Trane Air Conditioner Prices Guide

Introduction and Trane Brand History

Trane is a company which manufactures all sorts of products relating to air systems, from HVAC systems to heaters and dehumidifiers. James Trane, a Norwegian immigrant and plumber living in Wisconsin, started the company over 100 years ago, and they have grown to an international brand with international headquarters in Ireland.

Today, their range of air conditioners is one of the largest out of any brand on the market. As well as their HVAC products, the Trane company is committed to energy conservation and trying to make their products have a real environmental impact on energy efficiency.

The brand offers products on a variety of different scales, too. From your standard home air conditioner, to large commercial products. For instance, Trane manufactured the Channel Tunnel’s cooling system, a huge 30+ mile rail tunnel running under the English channel and connecting England to France.

The brand is certainly one with a lot of experience and one which has built up a lot of trust over the years. Though it hasn’t always been, the brand is owned by Ingersoll Rand. These also manufacture American Standard components which are exactly the same as the components within Trane HVACs, just branded differently.

Trane Air Conditioner Pros and Cons

Pros

Trane has a really large range of products. This means that they are very likely to have a product which suits your own specific needs in terms of stages and also capacity. Most of their AC units are available in 1.5 to 5-ton capacities.
Trane products tend to be very reliable and last a long time. Properly maintained, you can get 25 years of use out of your unit. This is one of the reasons why Trane offer such good warranties. Some product’s warranty is 10 years, with 12 years available on the compressor of some units of Trane AC.
Most of the range is efficient enough, with a good enough SEER rating, that they qualify for rebate schemes offered by energy companies and state government.
The Trane AC units are installed by trained installers. Whereas some companies such as Goodman allow any installation company to buy and install their products, Trane insists upon factory-training. There is a huge network of trained installers.
Many Trane AC units are hard-wearing. The Climatuff compressor used within the XB/XR/Xli models is one of the most durable available.
Trane uses a ‘spine fin coil’ which has a higher surface area than other types of cool, this means it is capable of cooling faster. This is also used in American Standard models, which is the sister brand of Trane.

Cons

Though some of the products have long warranties, you need to register your product to get the 10 or 12 years available. Failing to do so can half the length of the warranty you are offered.
Trane air conditioner prices are in the high end of the market and installation is not cheap. Trane air conditioner installation costs may be driven up by the fact that only certain suppliers can carry out the install process.
If you need parts repaired or replaced in the future, though there is an abundance of parts available, Trane units have their own Climatuff tech which is difficult to repair and this can make it 35% more expensive if you run into a problem.
The XV20i TruComfort™ Variable Speed is the most efficient model in the range at 22 SEER. This is less than the Lennox XC25 and the Maytag PSA4BI, which are 26 and 25.5 SEER respectively.

Cost by Model

Unit Model	Unit Only Cost	Installed Cost	Running Cost (based on 2.5 ton)
Trane XV20i	$3,525	$6,270	$385
Trane XV18	$2,935	$5,590	$407
Trane XR14	$1,910	$4,425	$549
Trane XL18i	$2,695	$4,985	$510
Trane XL16i	$2,545	$4,700	$518
Trane XR17	$2,580	$4,980	$487
Trane XR16	$2,350	$4,700	$558
Trane XR16 Low Profile	$2,000	$4,290	$635
Trane XR13	$1,695	$3,985	$617
Trane XB13	$1,805	$3,900	$702
Trane XL14i	$1,900	$4,020	$674
Trane XL15i	$2,200	$4,185	$604
Trane XR15	$2,315	$4,436	$608
Trane XL19i	$2,960	$5,890	$483
Trane XL20i	$3,325	$5,965	$403

This table has a list of Trane AC unit prices as well as the cost it will take to install them. This is estimated, as it will vary in relation to where you are based in the USA.

To keep the measurements fair and consistent, the estimations on running costs are based on 2.5-ton AC units and a $0.13/kWh cost of power. This is to suit a home of around 1500-2000 square feet.

When we talk about “tons” in the world of AC units it relates to the number of BTU units of heat the AC unit is removing each hour. Tonnage is not related to weight when it comes to air conditioners.

It should also be noted that ductwork is not included within this price. If you need ductwork done, expect to pay between $6-12 per foot depending on the installer. A 2,000 sqft property will likely cost around $3000-4000.

As you can see from the above table, the Trane XV20i is the most expensive of the units to get installed, but it is also incredibly efficient and will save money over time. We recommend this unit for somewhere an air conditioner will be used a lot over the course of the year as the 22 SEER rating is more efficient than many of the competitors. Other features including a very quiet compressor are also beneficial.

Something like the Trane XB13 is great for users who need their installation and unit cost to stay relatively low. This product can be suitable if you are not going to need to use your AC unit relentlessly. For similarly priced models, consider the Goodman range which has some affordable units which are slightly better in terms of efficiency.

Model Comparison

Unit Model	Efficiency Rating	Capacity(Tons)	Sound(dB)	Compressor
Trane XV20i	22 SEER	2-5	57-75	Variable-Speed
Trane XV18	18 SEER	2-5	57-75	Variable-Speed
Trane XR14	16 SEER	1.5-5	72-73	Single-Stage
Trane XL18i	18 SEER	2-5	72-74	Two-Stage
Trane XL16i	16.5 SEER	1.5-5	69-74	Single-Stage
Trane XR17	18 SEER	2-5	72-74	Two-Stage
Trane XR16	17 SEER	1.5-5	71-74	Single-Stage
Trane XR16 Low Profile	14.5 SEER	1.5-5	70-73	Single-Stage
Trane XR13	14.5 SEER	1.5-5	71-75	Single-Stage
Trane XB13	13 SEER	1.5-5	76-79	Single-Stage
Trane XL14i	14 SEER	1.5-5	71-74	Single-Stage
Trane XL15i	15 SEER	1.5-5	72-74	Single-Stage
Trane XR15	16 SEER	1.5-5	74-75	Single-Stage
Trane XL19i	19 SEER	2.5-5	72-74	Two-Stage
Trane XL20i	22 SEER	2-5	68-76	Two-Stage

This table shows the full range of Trane products and their SEER ratings, capacities, the type of compressor and their volume measured in decibels.

The majority of the range is available in capacities from 1.5-5 tons which is pretty standard in the industry.

There is a good mixture of single-stage, two-stage and variable compressors. A single-stage will only offer the setting of either being ‘on or off’ whereas two-stage has two different levels of power. Variable products adjust based on how much power is required which usually leads to them being the most efficient. The variable Trane units have around 70 different settings and adjust to your needs so as not to waste electricity.

While most of the products in this range around average volume, the Trane XV range can operate as quietly as 58 decibels in the outdoor unit, avoid noise pollution and an annoying noise if installed near your home or a seating area in your backyard.

Choosing A Model for You

If your AC unit is not going to have a huge workload then a single-stage compressor is suitable, this is offered within the XL16i, XR16, XR14 and XR13. All of these have a 10-year warranty.

Though these models aren’t the most efficient in the world, they do have a lot of reliability and are good for those who need occasional air conditioning. Their efficiency is not amazing, but it is good enough to qualify for some of the rebate schemes.

If your air conditioner is going to see use pretty much daily then it is worth looking into getting a product high on efficiency and low on noise. For this, the Trane XV20i is definitely recommended on both counts.

In warm areas, the big saving that using a Trane XV20i can potentially make may outweigh any benefits of buying a cheaper option. If efficiency is the number one priority for you, look at competitors such as the Lennox XC25.

Trane Comfort Specialists

Some companies such as Goodmans allow their AC units to be purchased wholesale and installed by any dealer. Trane is one of the companies which has taken steps to ensure that there are no quality issues with dealers who install their units. Trane’s quality control is their “Comfort Specialist” rating, which is given to dealers who have met the standards set out by the brand relating to efficiency and installation.

Trane Comfort Specialists usually have NATE certified installation technicians. The NATE certification means that installers have undergone training regarding installation, service, and repairs and are committed to customer satisfaction. NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence.

To qualify as a Comfort Specialist, a brand must also show they are committed to improving staff education and stick to stringent standards. Knowing that independent installers have this rating means you can rest assured that the installation will be high quality.

Finding a Trusted Trane Installer and Getting the Best Price

To find an installation company, and get the best price:

1
Use our free estimate tool in order to see an estimation of what the installation process should cost in your area. Free estimates help to give a frame of reference when negotiating or discussing with installers.
2
Always get multiple quotes from multiple companies. This way, you can choose the best price, safe with the protection that Trane only deal with well-qualified installers.
3
Stay on top of local rebate schemes. Most Trane models will qualify for some sort of rebate from an energy company or local scheme. Rebates are offered based on SEER rating and efficiency.