Who makes Comfortmaker furnaces and air conditioners?
Comfortmaker is one of seven brands built by International Comfort Products, next to Heil, Day & Night, Tempstar, Arcoaire, KeepRite and AirQuest. ICP says it's part of Carrier Global Corporation, and it describes Comfortmaker as the brand for "quiet comfort with complete confidence." As of 2026, the Comfortmaker website's footer reads "A Carrier Company."
Under the badge, Comfortmaker furnaces carry the same model numbers as Heil and Day & Night: G for the Ion and QuietComfort tiers, N for Performance. Parts are shared across the family, so our Heil service page applies to the hardware. Comfortmaker leans on the quiet pitch, and it backs it with a published sound rating for every current outdoor unit, so that's where this page spends its time.
What do Comfortmaker sound ratings mean?
Comfortmaker's ratings are "as low as" figures, the quietest the unit gets. The spread between tiers is wide:
- Ion variable-speed heat pumps: as low as 54 to 55 decibels.
- Ion 21 variable-speed air conditioner (C5A1V): as low as 55 decibels, with a swept fan blade, a soft-mounted compressor and an acoustic compressor blanket.
- QuietComfort 19 and Performance 19 variable-speed heat pumps: as low as 57 decibels.
- Ion two-stage and single-stage outdoor units: as low as 67 decibels.
- Performance 16 single-stage air conditioner (N5A5S): as low as 71 decibels.
A 16-decibel gap is easy to hear. By the usual rule of thumb, every 10 decibels sounds about twice as loud, so the Performance 16 running flat out sounds roughly three times as loud as an Ion 21 idling along. The last letter of the model number tells you which kind you have: V for variable-speed, T for two-stage, S for single-stage. A variable-speed unit spends most of the summer at part speed, which is where those low numbers come from. Our comparison of two-stage and variable-speed AC covers the comfort side.
In Minnesota the decibel figure matters most in tight spots: a townhome where the association decides where the condenser sits, or a city lot where it ends up under a bedroom window.
Noises that mean a repair
A quiet brand still makes noise when something fails, and the sound usually points at the part.
Outdoor unit. A hum with no fan or compressor start is most often a weak run capacitor; a buzz from the unit's electrical compartment is often a pitted contactor. Our post on AC humming noises walks through both. A squeal that rises with the fan is a motor bearing. A clatter can be a fan blade hitting a bent grille or debris. Our AC repair service covers what a cooling visit includes.
Furnace. Normal startup is a click, the inducer spinning up, the burners lighting with a soft whoosh and the blower ramping up shortly after. A scraping or whining inducer means worn bearings. A boom at ignition means gas is lighting late, which we treat as a safety repair. A blower that rattles or shakes the ductwork usually has a loose or dirty wheel.
In June, cottonwood fluff and grass clippings pack into condenser coils, Comfortmaker's included, and the unit runs hotter and louder than it should. The wire grille panels on Performance units make that an easy clean; our guide to cleaning an outdoor AC unit shows the safe way to do it.
Warranty, replacement and booking
Register new Comfortmaker equipment within 90 days of installation; the registration FAQ below has the parts terms and the No Hassle Replacement coverage on premium products.
If you're replacing a Comfortmaker for noise as much as efficiency, ask for the sound rating next to the SEER2 on any quote. We size the new system with a Manual J load calculation, and installed central AC runs $5,200–$9,800, heat pumps $7,500–$14,500.
We take calls at 612-429-3465 from 7am until 9pm, all seven days. If the noise is outside, tell us whether the unit hums while running or fails to start; if it's a boom at ignition, say so. Either detail helps us narrow the cause before the visit. The price is flat and written down before any repair.
Comfortmaker questions
How loud is a Comfortmaker air conditioner?
It depends on the tier. Comfortmaker rates the Ion 21 variable-speed air conditioner as low as 55 decibels and the single-stage Performance 16 as low as 71. Those are best-case figures. A variable-speed unit spends most of a Minnesota summer at part speed, so it runs near its quietest most of the time; a single-stage unit is at full speed whenever it runs.
Is Comfortmaker the same as Heil?
Same Carrier division, same furnaces. International Comfort Products builds both, and a Comfortmaker G96VTN carries the same model number and tier as a Heil G96VTN. Day & Night uses the same G numbers, while Tempstar and Arcoaire use F. For repairs, the practical upshot is simple: a part listed for your model number fits whichever badge is on the door.
Why does my Comfortmaker furnace boom when it lights?
A boom or loud whoomp means gas is collecting for a moment before it lights. Dirty burners, a weak igniter or a flame that's slow to carry across the burners are the usual causes. Repeated late ignition stresses the heat exchanger and can push flame out of the burner area, so turn the thermostat down and have it checked rather than living with it.
Does Comfortmaker require warranty registration?
Yes, for the full parts term. Comfortmaker gives the original owner a 10-year parts limited warranty when new equipment is registered within 90 days of installation, and 5 years if it isn't. Premium products such as the Ion 21 air conditioner also carry a 10-year No Hassle Replacement term; entry-level products don't get that coverage. Check the certificate for your model.
Can I swap in a quieter condenser and keep my Comfortmaker furnace?
Often, if the furnace blower can move the airflow the new unit needs and the indoor coil matches it. The quietest outdoor units are the catch: Comfortmaker says the Ion 21 needs the Ion Black System Control as part of a complete communicating system for full function, so a quieter condenser can mean a new control and indoor unit too. We check the furnace before quoting.
Sources
- Comfortmaker official site comfortmaker.com