All good points.... but look at cars and the customer satisfaction surveys etc... I guess a "Lemonaid" guide to furnace brands is out of the question but it is a significant purchase compared to home electronics etc and you can find epinions etc galore on that stuff.

I am more talking about frequency of repairs of the actual furnace than comfort levels throughout the house. Surely that is not that complicated to compile, although I can see why manufacturers of less reliable models would not like that kind of info out there! Even epinions has nothing on so expensive a purchase! I am just surprised by this. I am also surprised that many contractors provide a one price quote. Most home repair quotes clearly break things down into material and labour. I am just looking to get the most value and reliability for my dollar and finding that hard to do.

[This message has been edited by lagerman (edited February 18, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by lagerman (edited February 18, 2003).]

I would guess most furnaces today are made to last for 15 years or so???? They'll never tell you that, of course. Most of the top brands, Trane, Carrier, Bryant, Lennox, are going to be Red Delicious vs. Granny Smith - small differences. Any information I could give you on the units we service would be outdated since equipment changes over the years. We've had the most service calls on York units. But the equipment has supposedly changed a lot over the years??? My suggestion would be to have 3 or 4 companies who carry the major brands come and do an in-home estimate for you (usually no charge) and go with the company that is in the ballpark $-wise and makes you feel the most comfortable. The equipment will usually hold its own - worry more about the service you will get in the future from the company putting it in. That's my opinion.

Do you think that salesman sells Ruud
Hmmm, i wonder.

Dont overlook Hamilton either. I installed one that I bought from Home Depot, and the quality was very good. the case was heavy gauge steel, the layout and design was very well thought out, compact and their service was great. I had a propblem after the installation with a sump that wasnt draining correctly. I emailed the company and that day a technician called my house and helped me figure out what was wrong.

If you can find a company that sells Hamilton products, I'm fairly certain you can get a very good deal.

I just finished installing a Janitrol in the main part of the house to replace the old furnace. The unit installed easily enough, but the layout wasnt that great. It started up and ran perfectly the very first time and havent had a single problem, but its only been a few days, so the jury is still out on it. On a side note, the old furnace doesn't have a name plate on it, but there are several indications that it was a Janitrol as well. I dont know how old the unit it, but it was an 80% furnace and sucked gas like it was a Dodge truck.

The furnace which will be the most reliable is the furnace that is properly installed! A furnace installation is a service purchase, not a commodity purchase. Sizing the unit properly, verify duct configuration, calibrating gas pressure, adjusting airflow for design spec temperature rise...these are among the key considerations. A poorly installed furnace will operate, but typically at lower efficiency and 'strained' to likely increase the need for repairs maintenance. Beyond proper installation, the model within a brand is more important than the brand itself.