if not identical. To add to the confusion, there may be more than 50 brands. The fact is that there are six major manufacturers which each offer products under multiple brand names. In many cases, the equipment from one manufacturer is identical but in most cases it is at least very similar. Component parts such as motors and gas valves are usually the same, but sometimes features and enhancements very. For instance, Carrier, Bryant, Payne and Tempstar are all brands made by UTC. Carrier and Bryant equipment is almost identical but the Payne and Tempstar equipment may look the same but , in the case of furnaces, may have less acoustical insulation in the blower compartment which makes the unit less expensive but noticeably noisier.
American Standard and Trane equipment is virtually identical. Consumer Reports (July, 2016) rated the American Standard air conditioning the most reliable of all the manufacturers. Trane also manufacturers a lower quality brand Ameristar which is sold for a lower price and may not be as quiet and, in the case of the condensing unit, may have a different grille which is not as attractive or protective.
Rheem and Ruud have also been identical products using the same model numbers on their equipment. Rheem seems to have better market share in the northern states but Ruud has better brand recognition in many of the southern states. American Weathermakers offers the Ruud equipment as our “Signature Series” and have won many awards as one of the premier dealers in the country.
Lennox, Armstrong, Ducane and Concord are all brands manufactured by Lennox Industries. Ducane and Concord are considered builder models and like Ameristar/ RunTru are sold for a lower price and considered to be a lower quality but suitable for residential new construction.
York manufacturers product under the brands York, Lux, and Coleman. Consumer reports July 2016 article did not rate these brands as very reliable.
Goodman and Amana are very similar products and often offered as the low price leader. Because of price, Goodman equipment is often in new construction homes. The same Consumer Reports article rates Amana and Goodman as the most likely to break in the first five years. Although the parts are under warranty for as long as 10 years, the labor usually is not after the first year.
Whether you live in Kenilworth, Winnetka, or Skokie, the most important decision is not the brand or manufacturer…it is the company that installs your equipment. The top of the line equipment will not operate efficiently if it is not properly sized, installed, and commissioned. At American Weathermakers, we know that no manufacturer can possibly offer the best unit for every application. Our technicians will recommend equipment from our many brand offerings and give you options in different price ranges based on your home…not just what we have in stock. Since 1949, our reputation has been built with every unit we have installed. From Chicago to Kenosha, we are known as a company that can be trusted for honest pricing on top brands and outstanding service. We say with confidence that we are THE BEST VALUE.
