General Electric

The GE name on home heating and cooling equipment belongs to GE Appliances, which the Chinese appliance maker Haier has owned since 2016. As part of that deal, Haier licensed the GE brand for appliances for 40 years. GE Appliances is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its Air & Water Solutions division sells heating and cooling under the GE, Haier and Hotpoint names.

General Electric, the industrial company, no longer owns the appliance business.

• A newer ducted lineup. GE Appliances finished rolling out its home ducted line in early 2023: air conditioners, heat pumps, air handlers, evaporator coils, gas furnaces and packaged units.
• Efficiency range. The line includes inverter-driven air conditioners up to 22 SEER2 and furnaces up to 97% AFUE.
• Cold-climate option. GE says its cold-climate heat pumps perform down to -22°F.
• Distribution. GE sells ducted HVAC through select wholesale distributors, with a contractor program that includes financing and extended labor warranty options. GE says the equipment is assembled in North America and supported domestically.
• A familiar name, a new player. With the ducted line only a few years old, long-term reliability data is still building next to brands that have sold central systems for decades.

For a closer look at GE’s central air conditioners, heat pumps and ductless options, read our guide: GE HVAC systems: AC, heat pump and ductless options.

When Haier bought GE Appliances in 2016, it got a 40-year license, extensions included, to use the GE brand on appliances. So a new GE heat pump in an Austin backyard is designed and sold by a Haier-owned company in Kentucky, under a name licensed from one of America’s oldest industrial companies.

• Heat. Inverter GE models speed up and slow down through a long hot day instead of cycling on and off, which helps comfort and efficiency.
• Humidity. Sizing and airflow set-up decide how dry the house feels, whatever the badge. An oversized GE short-cycles, shutting off before it pulls the moisture out. See humidity resources.
• Attics. Most Austin air handlers and furnaces lie sideways in the attic, so a GE unit up there needs its drain and float switch checked every season.
• Freezes. Uri pushed Camp Mabry to 7°F. A cold-climate heat pump or dual fuel set-up is the safer bet if winter heat matters to you. See our freeze guide.

• Which tier? GE runs from basic equipment up to inverter-driven air conditioners and heat pumps. Match the tier to how you want the house to feel.
• Matched rating. Ask for the efficiency rating of the exact outdoor and indoor combination being installed.
• Cold-climate needs. If you want strong heat during freezes, ask whether the quote uses GE’s cold-climate heat pump or a furnace backup.
• Warranty and registration. Read the warranty certificate for the specific model and confirm who registers it.
• Parts path. GE ducted equipment is sold through select distributors, so ask your installer where replacement parts will come from.

GE’s ducted line is a newer entrant from a very large appliance maker. Judge it on the same things as the long-established brands: tier, efficiency, installation quality and support. If a GE fridge and range already sit in your kitchen and you like one name across the house, that’s a fair tiebreaker, but it shouldn’t outweigh sizing and installation.

Gold Eagle is a GE Elite Dealer. We install and service GE ducted heating and cooling equipment across Central Texas, and our technicians complete GE factory training every year.

• 12-year limited parts warranty. GE offers a 12-year limited parts warranty on registered systems, and we handle the registration for you.
• Priority access to parts. Elite status gives us priority on GE parts, which matters most in the middle of an Austin summer.

To compare a GE system with other options, use Build Your Own System or call 512-489-4653.

If a GE system you already own has quit, see AC repair or heating, or schedule a visit online. Our Home Maintenance Plan keeps a new one performing as designed.

Other brands to compare: Gree, LG, Carrier and Trane.

Who makes GE HVAC systems?
GE Appliances, a Haier company, through its Air & Water Solutions division.

Is GE owned by Haier?
GE Appliances is. Haier has owned it since 2016, with a long-term license to use the GE brand on appliances.

Does GE make central air conditioners?
Yes. GE Appliances sells ducted air conditioners, heat pumps, air handlers, coils, gas furnaces and packaged units.

Is GE HVAC good for Texas?
GE offers inverter air conditioners and heat pumps suited to long cooling seasons, and cold-climate heat pumps for hard cold snaps. As with any brand, correct sizing and installation matter most.

See the exact model numbers and efficiency ratings for the GE system on your estimate: open the GE system folders.