Originally published February 2016 · Updated 2026
In 2012, we made a deliberate decision to carry one brand of HVAC equipment exclusively. We chose American Standard. Here's the full story of why — including what happened when Carrier and Bryant announced they were moving manufacturing out of Indianapolis.
When Carrier and Bryant announced they were moving their manufacturing from Indianapolis, Indiana to Mexico, everyone had an opinion — from the man on the street all the way up to Donald Trump. We were saddened that production of our major competitor was going to leave our country, even our state.
As an American, I think honest competition is a necessary element for capitalism. As either a Democrat or Republican it is sad for all of us to see jobs go south — we all prefer products made in the U.S.A. A big vacuum of jobs took place in our city, with many people losing their livelihoods. We prayed for the local families affected.
Most HVAC manufacturers in the last 10 to 15 years have moved some or all of their production overseas. The cost savings are real, and it makes business sense on paper. But what gets lost is quality control, craftsmanship, and accountability. When the people building your product are thousands of miles away and the corporate decision-makers are focused purely on margin, the customer eventually pays — in the form of equipment that doesn't last as long as it used to.
We had already been paying attention to this trend for years before the Carrier announcement. In 2012, we researched every major brand available to us and asked a simple question: who still stands behind what they build?
American Standard stood out for a few specific reasons:
We made this decision in 2012 and haven't looked back. But don't take our word for it — here's what third-party data shows:
Consumer Reports has surveyed thousands of HVAC owners on repair frequency, reliability, and satisfaction. American Standard has been rated the most reliable HVAC brand by Consumer Reports readers multiple times in the past decade. Their specific findings: two-thirds of American Standard owners are completely satisfied with system performance by year five — and so few American Standard systems required repairs that Consumer Reports couldn't even calculate an average repair cost. The data set wasn't large enough. That's not a marketing claim. That's what happens when you rarely have to repair something.
Forbes Home ranked American Standard #1 in 2023. Consumer Reports rated their gas furnaces 5 out of 5 (Excellent) in owner satisfaction in 2022. A 2016 product reliability survey of 14,452 owners identified American Standard as the highest brand for reliability.
And from the field — our own field: when we go into homes with 10-to-15-year-old Goodman, Lennox, or Rheem systems, we frequently see compressor failures, control board issues, and equipment that's simply worn out faster than it should have. When we service American Standard systems of the same age, they're typically still running well. The compressors in particular hold up far better than what we see from brands that outsource that component.
We were rarely called to fix an American Standard system. That's the most credible thing a dealer can say — and we can say it honestly.
In 1969, American Standard was instrumental in helping NASA design cleaner and more comfortable indoor environments for returning Apollo astronauts. The company has been setting a higher standard since the 1880's.
Before any unit ships today, it goes through the SEET laboratory — Systems Extreme Environmental Testing — where five years of real-world wear and tear are simulated in four months. Bone-chilling cold, blistering heat, extreme moisture, power fluctuations — eight rounds of testing in extreme conditions. That's what "built to a higher standard" actually means.
We install American Standard exclusively, but we service and repair all makes and models — Carrier, Bryant, Lennox, Trane, Rheem, Goodman, Amana, and others. If you have an existing system of another brand, we can maintain and repair it.
If you're replacing equipment, we'll install American Standard. We believe it's the best available, and we stake our reputation on every system we put in.
Part of why the Carrier/Bryant story hit close to home is that we've always believed companies in an area exist for the benefit of the local citizens. Yes, profit matters — we're a business. But we believe it's not the only driver. There was a day in our country when the milkman took an elder person's trash out, when buying something meant you wouldn't have buyer's remorse. We try to operate that way.
Choosing American Standard — a brand that still employs American workers, that still makes its own compressors, that still stands behind a 10-year warranty — is consistent with that. It's a decision we'd make again today.
Questions about equipment selection? We're happy to walk through the options. 317-782-1900 — or read more about who we are →
We'll tell you exactly what we'd recommend for your home — and why. No pressure, no runaround.
317-782-1900Free second opinion — already got a quote recommending a different brand? We'll give you our honest assessment. 317-782-1900