• Quality
• Efficiency

• Select a brand name that you trust
• Solicit recommendations
• Look for 3rd party endorsements

Select a brand name that you trust

As a general rule, the bigger, better known brands will have a better reputation for quality and reliability - that's how they got to be so well recognized. For example, Carrier products undergo a rigorous series of quality tests that begins during initial product development and continues with field-testing of hand-built prototypes. Many of Carrier's quality checks during production are performed on every product we make, not just random samples. And, final products are run-tested. Every product we make is then backed by warranty protection of key components as well as the entire product.

Solicit recommendations

Recommendations from friends, neighbors or trusted acquaintances can be helpful as well. Ask people you trust if they've had a new indoor comfort system installed. If they're happy with what they've purchased, it may be worth you time to take a look at the products yourself, check the quality of installation, and feel the comfort. When doing so, remember that every home is different, and what may work in your friend's home may not be the best solution for you.

Look for 3rd party endorsements

Product endorsements from independent ratings companies, government agencies, or consumer groups are generally good sources for reliable information. These entities have nothing to gain by praising a particular product, so you can typically trust the information and opinions they provide. Some third-party endorsements to look for may include:

• EPA's Energy Star
• EPA's Green Seal
• Consumer Digest

• AFUE (gas heating)
• SEER (cooling)
• HSPF (heat pump heating)

AFUE (gas heating)

The efficiency of a furnace is measured in a rating known as AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). A lot like your car's miles per gallon rating, AFUE tells you how efficiently the furnace converts fuel (gas or oil) into heat. An AFUE of 80% means that 80% of the fuel is used to heat your home, while the other 20% basically goes up the chimney.

The government mandated a minimum AFUE rating for furnaces installed in new homes is 78%. (In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60%, so nearly half the fuel was being wasted.) Furnaces with AFUE ratings of 78% to 80% are considered "mid-efficiency"; those with ratings of 90% or higher are known as "high efficiency." The maximum furnace efficiency available is around 96.6%.

In general, a higher efficiency furnace usually means two things:

• higher price
• lower monthly operating cost

Payback. 

If you live in a cold climate, you could see a payback in a few short years. If you live in a moderate climate, it might make more sense to purchase a mid-efficiency furnace. Your dealer can use heating data from your area to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost of a high-efficiency model in energy savings. (Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of the system.)

SEER (cooling)

Cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently a unit uses electricity. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency.

The typical SEER rating of units manufactured prior to 1992 is about 6.0.Now, the government mandated minimum is 10.0 SEER. High-efficiency units have a SEER of at least 12.0; the maximum available is about 17.

HSPF (heat pump heating)

Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). In general, the higher the HSPF rating, the less electricity the unit will use to heat your home.

The government mandated minimum heating efficiency standards for new heat pumps is 6.8 HSPF. Most heat pumps manufactured before 1992 have HSPF ratings below 5.0. Today, an HSPF of 7.5 or higher is considered "high-efficiency"; the maximum available is 10.0.

Payback. 

Higher efficiency in heat pumps and air conditioners usually means higher cost but lower utility bills. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate, you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years. Ask your dealer to help you determine about how long it would take you to recover the additional cost in energy savings. Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills.

Matching Your System for Optimum Efficiency. 

There's one other factor that affects the efficiency of your air conditioning or heat pump system: the indoor coil. (Your heat pump or air conditioner is a "split system," which means that there is an outdoor unit, or condenser, and an indoor unit, or evaporator coil.) If your condensing unit is not matched with the proper indoor coil, it may not give you the stated SEER and/or HSPF ratings and could even develop performance problems. (It's kind of like putting two new tires on one side of your car and leaving the old, worn-out ones on the other side. You'd probably be disappointed with both the performance and the miles per gallon you get.) When you're replacing an existing system, make sure you replace both units so your new condensing unit will give you optimal performance, efficiency and comfort.
   

Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

An air conditioner or heat pump sitting next to your house can create a lot of noise both inside and outside your home. To compare sound levels of different brands, ask your dealer about the bel rating of units you are considering. Bels, similar to decibels, range from 0 to 13. Most air conditioners and heat pumps operate at 8 to 9 bels; some units' ratings are as low as 6.8. That may not sound like a wide range, but consider this: 9 bels sounds 10 times louder than 8 bels. That means one 9-bel air conditioner is as loud as 10 units rated at 8 bels. So we think taking the time to compare bel ratings is pretty sound advice. Sound levels inside your home may also be reduced by matching your outdoor unit with a variable-capacity furnace or fan coil.