Lennox HS26 Air Conditioner Overview

This unit was installed in 1995. It has cooled my house (app. 1600 sq ft) smoothly for 22 years. Only trouble has been a disconnected wire. I have the Lennox maintained via Centerpoint Energy on an annual basis.

I have had this central air unit for 19 years and today, July 1, 2015, was the first time that I ever had a problem with it. I replaced the condensing unit fan motor and also installed a new run capacitor. Atta boy, Dave Lennox. Very happy consumer and hope that your newer products are as good or better than this unit has been for me through all of our very hot north Texas summers.

We bought it in the summer of 2005 and it stopped working at the end of 2014. The problem was a failure in the coils that resulted in total leakage of the refrigerant. The tech said that repairing it is a lost cause. The warranty covers the compressor parts (not labor) for 10 years, but the coils fall into the five year warranty period, so this is all on us. There is also a class action suit starting against Lennox because they allegedly knowingly use inferior material on the coils, which too often leads to this problem. I will be looking into that. I expect a central A/C to last 15 years. I'm not buying another Lennox.

My 1994 Lennox 3-ton AC unit just died. That being said, it was never cleaned, never serviced, never touched since it was installed in 1998 as a 1994 leftover. After the heat wave in July, it stopped. I replaced the blown out capacitor and contactor and now it will turn the blade motor and compressor on if I manually click the contactor switch. It leaks oil and thus freon. A Lennox dealer came out and gave me quotes to replace of 6,000, 8,000, and 12,000. I can't afford. Did not tell me about dry charge units cost $896 from HVAC.com. But, 19 years of trouble free use. The unit does not owe me anything. Builders grade Aire-Flo may be the answer. If you can afford it and can pay a reputable installer, get the Lennox new latest and greatest 25 seer. If not, Aire-Flo sells for half but it is made cheaper. You can get a ten-year warranty with the Lennox but only 5 years with Aire-Flo for a reason.

Just a word to the wise. No matter what brand equipment you have installed, if not installed properly problems will occur. With the new a/c refrigerant,410A units are not compatible with older r22 systems. You can not put a new 410a condenser ( outside unit) with an older r22 blower coil (inside unit). Also refrigerant piping should be replaced. Oil in new units are not compatible with oil in older units. Noisy units. If whistling is coming from blower or furnace, this is not necessarily equipment problem. Could be sign of inadequate air flow which is caused by to small duct work, not enough supply or return. Yes Lennox as all manufactures have problems time to time with there equipment.But also many of these problems are caused by equipment installed improperly. Know who your contractor is! Ray, All Quality Contracting. Blairstown N.J.