Ruud AC Unit

[Ray]

American Standard and Trane are the same unit.
They don't make anything less than a 13 SEER anymore, but you can still buy lesser SEER units if you can find them.
13 SEER is good, but if you are in your golden years, it will take way too long to get your money back if you buy higher than that.
If you spend the extra money for a high SEER unit, it may take 15 years to get the difference back in elect. savings.
Ruud and Rheem are the same. They are good units also. The 2 stage unit will save a lot on elect. bills at certain times of the year. But you need to try and figure out who much it will save per month and see how long it will take to get the difference back. Also, if you are not insulated well, the 2 stage may not do you any good. Also insulation values in your house will make a difference. The 2 stage may have to run on the high speed all the time to keep up, not saving any money.
The only thing negative about 2 stage compressors is that it is just one more thing to go wrong, but they have been around long enough to be better than when they first came out.
York came out with them about 10 years or longer ago, then quit making them cause they were troublesome.
Most brands have lower cost, medium cost and high cost units of the same SEER.
Lower cost units have less safeties and and timers, lower quality paint jobs ect.
Higher end units have baked on paint, better outside coil protection, more safety's like time delays, pressure switches, printed circuit boards instead of relay controls...ect.
Most name brand units use one of 3 brand named compressors. Trane/American Standard and Carrier use their own brand of compressors.