York Air Conditioner Review: Design, Quality, And Customer Ratings

One of your home’s basic purposes is to provide comfort for you and your family. When outside temperatures rise and fall, you rely on heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment to maintain the inside temperature of your choice.

York has worked for decades to provide high quality air conditioningunits not only for small businesses and enormous skyscrapers, but forresidential use, as well.

York Air Conditioning Units

York offers two lines of residential air conditioning units, with multiple models in each line:

Affinity Series

York’s Affinity series provides you with a higher energy efficiency than other standard units. Affinity series models are split system air conditioning units incorporating York’s QuietDrive Comfort System that provides quieter operation.

​Affinity models offer you many features that add to the comfort of your home:

• ​Advanced design of compressorand other components
• ​Quiet operation from York’ssolid composite base, efficient sound enclosure, and their QuietDrive SoundReduction System with swept-wing fan
• ​Maximum comfort from Affinity’sprecise temperature control
• ​Affinity Hx3 touch-screenthermostat saves energy while providing greater control
• ​High-efficiency Affinity modelsprovide more cooling at less cost – up to 21 SEER
• ​Durable finish for superiorresistance to weather conditions over powder-paint coatings
• ​Internally-protected compressoris more capable of withstanding extreme heat and pressure

Affinity air conditioners come in models to meet all your HVAC requirements, each providing you with premium comfort features and 1-year labor warranty:

• YXV – Energy Star rating of Most Efficient – up to 21 SEER
• YXT – Energy Star qualifying – up to 19 SEER

LX Series

Efficient LX Series air conditioners are split system units designed to reduce your HVAC operating costs. Optional MicroChannel coils result in a smaller footprint, and available tube-in-fin coils include an advanced design, with copper tubing that has aluminum fins mechanically bonded.

​LX models are designed and manufacturedwith advanced features for home comfort:

• ​Single-stage compressor thatprovides the precise level of air conditioning needed
• ​Maximum performance and lowoperating costs from smaller-footprint cabinets
• ​Advanced fan blade design forminimum noise from vibration
• ​Custom-designed for highefficiency in climates common to the Southwest, Southeast, and Northern regions
• ​Optimized coils for efficientrefrigeration circulation and airflow
• ​Innovative assembly process andquality control backed by the expertise of parent company Johnson Controls.

LX models available also include York’s 1-year limited warranty for labor and advanced comfort features:

• YFK – Energy Star qualified for efficiency – up to 17 SEER
• YCG – Energy Star qualified – up to 17 SEER
• YCS – High EER efficiency – 14 SEER
• ​YCE – 14 SEER efficiency
• ​YFE – 14 SEER efficiency
• ​YCD – 13 SEER efficiency
• ​YFD – 13 SEER efficiency
• ​TCHD – 13 SEER efficiency
• ​TCHE – 14 SEER efficiency

LX units include many reliability and efficiency features:

• Single-stage compressors
• 10-year Compressor Limited Warranty*
• 10-year Parts Limited Warranty*
• 1.5-5 ton units
• 13 SEER and up

*Additional specifications and warranty details can be found on York’sfact-filled web site.

Mini-Split Systems

Do you have a special need forhigh-efficiency air conditioning where space or other limitations are concerns? York offers duct-free mini-split systems that just may fill those requirements. These models are ideal for:

• Apartments
• Room Additions
• Older homes where there are noducts, or where adding ductwork is impractical

Available in 7 models from 16-30 SEER units, the ductless mini-split systems have a variety of control options including programmable temperature controls to maximize cooling efficiency.

Air Conditioner Terms You Should Know

To be sure you’re making the right choice for an air conditioner, it’s beneficial to understand the terminology. This ensures that you don’t over-buy or under-cool.

SEER – this is a measurement of cooling efficiency that you will see on every home air conditioner. SEER is an abbreviation for Seasonal EnergyEfficiency Ratio. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit.

Compressor – the pump responsible for moving the refrigerant through the system – from the evaporator coil indoors to the condensing unit outside, and back again. This is the heart of your system, and one of the critical components that should be covered under your warranty.

Split system – the most common type of home airconditioning systems, where components are located both inside and outside the home. The typical components are:

• Evaporator coil – the indoor unit thatserves as the transfer point for heating or cooling the air in the home
• Condensing unit – the outdoor component that dispels the heat from your home into the outside air

Having an understanding of these basic components and rating can help you work with your air conditioning technician to find the right air conditioner for your home.

York Air Conditioner Reviews

From customers

Many York customers are quite satisfiedwith both their equipment purchases, and the service they’ve received:

• “York has been great so far. York heat pump was installed in my home new in 2003. It has run great since day one. The only service it has ever needed was a capacator replacement on the indoor fan motor, which I have been told by my service technician is a common electrical repair on any system after about 5-7 years. Other than that it has been absolutely trouble free, and I would recommend York to anyone, just make sure you are confident with your installer. I have heard time and again that the installer makes a much bigger difference on the performance of a system over time that the brand does.”
• “York is the best brand in the world I have had a York 15 ton air handler with the accompanying condensingunit for 15 years in my house, and it still works great! Working as a part-time AC technician, I have had quiet some experience with several brands, however, none compares to York in reliability, effieciency and user-friendly design. While other manufactures may lure customers with cheap prices and special features, York has always remained true to its standards and has engineered anything between a window ac and a liquid chiller to be a masterpiece, which offers supreme reliability, efficiency, and design.”

From Professionals And installers:

• “I know York makes one of the smallest footprint units out there due to the micro channel outdoor coil which is pretty robust. It is made the same way your radiator on your car is made and is very efficient. It is all aluminum and can resist corrosion better than copper and I wouldn’t doubt if all coils will be aluminum in the future.”
• “I’m a tech and work for a large contractor. We sell and service Yorks and a few other brands. We also have a large customer base with all the major brands and some of the other off-brand HVAC stuff. I think every brand has their day and their defects from time to time but what is really important is the installation. I’m a service guy but our installation crews do great work and take pride in what they do. I’ve been behind other contractors and wonder how they ever got into the business in the first place.”
• “I think York makes a great product and they have classes for us techs quite often to keep us up to datewith the equipment and technical skills.”

But all is not rosy – other customers appear quite distraught with their experience:

• “Bought a York due to its ‘10 year warranty.’ Compressor no good after only 2 years. The unit has been down for over two weeks. Waiting on York to ship the new compressor. House is burning up and we cannot find out if it has shipped yet.”
• “We have 2 of York's top of the line, high efficiency units. Installed 12/26/2008. Still under warranty. Our coil on the downstairs unit has gone out 3 times. Last time was late June. Took 8 days to get one shipped to our hvac guy. Eleven days, same unit, the chiller unit burnt up. We've been without A.C. since. New unit was ordered 8 days ago. York advises that it will be another 7-14 days before they can ship new one. Here in the south, the effective temperatures have been 105- 113 for this last month. Can you imagine trying to live in that situation??? I paid good money for what was supposed to be the best unit in the market. Turns out it breaks down
• “I have two York units. One for the upstairs and one for the downstairs. Our house was a brand new construction. In three years I am now on my 5th coil. They fail repeatedly for no good reason that anyone can determine.”

Questions To Ask Before You Buy An Air Conditioner

As a prudent consumer who wants a quality, long-lasting, reliable air conditioner for your home, while still getting the most value for your money, there are a few questions you should ask before signing that order:

• ​What is the length of the warranty, and what is covered?

If your compressor fails during the warranty period, it’s great to know the manufacturer will stand behind it, but what about the labor? Often, the labor expense exceeds the cost of the parts required. Make sure you know where you stand – in writing.

• ​Is installation included in your quote?

​Be sure it includes equipment and all labor. Some installations can encounterunexpected difficulties or a need for additional parts or labor. Such issuesshould not impact your cost.

• ​Who will do the installation?

 You certainly don’t want subcontractors doing the work. They are typically paid by the job, and have been known to take shortcuts or skip over the manufacturer’s startup and checkout procedures. This can create long-lasting problems with yoursystem.

Air Conditioner Reviews - Conclusions

There are a few obvious takeaways you canget from reviews – good and bad:

• ​Reliableinstallation is key

make sure you’re AC unit is installed by qualified technicians that are certified and recognized by the manufacturer. With York equipment and certified installers on the job, the manufacturer can be counted on to stand behind your air conditioner for the long haul.

• ​Sizingis critical

Don’t over or under-estimate your airconditioning needs. Purchase the right size unit(s) specified by the professionals who evaluate your heating and a/c needs. This ensures the best results for long-lasting, trouble-free home comfort.

Should You Consider Buying A York Air Conditioner?

York has been a leader in quality and innovation in refrigeration, air conditioning, and related products since its founding circa 1874 in York, Pennsylvania. Still located near York, the company is now wholly owned by Johnson Controls, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

With over a century of experience and an incredible variety of products for residential and business applications, you can expect quality products and exceptional service from York equipment andtechnicians.

Need more convincing? York air conditioners are in service in some of the most famous structures throughout the world including:

• ​Empire State Building
• ​U.S. Capitol building
• ​English Chunnel
• ​Sydney Opera House

York also leads the way with technology, supporting your residential heating and cooling system with Wi-Fi enabled thermostats. Touch-pad programmable units can be controlled even when you’re away via their Thermostat app.

You can also communicate with your system via Alexa or even your Apple Watch. Affinity Hx3 thermostats boast a 4.3” touch panel that gives you the opportunity for more control and energy savings than the competition.

York is recognized by impartial parties as an industry leader with quality products and a reputation for dealing responsibly with consumers:

• Assurance of fair practices andstanding behind their products by Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Policy.
• Best Buy Award from ConsumerDigest magazine for over 50 years.

York service technicians – referred to as York Comfort Experts, must each be certified by North American Technician Excellence (NATE), the largest non-profit organization in the nation focused on certification of HVAC and refrigeration technicians.

Each technician is not only certified, but also attends on-going training to remain current in HVAC technology and equipment updates. This is your assurance of qualified, trained experts for installation and service of your equipment.

Choose York air conditioners and install confidence.