Trane vs Carrier vs Lennox: what do their own pages say?

Product lines and tiers

All three sell furnaces and air conditioners in tiers. The structure differs:

• Trane: its air conditioner page sorts equipment by compressor type: variable-speed (including the TruComfort line), multi-speed and single-stage. Its furnace page describes single-stage and two-stage furnaces plus high-efficiency condensing models.
• Carrier: three named series for both air conditioners and furnaces. Infinity (variable-speed, modulating on select furnaces), Performance (two-stage furnaces, ENERGY STAR on select models) and Comfort (single-stage furnaces).
• Lennox: three named series: Dave Lennox Signature Collection, Elite Series and Merit Series, across both furnaces and air conditioners.

Highest published efficiency ratings

These are the highest ratings stated on each brand's current residential product pages when we checked. Each figure applies to specific models, not the whole lineup.

• Trane: air conditioners range from 13.4 SEER2 up to 23.6 SEER2. Furnaces: 97.3% AFUE for its 96 Modulating Variable Speed Gas Furnace.
• Carrier: air conditioners with SEER2 ratings as high as 21. Furnaces: up to 98.5% AFUE for the Infinity 98 (only certain sizes meet ENERGY STAR North at 97%+).
• Lennox: air conditioners up to 26.0 SEER2 (SL25KCV), and the Elite and Merit series lists up to 22.5 and 18.0. Furnaces: up to 99.0% AFUE for the SLP99V. Lennox also lists 80% AFUE models.
• For what SEER2 means for your house, see what SEER rating to get.

Published warranty terms

Warranty terms depend on registration, product and sometimes state. These summarize each brand's own pages. Terms change, so confirm the terms for your exact model on the brand's site.

• Trane: says its base limited warranty lasts five years in most cases, and the registered limited warranty lasts 10 years in most cases, with registration required within 60 days of installation. Trane's explainer lists a 20-year furnace heat exchanger warranty and up to 12 years on the compressor for select units. Trane says neither the base nor the registered warranty covers labor.
• Carrier: Consumer Choice program. Register within 90 days of installation and choose either a 10-year parts-only limited warranty or a 5-year parts plus 3-year labor limited warranty. The labor option is available only if your installing dealer elected to take part. If you do not register, the standard 5-year parts-only warranty applies. New construction is not eligible.
• Lennox: the basic limited warranty needs no registration. By series: Signature Collection 10 years on covered components and compressor; Elite 5 years components and 10 years compressor; Merit 5 years on both. Heat exchangers are 20 years or limited lifetime, depending on model. The extended limited warranty requires registration within 60 days of installation (existing homes) or closing date (new construction), with different rules in a few states. Some options add 3 years of labor in place of longer parts coverage.

Who owns each brand

• Trane Technologies's site names Trane and Thermo King as its core global brands, with global headquarters in Swords, Ireland.
• Lennox's company history says Lennox International Inc. was established in 1982 as the parent company of Lennox Industries Inc., and that corporate headquarters moved to the Dallas, Texas area in 1988.
• Carrier's brands page lists Carrier alongside Bryant, Heil, Comfortmaker, Payne, Tempstar and others. It does not state an ownership structure, so we do not describe one.

Installation and sizing matter as much as the brand

ENERGY STAR says oversized equipment may cycle too frequently, resulting in less comfort and a shortened lifespan, and that poor system airflow can reduce efficiency and raise utility bills. It lists quality installation as proper sizing based on your home, airflow that meets the manufacturer's specification, correct refrigerant charge, and evaluated and repaired ducts. DOE's contractor guide similarly says poorly installed or damaged ducts can cancel out the savings of an efficient fan motor.

Trane's own warranty explainer adds that failures from improper installation are not covered. Ask how a contractor sizes the system and checks ducts: what size AC or furnace you need and how to choose an HVAC contractor.

What we could not compare

We could not open the AHRI Directory, so there are no AHRI-certified ratings here. Ask a contractor for the AHRI certificate number of the exact equipment combination. We do not rank brands or rate reliability.

Compare quotes

Contractors can quote equipment from more than one brand. To reach one independent local contractor, get a free quote. We are a referral service, not an HVAC contractor.

Sources

• Trane Warranty and Registration (Trane)
• Trane Warranties: Everything You Need to Know (Trane)
• Air Conditioners (Trane)
• Furnaces (Trane)
• Company (Trane Technologies)
• Carrier Home HVAC Warranty Registration and Coverage (Carrier)
• Air Conditioners (Carrier)
• Furnaces (Carrier)
• Infinity 98 Gas Furnace (Carrier)
• Brands in Climate Solutions (Carrier)
• Lennox Product Warranty (Lennox)
• Furnaces (Lennox)
• Air Conditioners (Lennox)
• About Lennox (Lennox)
• HVAC Quality Installation (ENERGY STAR)
• HVAC: A Guide for Contractors to Share with Homeowners (U.S. DOE)