Lennox offers air conditioning, central heating, and ventilation to its customers. They make high-efficient heating and cooling units and make some of the top products today. Carrier delivers energy-efficient products that include air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, ductless systems, and thermostats. They have an HVAC technology that can assist you in saving energy costs.
Carrier air conditioning costs more overall and does not offer the best warranties. However, they are best for homeowners who love a quiet system, energy efficiency, and want to purchase from a leader. Lennox is not recommended for owners on a budget or low sound levels, however, they are energy efficient.
Carrier and Lennox are heating and cooling companies that provide high-efficient products to their customers. We’ll dive into the comparison of these two companies when it comes to reliability, efficiency, maintenance, repairs, installations, and costs. In the end, you’ll be able to decide which company is suitable for you.
Everything You Need To Know About Lennox
Since 1895, Lennox has been making products to make homes healthy and comfortable. The three principles they strive to follow are integrity, respect, and excellence. The company was founded by Dave Lennox who owned a machine repair business for railroads.
In 1895, Dave Lennox built the first steel furnace. Over the years, Dave expanded his warehouse, which later turned into a factory. After that, they developed the first forced-air furnace for residential heating.
Over decades to come, Dave Lennox and his company developed central air conditioning systems, two-speed hermetic compressors, gas furnaces, hot water high-efficiency systems, and the quietest air conditioner. Their company has been through wars, natural disasters, pandemics, and economic recessions. Their past has helped shape them into the company they are today.
At Lennox, the workers strive to make their customers feel comfortable in their homes. Their products can make the air cooler, cleaner, and better while being energy efficient.
Reliability
If you’re looking for a company that has the most energy-efficient products, Lennox is very reliable to make sure that you save money on your utility bill. Their products are reliable and have products for customers with every budget.
With Lennox, you can use their furnaces with a heat pump to allow for the most savings and the ability to switch from gas to electric. In terms of usage, Lennox products are long-lasting and worth the cost. Based on customer reviews, the quality of the products is outstanding.
When it comes to reliability, customers have enjoyed the feature that lets them know when to change their filter and when to have it serviced. Their products are reliable, with no noise, and no oils. Your Lennox air conditioning unit will last you anywhere between 10-15 years.
These units can last 10-15 years, often without needing any repairs. With proper cleaning and maintenance, Lennox is one of the most reliable on the market.
Efficiency
When it comes to efficiency, Lennox is one of the most sought-after companies. Lennox air conditioners are best known for their high-energy products. If you’re looking to reduce your home’s utility costs, then you’ll want to consider one of their units.
If you have a high-efficiency air conditioning unit, this will lead to lower utility costs. Many of Lennox’s products have the Energy Star certification. This certification shows commitment to having energy-efficient systems to make a difference in the amount of energy you consume.
Every heat pump that Lennox offers is Energy Star certified. Their SL25XPV has a SEER rating of 24 and can heat and cool with minimal output. You can pair any of their heat pumps with their furnaces to see which is the most efficient.
Their air conditioners are compatible with smart thermostats, have SEER ratings up to 28, and are designed to withstand any harsh elements. Most importantly, they provide extra savings on your utility bills.
Warranty
With Lennox, you’ll have warranty choices and coverage to choose from. Warranties not only bring you comfort but peace of mind. Lennox stands behind their heating and cooling systems to bring you the best warranties and coverage.
Basic Limited Warranty
With the Lennox basic limited warranty, no registration is required. The terms and coverage will be different depending on the product tiers.
Dave Lennox Signature Collection
- Your warranty will cover 10 years on the covered products
- Compressors are covered for 10 years
- Depending on the model, the heat exchanger will be covered for 20 years or a limited lifetime
Lennox Elite Series Products
- Your warranty will cover 5 years on the covered products
- Compressors are covered for 5 years
- Depending on the model, heat exchangers will be covered for 20 years or a limited lifetime
Lennox Merit Series Products
- Your warranty will cover 5 years on the covered products
- Compressors are covered for 5 years
- On heat exchangers, you’ll have 20 years
Healthy Climate Indoor Quality Air Systems
- Depending on the model, you’ll have 2 to 5 years on covered components
Lennox Comfort Controls | Thermostats | Zoning Systems
- Depending on the model, you’ll have 5 to 10 years on covered products
Lennox Ductless Mini-Split Systems
- Your warranty will cover 5 years on the covered products
Lennox Extended Limited Warranty
In addition, Lennox gives their customers the opportunity to extend the basic limited warranty at no additional charge with two options:
Merit Series
For their eligible Merit and Elite series products, Lennox allows their customers to default their 5-year warranty extension, and receive 3 years of coverage for labor and 2 years of coverage for parts. This would give customers a total of 7 years of coverage for parts and 3 years of coverage for labor.
Elite Series
Lennox will allow customers to default the 2-year part extension and receive 3 years coverage for labor, giving them a total of 10 years coverage for parts and 3 years coverage for labor.
Extended Labor Coverage Options With Comfort Shield
Lennox’s comfort shield gives them the coverage that goes beyond the original warranty. This option provides convenient and affordable plans by a third party. Homeowners will be able to transfer coverage to a new homeowner if they sell their home, there are no deductibles or cancellation fees, and will have the option to extend their labor coverage to 3,5,7,10, or 12 years.
Please Note: These warranties are only offered at some participating Lennox dealers.
Maintenance and Repairs
To keep your air conditioner units in working and tip-top condition, regular maintenance and repairs are sometimes needed. Before you decide to call a serviceman, here are some things you can do on your own to make your conditioner perform well.
Clean or Replace Your Filters
One of the most important things you can do is clean or replace the filter for your unit. Filters should be replaced or cleaned at least once a month. If you’re having difficulty picking a filter, you can contact your Lennox dealer to assist you with picking the right one.
If your air conditioning unit is in constant use or there is a lot of dust in your home, your filters will need more attention.
Clean the Coils
Over time, your air conditioning unit’s coils will collect dust. The more dirt and dust your coil collects, the more airflow and insulation will reduce. To keep from blocking airflow, you should remove anything blocking your unit.
Remove Any Debris From Your Unit
Dirt, debris, and other particles can collect on the outside of your unit and decrease the airflow. Make sure you trim back any plants that could be blocking your unit.
Straighten the Coil Fins
On your unit, the coils can easily become bent and can block the air from flowing to your coil. Have your Lennox dealer check them regularly and straighten them out if needed.
To find parts for your product, Lennox offers a repair part finder on its website. This allows customers to manage their time more efficiently and find the parts that they need. You can operate their service on your phone, tablet, or desktop.
You can search for your Lennox parts using their catalog number. Four search options you have include the model/part number, serial number, and catalog number. Lennox also has a Top 5 Replacement Carousel Feature.
This feature allows you to order any needed extras if you end up having a service call with a similar problem. This will not only save customers time but money.
Installation
When installed by a professional, Lennox has been a go-to for companies to use for heating and cooling. Companies install a wide range of their products because they are reliable, high-performing, and energy-efficient. If you’re not a registered professional, installing an air conditioner could seem like a tough job.
For most homes, customers choose a split-system air conditioner. These units consist of an indoor unit, a fan, and an outdoor unit. The indoor portion will be mounted on the wall, while the outdoor unit is installed on the surface level.
Before a professional can install your unit, they must know if you have an old system before you replace it with a new system. In addition, you might need to give them info such as the requirements and job that needs to be completed.
For a professional, the installation process is fairly simple. Please keep in mind that you should never try to install a home air conditioning unit on your own.
Cost
When it comes to home air conditioning and heating, Lennox systems cost the most. Prices for their products will range anywhere from $3,000 to $7,500 depending on the product and its size. Even with their high prices, the company has a great reputation for supplying high-quality products to its customers.
When compared to other companies, Lennox will give their customers more money in savings, which makes it worth it to pay the high price. Lennox does not give the prices of their products on their website, they will only be given over the phone to their customers.
They do not provide the prices because their products are only installed by Lennox dealers. For a customer to get pricing for a product, they must call a Lennox dealer to receive a quote. The price of your unit will depend on the size, age of your home, home design, local climate, and condition of the ductwork.
Everything You Need To Know About Carrier
Willis Carrier designed the first air conditioner in 1902. This was done by finding a way to control humidity. Willis’ invention paved the way for other companies to build the economy.
Willis founded the Carrier company in 1915 and today, leads the world in manufacturing heating and cooling units, including ventilation. The Carrier company creates energy-efficient systems and leads the way in providing air conditioners to their customers. Carrier’s residential solutions provide everything to make their customer‘s homes comfortable, safe, and secure.
The Carrier company offers a wide range of heating and cooling units, air purifiers, and smart controls. Their company knows that their customer’s homes are more than just a place, but is how they feel.
In addition, Carrier offers a healthy home program that is all about health, safety, and wellness. Carrier products will provide next-level comfort to help your family breathe cleaner and healthier air.
Reliability
Carrier has a reputation for providing high-quality HVAC systems. They have several technologies that are patented that increase energy efficiency for their air conditioners, heat pumps, and their furnaces. Carrier products provide high-quality construction if properly maintained, long lasting.
According to product reviews, Carrier products are quiet, and energy-efficient, but are the most expensive. With such great efficiency, this makes their products worth the investment, especially if you’d like to have a high-brand name air conditioner. In addition to their main products, they also offer reliable packaged systems, such as ductless mini splits, air handlers, humidifiers, and more.
In addition, Carrier offers three series of reliable products, such as the flagship infinity series, middle-of-the-road performance models, and budget-friendly comfort options. Carrier also prides itself on reliability because they make sure all of its products are installed by certified technicians that are trained at its factory. This ensures that all of their products are installed accordingly.
Efficiency
Carrier’s main focus is to provide products to their customers that focus on leading technology that will help their customers to save money and to help the environment. Carrier’s HVAC systems provide maximum efficiency and real savings on your energy bills.
Their gas furnaces can save you up to 98% on annual fuel utilization, central air conditioning up to 26 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), and their heat pumps up to 24 SEER. Their Infinity System Control provides two-way communication of the equipment in your AC system.
This function ensures that all of the parts are working as needed and will give you the maximum efficiency for your home. Their geothermal heat pumps will tap into your backyard’s energy and can save you up to 70% on your annual heating and cooling costs. Since geothermal heat pumps are installed indoors they will last longer than an outdoor unit.
Warranty
Your Carrier warranty will only cover parts that are functional such as the blower motor, compressor, coil, control board, etc. Since Carrier is the manufacturer of their heating and cooling units, they provide a limited parts warranty. Carrier will provide a dealer for labor as they see fit.
The coverage for your warranty will begin as soon as your unit is installed. Depending on the product that you purchase, the length of the warranty will vary and if you registered for an extended warranty. Factors that can affect the length of your coverage are if you’re the original owner, or if your unit was installed in a single or multi-family home.
If your unit has normal wear and tear, this will not be covered under their warranty. Parts such as belts, fuses, gaskets, refrigerant, screws, etc, are also not covered under their warranty. If you use any non-carrier parts with your unit and end up damaging the unit, it will not be covered under warranty.
Maintenance and Repairs
During those hot summer months, air conditioners provide relief from the humidity. When running smoothly, air conditioners can be a great thing. However, when the temperature increases outside, this can cause the humidity to rise inside and put stress on your unit.
Air conditioner maintenance and repairs are a must in having your AC unit runniung smoothly. You should have your AC unit serviced by a technician at least once a year. Parts such as your coil and filter require maintenance to run efficiently.
When scheduling regular maintenance for your unit, this can help extend the life of your AC unit. If you have a cooling unit, several factors may determine it’s time for an AC repair. Some of these factors include running constantly, repeated starting and stopping, weak airflow, or high energy bills.
If you need new parts for your unit, you can go to the HVAC Direct website. Some of the parts they carried are circuit boards, heat exchangers, motor and motor parts, pilots and ignition, sensors, switches, valves, and other miscellaneous parts. If you don’t see what you need on their website, you can fill out a request form so they can track down exactly what you’re looking for.
Installation
When installing a new air conditioning unit in your home, the easiest way to make the installation process go smoothly is to call a technician. You never want to try and install an AC unit on your own. During installation, you’ll never know if you need to replace your unit or have an entire system installed.
Are you purchasing a forced-air split system or a geothermal system? These are questions that only a trained technician would be able to answer and to find out which one is right for your home during installation. The most-basic installation can take anywhere from 4-8 hours to install.
If your outdoor unit and your indoor unit need to be installed, you’re looking at around 8-14 hours. The more time it takes to install your unit, the higher the installation costs will be. Installation costs can cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000.
Cost
When purchasing an air conditioning unit, the cost will depend on the size and model type. The best way for you to determine how much your unit is going to cost is to contact your Carrier dealer. For air conditioners, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000 with installation included.
For ductless mini splits, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,000-$10,500 with installation included. For geothermal systems, you can expect to pay anywhere from $12,000-$45,000 with installation included.
When determining the price, there are always factors you’ll need to take into consideration. Do you want a basic unit installed or are you looking for a luxury model? Are you looking for a model that has a high SEER rating?
Are you looking for a model that provides large amounts of savings in energy? These are all questions that will determine the price you end up paying for your unit.
Direct Comparison of Carrier and Lennox
Lennox and Carrier both make high-efficiency products and are top in reliability. When it comes to efficiency, Lennox has 6 models that made the Energy Star list, while Carrier had 2 that made the same list.
When you purchase a Carrier unit, they will require one of their Carrier contractors who are properly trained to install their unit. This ensures that their Carrier products come with a 10-year warranty. Lennox has warranties that are based on the models and components of the unit.
Below, we’ve added a chart to give you a visual of what both companies have to offer.
| Company/Unit Model | Cost | Installation |
| Lennox XC16 | $2,200 | $4,000 |
| Lennox XC13 | $1,700 | $3,300 |
| Lennox XC20 | $2,700 | $4,500 |
| Lennox 13ACX | $1,500 | $3,100 |
| Lennox 14ACX | $1,600 | $3,200 |
| Carrier Comfort 16 24ABC6 | $1,900 | $5,000 |
| Carrier Comfort 15 24AAA5 | $1,600 | $4,800 |
| Carrier Comfort 13 24ABB3 | $1,580 | $4,700 |
| Carrier Performance 13 24ACB3 | $2,000 | $5,300 |
| Carrier Performance 16 24ACC6 | $2,300 | $5,600 |
Pros and Cons
| Company | Pros | Cons |
| Lennox | Great in quality & reliability | Slow repair times |
| Lennox | Best in efficiency | Parts shortages |
| Lennox | Best warranties | Shorter warranties |
| Lennox | High-efficient furnaces | Lower quality |
| Lennox | Smart home options | Expensive |
| Carrier | Great quality | Expensive |
| Carrier | Best training for their dealers | High repair costs |
| Carrier | Best selection of furnaces | Noisy units |
| Carrier | Best in efficiency | Fewer universal parts |
| Carrier | Best in price when compared to Lennox | Overworks in hotter conditions |
What is the Better Choice?
In the end, Carrier takes the lead in many categories. For maintenance and repairs, Carrier has parts available at a moment’s notice and is not overpriced. While both companies have many features, Carrier stays at the top for having more smart features. Their models come with wifi and they are compatible with smartphones.
Carrier has been ranked the number 1 HVAC company of 2022 and designs high-quality systems at a reasonable price. If we had to choose from the two, Carrier would be our top choice when choosing an air conditioning unit. Even though their prices are a little higher than other companies, they have products that will fit any budget.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when selecting the right AC unit for your home, you’ll want to factor in price, reliability, efficiency, maintenance and repair ratings, and how the installation process is. While many families have a budget, what matters most is the quality, safety, and efficiency of the product.
Tip: When choosing the best company for your home, don’t always base your decision on reviews, but weigh the pros and cons of each company and what features and additions would be most suitable for your home.
Ruben has a diverse background in the home services industry, with experience running a construction company, a kitchen and bath showroom, and a moving and relocation company. This breadth of experience has provided him with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in various areas of home improvement in general and specifically in the heating and plumbing niche.