Guide to Carrier Heat Pumps and Furnaces

!±8± Guide to Carrier Heat Pumps and Furnaces

Since the company's beginnings when Willis Carrier invented air conditioning in 1902, Carrier products have long been favored by homeowners, business owners and HVAC installers. Carrier products often fair well in customer reviews and offer ultimate comfort and efficiency when it comes to heating or cooling a home or business. If your home needs a new furnace or heat pump, below are brief descriptions of the heating products offered by Carrier.

Carrier Heat Pump Choices

Carrier offers two types of heat pumps - Comfort and Infinity. The two Infinity units are Infinity 16 and Infinity 19. Both brands use Puron refrigerant, which will not deplete the ozone layer. Comfort units provide a customized comfort system that can be tailored to heat and cool any type of home. The Hybrid Heat Dual Fuel System includes a gas furnace and electric pump to help stave off high energy bills. In this combination, the unit is designed to switch between electric and gas heating as needed to optimize efficiency from each fuel source.

Carrier Comfort heat pumps come with efficiency ratings of up to 16.0 SEER (cooling) and 9.0 HSPF (heating). Other features of Comfort heat pumps include sound ratings that are under 75dB, Energy Star compliance, and they have a scroll compressor.

Carrier Infinity 19 heat pumps feature a two-stage scroll compressor, WeatherArmor Ultra, a galvanized steel construction, up to 19 SEER and 9 HSPF efficiency, Puron refrigerant, and a steel louver coil guard. Both the Comfort and Infinity series units are protected by a 10-year limited warranty for the compressor and a 5-year limited warranty on the entire unit.

Carrier Gas Furnace Options

If you need a gas furnace installed, consider one of the six Carrier gas heating systems. The Infinity ICS gas furnace has up to a 95 percent AFUE with precision temperature control. It is the quietest unit on the market and features IdealComfort technology, a sealed combustion system, a pilot-free PowerHeat ignition, ComfortHeat technology, IdealHumidity, and up to 3.5 times better temperature control.

The Performance 80 gas furnace helps minimize temperature swings with a two-stage control. Most of the time it can heat on low, and the furnace is reliable and quiet. It has many of the same features as the Infinity ICS but also has QuietTech noise reduction, a 4-5 blower speed, and an optional air cleaner cabinet. The Performance 93 has up to 93 percent AFUE efficiency rating, a ComfortFan, ComfortHeat, QuietTech, a sealed combustion system, a pilot-free PowerHeat ignition, and a high efficiency air filtration cabinet.

Other units to consider include the 58STA (up to 80 percent AFUE), the 58MCB (up to 92.1 percent AFUE, and the Infinity 80 (up to 80 percent AFUE). The 58MCB and Infinity 80 both come with a 20-year limited warranty on the heat exchanger.

No matter which unit you choose, keep in mind that your Carrier furnace or heat pump is only as good as the installer. Whether you need a replacement for your current heating unit or need to install one for the first time, it's important to hire a competent HVAC installer that knows how to handle your installation professionally. Get advice on what unit will work best for your home. Consider the size, age, windows/doors, and type of insulation. Some older homes lack adequate insulation, which can affect how well a heat pump or furnace heats and cools your home. A professional HVAC installer will take time to find out exactly which furnace or heat pump will work best.

To find a local HVAC dealer or installer, you can use the local phone book or easily search online. Use keywords specific to your area. For example, if you live in British Columbia (Canada), you might search for HVAC companies operating in and around your area, such as Abbotsford, Langley, Mission and Chilliwack. Using city names along with keywords such as "HVAC professional" or "HVAC installer" will help you narrow your search to a select few in your area.