Carrier air conditioner prices: what is published and what to compare

Carrier's range is wide on purpose. It describes the range as an average and says it does not include the cost of installing a furnace. Evaporator coils and ductwork modifications also add to the price, according to the same page. This Old House says to treat a brand average as a starting point, not a guaranteed price.

Carrier does not publish dollar figures for its furnaces or heat pumps by model on the pages checked for this guide. For those, a dealer quote is the only real number.

Carrier groups its equipment into three tiers and marks them with dollar signs instead of prices.

• Comfort Series. The standard tier, which Carrier describes as its most accessible price points.
• Performance Series. The mid-tier.
• Infinity System. The top tier, which Carrier says is typically priced higher than the mid-tier options.

Within a tier, size matters next. Carrier notes that larger units designed to cool bigger spaces generally come with higher price tags.

The third factor is the installation. Carrier says the final price fluctuates with the local market, the condition of the home and the area climate, and that the best way to get accurate pricing is to contact a local Carrier dealer for an evaluation of your home. Dealers are independent companies. Labor, refrigerant lines, electrical work, duct changes and permits make up a large part of every quote, which is why the same unit can be priced very differently in two homes. The AC replacement cost guide covers those factors for any brand.

Carrier's warranty page says you must register eligible equipment within 90 days of installation to activate your preferred coverage. Registered owners can select 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 the installing dealer has elected to participate.

If you register after 90 days, Carrier says the standard 5-year parts warranty applies with no labor coverage. Put the registration deadline on your calendar the day the system goes in, and ask the dealer for written confirmation if they register it for you.

• Exact model numbers for the outdoor unit, the indoor coil or air handler, and the furnace. A brand name alone tells you very little.
• Size and efficiency. Tons or BTU, SEER2 for cooling, and whether the compressor is single-stage, two-stage or variable-speed.
• How the size was chosen. A load calculation for your house beats copying the old unit's size.
• Scope of installation. Refrigerant lines, pad, electrical, drain, duct changes, thermostat, permit and removal of the old equipment.
• Warranties. The manufacturer's parts term, who registers the equipment, and the installer's own labor warranty in writing.

Ask each dealer which tier and model they are quoting and why. If one quote is for a Comfort Series unit and another for an Infinity System, the gap is mostly the equipment. If both quote the same model, the gap is installation scope, labor warranty and overhead. More replacement prices are in the HVAC cost guides.