Air Conditioning in Arlington: Air Conditioner Manufacturers
Now that we’ve taken a look at heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractors, let’s turn our attention to what they actually install — the equipment.
Before we go too deep, this post provides a quick overview of the top manufacturers who sell air conditioning products readily available to homeowners in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and surrounding areas.
Why just a few?
Of all the seemingly thousands of heating and air conditioning manufacturers and brands, there are only a few actual makers of HVAC equipment and systems in the Unites States. About six companies manufacturer heating and air conditioning equipment, although they operate under more than 150 brand names.
You will want to check with your Arlington, TX air conditioning contractor to make sure he sells and installs the brand you are interested in buying; otherwise, you’ll need to find an AC contractor in Arlington that sells and installs what you want.
The follow list also includes recognizable companies who sell primarily consumer electronics, including air conditioners, that can be purchased at Arlington home improvement or consumer electronics stores. These are mostly room and portable equipment.
The list is in no particular order.
One manufacturer is not recommended over another.
Leading Manufacturers
Amana
Amana Corporation is an American manufacturer of household appliances founded by George Foerstner in 1934. It’s now owned by the Whirlpool Corporation.
Amana produces wide range of products including ovens, furnaces, dishwashers, countertops, washing machines, clothes dryers, and air conditioners.
Amana first began producing air conditioners in 1954. In 1997 the company was purchased by Goodman Global. While Whirlpool now owns Amana’s household appliances division, Goodman owns the air conditioner and heater division.
Amana Heating & Air Conditioning products, services, and repair are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas under the names Amana and Goodman. Contact your air conditioning repair contractor in Arlington for availability.
Carrier
In 1902 Willis Carrier invented what became known as the air conditioner. Carrier Corporation is now among the biggest manufacturers of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the world.
Brands include: Bryant, Carrier, Payne, International Comfort Products (Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Heil, KeepRite, Tempstar), Linde Refrigeration, Noresco, Totaline, Transicold.
Carrier products, services, and repair are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas. Carrier operates manufacturing facilities in Tyler. Contact your air conditioning repair contractor in Arlington for availability; if your contractor does not sell and install Carrier equipment, there are many companies that do.
Carrier is known for high quality, reliable products that homeowners pay a premium price for, but included in that price is a reputation for service, ongoing research and development, and a commitment to innovation.
Bryant and Payne are Carrier’s less expensive sub-brands and are popular options for homeowners.
Lennox
Lennox International Inc. is American manufacturing company headquartered in Richardson, just north of Dallas. It was founded by Dave Lennox, the namesake who is often mentioned in Lennox television advertising seen on North Texas televisions.
Lennox focuses on the four core business: commercial and residential heating and cooling, refrigeration, and service. Lennox is considered a premium brand, although it may not be as well known outside of the region as Carrier or Trane.
Lennox products, services, and repair are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas. Lennox manufactures most residential products in Marshalltown, Iowa. Contact your air conditioning repair contractor in Arlington for availability. There may be fewer Arlington AC contractors who sell Lennox equipment than Carrier or Trane.
Trane
Trane is a subsidiary of Ingersoll Rand and is the successor company to the American Standard Companies.
Trane is a global provider of HVAC systems and building management systems and, like Carrier, is considered a premium, quality brand with ongoing research, development, and innovation. Trane is also involved in energy conservation and renewable energy projects.
Trane’s primary brands are American Standard and Trane. Its products, services, and repair are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas. Trane operates a commercial product manufacturing facility in Waco, 90 miles south of Dallas. Along with Carrier, it is a popular AC brand in Arlington, although it is a bit pricier than other companies.
American Standard
American Standard Companies was a global manufacturer of plumbing, HVAC, bath and kitchen products. The company has divested all of its products other than air conditioning, which is sold separately or through Trane.
American Standard is similar to Carrier’s Bryant and Payne sub-brand products and is a popular option for homeowners, particularly those who may not want to pay for “premium” top-of-the-line brands such as Carrier and Trane.
Haier
Haier Group is a multi-national manufacturer of home appliance and consumer electronics headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, People’s Republic of China. It produces wide range of products including televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, computers, mobile phones.
Haier’s room and portable air conditioners are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas at retailers such as Best Buy and Sam’s Club. Haier also markets air conditioners under the Amana brand.
LG
In the early 1990s LG was known as Goldster, a low-budget electronics brand. In 1995 Goldster became LG Electronics and, after a successful overhaul and redirection, the company is now recognized as a quality manufacturer of all sorts of consumer electronics.
LG markets air conditioners, mostly window, wall, casement, and portable models. They are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas at retailers such as Best Buy and Sam’s Club. Its residential systems, however, are not as readily available.
Technicians who service LG note that, while the company is making impressive consumer products, its parts and service infrastructure isn’t as robust as other manufacturers.
GE
GE (the infamous General Electronic Company) is an American multi-national corporation headquartered in Connecticut active in all sorts of businesses.
When it comes to air conditioners, GE is a market-share leader of built-in room window and commercial cooling products, which are readily available in Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Texas at retailers such as Best Buy and Sears.
One thing of particular interest to area homeowners is GE’s vast network of parts, service, and support for all of its appliances, not just room air conditioners.
Kenmore
Kenmore Appliances is a brand of household appliance sold by Sears since 1927. The products are currently manufactured by companies such as Whirlpool, GE, Panasonic, Sanyo, LG (air conditioners), Bosch, Electrolux, and others.
Like GE, LG, and Haier, Kenmore sells single-room air conditioners and air purifiers at retailers in Arlington, Fort Worth, and Dallas such as Sears and Best Buy.
Kenmore products can also be purchased, serviced, or repaired through a few HVAC contractors (although not nearly as many as Carrier, Trane, Lennox, or GE).
Sharp
Sharp Corporation is a multinational company headquartered in Osaka, Japan. It manufactures and designs all sorts of electronic products, but is just a small player in the air conditioner market, most notably ductless mini-split products, which sets it apart from some of the other companies on the list.
Sharp ductless mini-split products are available through a few HVAC companies in the Arlington, Fort Worth, and Dallas area, although interested homeowners may have better luck finding what they want via the Internet.
Who’s the best HVAC manufacturer?
There are about six HVAC equipment manufacturers in the U.S. today, but they operate under more than 150 brand names. Most of the components that make up these brands’ products are made by even fewer companies: Emerson, Johnson Controls, Honeywell.
So, what’s the difference between manufacturers? Typically, there are small differences on the very top-end products, such as who has the bigger touchscreen thermostat, or the equipment is 98.4 percent or 98.3 percent efficient. In the end these are insignificant.
Why?
What impacts performance and consumer satisfaction more than features and functions is the installing contractor.
Unlike a Honda car, for example, HVAC equipment comes in pieces, is uncalibrated, and must be assembled into a system. The Honda CRV is ready to drive off the lot.
Heating and cooling contractors assemble heating and cooling equipment for a specific installation, which is also impacted by other environmental factors. Your home is not a perfect testing lab.
Furnaces and air conditioners don’t snap together and plug in. It takes about $5,000 in tools and a few years of training to “finish what the manufacturer started.”
So, why are Trane, Carrier and Lennox perceived as better?
Large national advertising campaigns don’t hurt — you’ve “heard of them.” You’ve seen their ads during televised football and baseball games.
But more than advertising, these manufacturers are selective about who they let install their products. They don’t let the plumber or handyman doing heating and cooling on the side purchase or install their products.
The Arlington air conditioning repair and installation contractor you choose will rep only a few manufacturers — usually a premium like Carrier and some of its sub-brands, and maybe carry one other manufacturer.
That’s why it pays to shop around — not only for manufacturers and brands but more so for AC contractors in Arlington because the two go hand-in-hand.