American Standard Air Conditioner: Most Reliable Review

The last thing any homeowner wants is for their  American Standard air conditioner to malfunction during hot, humid weather. Unfortunately, this often happens if homeowners neglect their systems. If you’re looking for a new central air conditioner, you should consider an American Standard system, which rivals some of the Air-Con brands.

How to Maintain an Air Conditioning System

Before your central air conditioner stops working due to neglect, these tips can keep it in good shape, and they are easy to do.

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GIVE OUTDOOR AC UNIT ROOM TO BREATHE

The outdoor unit, which is a condenser, needs to have space around it to allow air to circulate through it. However, if leaves, plants, grass or other debris is close to it, they can smother the system and make it work harder to send cold air throughout your house.

American Standard air conditioner service experts recommend regularly trimming grass, removing leaves, and other debris to give the unit good airflow. Do not place or plant anything within three feet of the unit, and if plants are already there, consider moving them. Then, you can put mulch or gravel around the condenser to prevent new plant or grass growth near it.

WASH OUT DEBRIS

After clearing access around the condenser, you should also wash it out. Some debris may be in the registers or inside the unit, so take the time to spray it out with a garden hose. Don’t use a power washer because the water pressure could damagefan blades and registers, causing the unit to shut down. Washing it out can also remove pollen that could trigger allergy attacks.

CHANGE FILTERS FREQUENTLY

The filters of an  america standard air conditioner can clog, which restricts airflow through the system. The unit will need to work harder to push air through the dirty filter, which can shorten it’s live. However, if you change the filters about once every three months, then the air will easily flow through the filters and reduce the stress on the unit.

During hot summer months, you may need to change the filters more frequently. Check them at least once a month to see if they need replacing. Along with better airflow, you and your family will also breath cleaner air.

PARTIALLY CLOSE REGISTERS

If you have a two-story house, you can help the air flow more efficiently to keep the entire house cooler. Since hot air rises, the upstairs area is usually warmer than downstairs, which can keep triggering the american standard air conditioner to cycle on. To save energy, partially close the registers, or vent openings, downstairs to allow more cool air to flow upstairs.

However, do not close the vents all the way. Closing them completely can lead to the coil freezing and shutting down the system. If this happens, don’t panic. Give the coils some time to thaw, open the registers, and turn the system back on.

With the registers partially open, more cool air will flow upstairs, then drop to keepthe downstairs level cool, which will make the house more comfortable. Also, keep the registers free from dust and debris, so it doesn’t fly into the air when the AC unit is working.

GET THE SYSTEM SERVICED PROFESSIONALLY EVERY YEAR

Schedule an annual cleaning and inspection of your american standard air conditiooner unit every year to make sure they are in good shape, to fix any problems they may discover, and help it work more efficiently. Along with checking the lines, fan blades, motors, wiring and other inner workings of the units, having a professional service it will also check refrigerant levels to make sure you have enough for the upcoming season.

The best time to schedule maintenance is before you need to turn the AC on, which will vary geographical areas. In warmer areas, a late March or early April appointment may work well. In colder regions, you can probably wait until mid- or late May.

What is American Standard Air Conditioner and How does it Work?

American Standard Companies is a diverse business that began with manufacturing plumbing parts in 1875 and then bathroom fixtures. They also bought companies that specialize in medical diagnostic systems, automotive parts, and air conditioning. The company acquired Trane in 1983, which fit in with their air conditioning manufacturing business.

While they primarily sell their products under the Trane name, they also sell air conditioning systems under American Standard as well. Along with Trane, they sell:

• Residential central air conditioning units.
• Residential ductless air conditioning units.
• Commercial HVACs.
• Commercial and residential heat pumps.
• Commercial and residential air handlers.
• Residential furnaces.
• Commercial air chillers.
• Commercial ductless HVAC systems.

They also manufacture controllers and other parts through the Trane division. Since that division handles commercial cooling needs, they can customize systems to their clients through Building Services.

Company representatives can go onsite and get measurements, view the areas that require cooling, find the best placement for equipment, and then create a proposal for the companies with which they work. Many of their competitors in the residential market, such as Air-Con brands, cannot compete with American Standard aka Trane because they do not offer commercial equipment or services. 

Trane also offers financing for their residential products, and seasonal and emergency maintenance. On the commercial side, they also design refrigeration systems for clients who need them. Also, they carry the parts for their systems for maintenance needs.

The air conditioning systems sold under the American Standard name includes six central air systems from the Silver 13 to the Platinum 20 and one low profile system. All the systems have multiple models. The low-profile models connect to a complete system for use in small or tight spaces, like beneath a porch or in a condo.

When looking for an American Standard system, it is better to go through a business thatsells them directly from the factory. Many online retail stores may only have their old models. Whereas a dealer will have the most current systems and they can order the size that your home requires.

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What Makes American Standard  Air Conditioner Unique?

There really isn’t anything unique about their AC systems, but American Standard air conditioner has a good reputation within the HVAC industry. Many homeowners find them to be reliable and require few repairs if homeowners perform routine maintenance on them.

One of the unique things about the company is that it doesn’t sell residential window or through-the-wall systems, but they do have ductless models. They have what the industry calls mini-split and multi-split ductless systems. However, they don’t classify them as air conditioners.

Instead, their ductless models are sold under a separate category because they also act as a heat pump that heats, as well as cools homes. Since they only reference their central air systems under air conditioners, we will stick to that standard for the rest of the review.

Seer Ratings

Before going on to the next section, it’s important to understand the ratings of AC units. Each American Standard air conditioner has a SEER rating, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This rating is a requirement of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and tells consumers how much energy a unit can expect to use in one year.

The higher the SEER rating, the more powerful the system, which uses more energy. For American Standard air conditioner, they have units like the Platinum 20 that has a SEER rating of 22.0 and the Platinum 18 with a SEER of 18.5. The ratings can give homeowners an idea of how much they will spend each year to keep their homes cool and comfortable.

Pricing

Many review websites consider the American Standard AC systems, as well as the Trane models, too costly. They claim there are comparable models on the market to rival these brands, even though some sites consider them to be among the best on the market.

For American Standard, the price breakdown is:

• Platinum 20 with SEER 22 is $$$ for the system and $$$ if it includes installation.
• Platinum 18 with SEER 18.5 is $$$ for the system and $$$ including installation.
• Gold 17 with SEER 18 is $$$ for the system and $$$ with installation.
• Silver 16 with SEER 17 is $$$ for the system and $$$ with installation.
• Silver 14 with SEER 16 is $$$ for the system and $$$ with installation.
• Silver 13 with SEER 14.75 is $$$ for only the system and $$$ including installation.

Most of the models range from 1.5 or two to five tons, which could affect the price as well. The larger the system, the more BTUs, or British Thermal Units it puts out, which is its energy consumption. The size of the unit you get will depend on the square footage of your home, and a dealer can help you find the best system for your needs. The pricing above also includes the 2.5-ton outdoor condenser units.

Public Perception

As previously mentioned, American Standard systems, along with Trane, have a good reputation among both customers and review websites. The site Top 10 Reviews has them at number four on their list of the Best Top 10 Central Air Conditioning Brands. Trane rates right above them at number three.

The review mentions how quiet the units are, along with the sturdiness of the outdoor condenser units and how it can withstand the elements, resist corrosion, and won’t get dirty due to its finish. They also liked their high SEER ratings and their warranties.

The american standard air conditioner units have 10-year warranties that include the outdoor coil. Other brands have lifetime warranties, but they may not have the same SEER ratings. Top 10 Reviews give American Standard a score of 8.63 out of 10.

The review site Pick HVAC Cooling & Heating Guide has reviews by their readers who are also American Standard customers. Most of the reviews were favorable, with many buyers’ saying the systems were good quality, quiet, and did the job of cooling their homes very well.

A couple of the reviewers wrote that they were unhappy with their systems. One reviewer said he only had the system about two years before the compressor went out. The other negative reviewer said that he had had nothing but problems with the air conditioner because it broke down again after a repair. However, the positive reviews were more plentiful than the negative ones.

How it Compares

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The American Standard air conditioning systems have many competitors, but the Trane systems shouldn’t count as a competitor since they are an American Standard brand. However, other companies like Amana and Lennox systems are comparable to them.

The Amana brand came in number one on the top 10 list of best central air systems with many buyers. In comparison to American Standard, the Amana systems have a higher average SEER rating at 17.7 compared to 16.66. They also operate quietly, with both systems around 70 decibels, and the Amana has a sleeker design. Overall, this brand has a 9.15 rating out of 10 on this site.

Pricing for the Amana models is slightly higher than American Standard air conditioner and range from$$$ for their SEER 24.5 model, the AVXC20, to $$$ for the ASX13 with SEER 14. These prices do not include installation.

The Lennox central air conditioners are number two on the site’s top 10 list of best central air conditioning units and have a rating of 8.85. The average SEER rating is 17.9, which is more efficient than the American Standard. Some of their units are also quieter at 59 decibels, but their inexpensive models can be much louder at 76 decibels.

Their units are multiple speed, which is more efficient. They offer a 10-year limited warranty, which is like the American Standard’s, but their pricing for the units are higher than the American Standard. The Lennox XC21 with a SEER of 21 costs $$$ and their 13ACX with a SEER of 13 is $$$.

What We Think

With the positive reviews from customers and experts, including some AC servicing companies that noted their reliability and quality, we can recommend the American Standard central air conditioners to homeowners who need to replace their current systems.

It is important to note that an American Standard air conditioner should be bought from a dealer who can offer servicing and support after the sell. Also, they can help homeowners determine the size of the unit they need to keep their homes cool while providing the most efficient units to save money on their electric bills. 

Compared to the other brands, they are comparable in quality and price, so the American Standard systems are a good choice, especially over Air-Con brands.