Where did the Champion HVAC brand come from?
Johnson Controls introduced Champion in June 2015 as a new brand of residential and light-commercial heating and cooling equipment. It was sold exclusively through WinWholesale, which then had 570 wholesale locations in 45 states, and Johnson Controls said each product was designed, engineered and assembled in North America. Champion's 2021 residential line card names Winsupply as the only place to buy Champion residential products.
In 2025 Johnson Controls sold its residential and light-commercial HVAC business, Champion included, to Bosch, and Bosch Home Comfort Group now lists Champion as a regional brand. Champion's own site says its systems are designed, engineered and assembled in the United States, that its manufacturing facility in Wichita, Kansas runs solely on wind-powered electricity, and that nearly half of its air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps have earned the ENERGY STAR label. Many Champion model names also appear in the Luxaire lineup, so the two brands are close relatives.
Momentum, TM and the rest of the lineup
Momentum is Champion's premium tier: the TP9C furnace at up to 98% AFUE, the AL21 variable-capacity and AL19 two-stage air conditioners, and the HL20 and HL19 heat pumps. Champion's line card notes that the HL20 won a bronze Dealer Design Award in 2018. Momentum equipment works with Champion's Hx3 communicating controls, and the line card adds that its premium variable-capacity systems can also run on other thermostats through a Universal Thermostat Adapter.
The TM-series is Champion's core furnace line, and the model name decodes cleanly:
- TM8 is an 80% AFUE furnace and TM9 is condensing: 95% AFUE for the TM9E, 96% for the TM9Y and TM9V.
- E is single-stage with a multi-speed ECM blower, Y is two-stage with a multi-speed blower, and V is two-stage with a variable-speed, constant-CFM blower.
- TL8E and TL9E are the ultra-low-NOx versions.
The TM furnaces share a compact 33-inch cabinet, which helps where the furnace, coil and plenum have to fit under low basement joists.
What goes wrong with Champion furnaces in a Minnesota winter?
On condensing TM9 furnaces, the classic January call is a pressure switch lockout from a plugged condensate trap, a frozen drain line or a frosted PVC vent. A furnace that lights and drops out after a few seconds usually has a dirty flame sensor or a weak igniter, and our post on furnace short cycling covers the other causes. Champion's guide says its premium variable-speed blower motors carry fine-tuning for the home's region, so after a control board or motor replacement on a V model we check the blower setup before we leave. Our furnace repair page lays out the whole visit.
On the cooling side, Champion's homeowner guide marks the 13.4 SEER2 TCD2 as its northern-climate model, and 13.4 SEER2 is the federal minimum for split central air in Minnesota. Single-stage TCD2 and TCE2 condensers wear out run capacitors and contactors like any other condenser, and a unit that needs refrigerant every summer has a leak we find before charging. The HMCG2 air conditioner and HMH7 heat pump blow air out the side, and Champion says they take a 40% smaller footprint than vertical-discharge units. That helps on a narrow side yard or where a townhome association limits where the condenser can sit.
Champion's heat pumps carry a lot of the heating season, but with no published cold-climate rating we pair them with a gas furnace or electric backup heat. Our post on heat pumps at -20 degrees explains why the backup matters here.
Warranty, replacement and booking
Champion's line card says its full warranties require online registration within 90 days of installation. Miss that window and coverage reverts: a lifetime compressor warranty becomes 10 years, a lifetime heat exchanger warranty becomes 20 years, and 10-year parts coverage becomes 5 years. On furnaces, Champion's homeowner guide lists a lifetime heat exchanger (20 years on the ultra-low-NOx models) and 10 years on parts, and the Momentum AL and HL outdoor units carry a lifetime compressor warranty. If you bought the house with the system in place, the serial number is what you need to check its status.
When replacing makes more sense, we size the new system with a Manual J load calculation instead of copying the old nameplate, and our AC installation page shows what goes into a cooling replacement. Installed furnaces run $4,500–$9,500, central AC $5,200–$9,800 and heat pumps $7,500–$14,500. Installs carry our 2-year labor warranty on top of the manufacturer's parts coverage.
Call 612-429-3465 from 7am to 9pm, seven days a week. No-heat calls get priority. A service call is a $79 trip charge, waived when you approve the repair, and you get a written, flat-rate price before any work. Completed repairs carry our 1-year parts-and-labor warranty.
Champion questions
Who makes Champion HVAC equipment?
Johnson Controls introduced the Champion brand in June 2015, saying it was designed, engineered and assembled in North America and sold through WinWholesale supply houses. In 2025 Johnson Controls sold its residential and light-commercial HVAC business, Champion included, to Bosch, and Bosch Home Comfort Group now lists Champion as a regional brand. Champion's site says its systems are assembled in the United States.
Is Champion related to Luxaire, York and Coleman?
Yes. All four came out of the same Johnson Controls residential business, and all four moved to Bosch in 2025. Champion and Luxaire list many identical model names, including TM-series furnaces, the AL21 air conditioner and the HMH7 heat pump. We still order parts by the full model and serial number, since one model name can cover several revisions.
What happens if my Champion was never registered?
It keeps shorter coverage. Champion's line card says full warranties require online registration within 90 days of installation. Without it, a lifetime compressor warranty becomes 10 years, a lifetime heat exchanger warranty becomes 20 years, and 10-year parts coverage becomes 5 years. If you bought the house with the system in place, the serial number is what you need to check its status.
Which Champion air conditioner fits a Minnesota house?
Champion's own guide marks the 13.4 SEER2 TCD2 as its northern-climate model, which matches the federal minimum for split central air in Minnesota. Two-stage and variable-capacity Momentum units cost more but run longer at low speed, which pulls more moisture out on humid July days. Sizing comes from a Manual J load calculation, not the old unit's tonnage.
Do Champion heat pumps work in a Minnesota winter?
They carry a lot of the heating season, but Champion's homeowner guide rates them from 7.5 to 9.0 HSPF2 and gives no cold-climate rating, and every heat pump loses output as it gets colder. We set Champion heat pumps up as dual fuel with a gas furnace, or with electric backup heat, and set the switch-over temperature to suit the house.
Sources
- Champion official site championhomecomfort.com
- ENERGY STAR energystar.gov