Nortek Global

Not the appliance companies. Nortek Global HVAC (NGH) builds central air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces and puts Frigidaire, Maytag and similar names on them under license. Rheem bought NGH from Madison Industries in October 2024, and it now sits in Rheem’s Global Air Division. Our Rheem page covers the rest of the family.

Older units may carry names NGH licensed in the past, such as Westinghouse, Tappan, Philco or Kelvinator.

• Manufactured housing specialist. NGH designed its Intertherm and Miller lines around the needs of manufactured homes.
• Many badges, one factory. NGH is headquartered in O’Fallon, Missouri, and builds equipment at a plant in Saltillo, Mexico. A Frigidaire and a Maytag unit from NGH are cousins wearing different licensed badges.
• Homes, not office towers. Rheem describes NGH as serving the residential and manufactured housing markets, which is where most of its equipment ends up.
• A long history. NGH traces its roots to 1919.

Brand licensing is common in HVAC. The Maytag name on a Nortek air conditioner and the Amana name on a Daikin-built unit are both borrowed from the appliance world, so a “Maytag” condenser and a Maytag washing machine share a logo but not a factory. Now that NGH belongs to Rheem, those licensed names sit in the same family as Rheem and Ruud.

• Came with the house? If the builder installed your Frigidaire, Maytag or Gibson system and the house feels sticky or uneven, have the sizing and airflow checked before blaming the equipment. An oversized unit shuts off before it pulls the moisture out.
• Single-stage strain. A single-stage unit runs flat out through our long summers. Clean coils and the correct refrigerant charge make a big difference.
• Attics. Check the condensate drain and float switch on an attic air handler every season.
• Freezes. Camp Mabry recorded 7°F during Winter Storm Uri. A heat pump needs working backup heat for a night like that. See our freeze guide.

Plenty of Frigidaire, Maytag and Gibson systems around Austin have reached the age where owners ask this question. Some rules of thumb:

• Repair makes sense for capacitors, contactors, fan motors, drain issues and control boards on a system that is otherwise healthy.
• Replacement deserves a look when a compressor or coil fails on an older system, when an older R-410A or R-22 unit develops a refrigerant leak, or when comfort and bills have been getting worse for years.
• Manufactured homes often need equipment designed for them, such as Intertherm or Miller, with specific clearances and duct connections. A standard site-built furnace may not fit.
• Keep the data plate handy. Model and serial numbers identify parts quickly, especially on older units that may carry a licensed name like Westinghouse or Kelvinator.

Whether your Nortek-built system says Frigidaire, Maytag, Gibson or Broan on the side, Gold Eagle installs, services and repairs it. When one stops cooling or heating, see AC repair and heating. If your builder-grade system is near the end of its life, compare replacements in Build Your Own System; if it has years left, our Home Maintenance Plan helps it get there. To book a visit, schedule online.

Sister and related pages: Rheem and Ruud, Fujitsu General, Daikin, Goodman and Amana.

Who makes Frigidaire central air conditioners?
Nortek Global HVAC, now owned by Rheem, builds Frigidaire-branded central heating and cooling equipment under license.

Who makes Maytag HVAC systems?
Nortek Global HVAC, now part of Rheem. The Maytag name is licensed; Maytag appliances come from a different company.

Who owns Nortek Global HVAC?
Rheem acquired Nortek Global HVAC from Madison Industries in October 2024.

Is Maytag HVAC the same as Frigidaire HVAC?
Both are licensed names on heating and cooling equipment built by Nortek Global HVAC, now part of Rheem, so they are sister brands.