Before you dive into the specific brand review, we highly recommend you to read our elaborate Gas Furnace Buying Guide in advance. There are several crucial steps you need to take before you even start to think about the brand.
Ruud gas furnaces are a common brand in America with several high-quality gas furnaces. The Ruud gas furnaces are nearly the same as Rheem in features and color. This is because Rheem is the parent company of Ruud. The major differences in these gas furnaces are the model’s names. There are no major differences in design. These two companies produce high-quality gas furnaces. However, their websites are very slow and difficult to navigate.
Ruud does offer high-end gas furnaces making it a great pick in the search of a gas furnace. The Ruud and Rheem parts are interchangeable.
How Ruud Furnaces Compare with Other Brands
When comparing Ruud furnaces to other major HVAC manufacturers, several key factors come into play, including efficiency ratings, price points, warranty coverage, and overall reliability. Here’s a comprehensive comparison with other leading brands:
Efficiency and Performance
Ruud furnaces generally offer AFUE ratings ranging from 80% to 96.7%, which is comparable to other major brands like Carrier and Lennox. However, while Carrier and Trane often lead with slightly higher maximum efficiency ratings (up to 98%), Ruud provides excellent value in the mid-efficiency range (90-95% AFUE), where most homeowners typically shop.
Price Point and Value
Ruud positions itself as a mid-tier brand, offering competitive pricing compared to premium brands like Carrier, Lennox, and Trane. On average, Ruud furnaces cost 10-15% less than these premium brands while maintaining similar quality standards. When compared to budget brands like Goodman, Ruud typically costs more but offers superior build quality and longer-lasting components.
Warranty Coverage
Ruud’s warranty package stands out in the industry, offering:
- Limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty
- 10-year parts warranty
- 10-year conditional unit replacement warranty on select models
This coverage is on par with Carrier and Trane, and generally better than budget brands like Goodman or York, which often offer shorter coverage periods.
Reliability and Service Network
While brands like Carrier and Lennox are often considered industry leaders in reliability, Ruud has built a strong reputation for dependability. Consumer reports and HVAC contractor surveys typically place Ruud in the top tier for reliability, with fewer reported issues in the first five years compared to budget brands.
Ruud’s service network, though not as extensive as Carrier or Lennox, is well-established across the United States, making it relatively easy to find qualified technicians for installation and repairs.
Innovation and Technology
While Carrier and Lennox often lead in cutting-edge technology, Ruud has made significant strides in recent years. Their EcoNet® smart technology system competes well with similar offerings from other manufacturers, providing comparable features for temperature control and system monitoring.
The Bottom Line
Ruud furnaces occupy a sweet spot in the market, offering a balanced combination of quality, efficiency, and value. While they may not have the premium brand recognition of Carrier or Lennox, they typically provide 90-95% of the features and performance at 85-90% of the cost. This makes Ruud an excellent choice for homeowners seeking reliable, efficient heating without the premium price tag of top-tier brands.
Model Analysis
Series | Model | AFUE | Blower Speed | Stage |
---|---|---|---|---|
ULTRA | U97V | 97 | Variable(ECM) | Modulating |
ULTRA | RGGE, RGJF | 96 | Variable(ECM) | Modulating |
ULTRA | U96V | 96 | Variable(ECM) | 2 |
ULTRA | U802V | 80 | Variable(ECM) | 2 |
ACHIEVER PLUS | R96P | 96 | PSC | 1 |
ACHIEVER PLUS | R95T | 95 | Variable(ECM) | 1 |
ACHIEVER PLUS | R95P | 95 | PSC | 1 |
ACHIEVER PLUS | R802P | 80 | PSC | 1 |
ACHIEVER PLUS | R801T | 80 | PSC | 1 |
The Ruud Company produces three levels of gas furnaces that fit all the classes of consumers. The Achiever Series is the economy model with the efficiency ranging from 80% to 95%. The next model is the ACHIEVER PLUS SERIES furnaces that have the efficiency of up to 97%. The high-efficiency models are called the ULTRA SERIES that have over 97% AFUE ratings.
Model U97V (from Ultra Series) is the high-end of all the product line with all the bells and whistles. We advise homeowners not forget to buy extended labor warranty when considering high-end models. In most cases, the labor fee for high-end series will skyrocket.
U96V is our recommended model with two-stage heating and variable speed blower. Both are practical without any bells and whistles. If you didn’t have enough budget or plan to move house in the future, R96P and R96P are good temporary options. We didn’t recommend any kind of 80% AFUE gas furnaces (like R802P and R801T) no matter what features it has. 20% heating loss is huge. Even you want to sell your house immediately, the buyer will take heating efficiency into consideration when bidding.
Contractor Reviews
There is no such a thing as the perfect gas furnace. Most of these gas furnaces have similar features. One has to look at the unique extra features that have been added, the brand and professional contractor to do a proper installation. Wherever you read online, there will be negative and positive reviews depending on the experience customers have had. If installed properly, the Ruud gas furnaces are excellent and can help keep your home comfortable. They have very excellent efficiency that can help homeowners save on energy.
Ruud has been in the heating and cooling industry for over 100 years something that makes them a great choice. The company has steadily risen over the years becoming the largest heating and cooling company in North America. They are known to hire some of the highly trained specialists in the industry. The Company has evolved over the years producing gas furnaces with unique designs with a state of the art technology.
-Bart (10 years HVAC contractor)
Ruud Gas Furnace Prices By Model
We need to set an equal baseline before we can list the prices for each Ruud model. In this list, each furnace includes the same parameters: 70,000-75,000 BTU with 1000 CFM blower which is proper for a mid-sized home of around 2,000 square feet, 10-year warranty without labor fee.
The Unit Only price represents the online wholesale price excluding the shipping fee. The Unit Installation Cost includes the gas furnace unit, all materials required for the house, and labor fees. Please note that these are only estimated costs, and your actual costs may vary significantly based on your location.
Models | Unit Only | Unit Installed Cost |
---|---|---|
Ruud U97V | $1,650 | $3,550 - $4,350 |
Ruud U96V | $1,500 | $3,350 - $4,150 |
Ruud R96T R96P | $1,500 | $3,350 - $4,150 |
Ruud R95T R95P | $1,350 | $3,200 - $4,000 |
Ruud R92P R92T | $1,180 | $3,000 - $3,800 |
Ruud R802P U802V | $800 - $1,000 | $2,750 - $3,500 |
Ruud RGGE RGJF | $1,250 | $3,100 - $3,900 |
Ruud R801T R801P | $800 - $1,000 | $2,500 - $3,300 |
How to Get the Best Ruud Gas Furnace Prices?
- Firstly, keep in mind that installation quality is always the most important thing for gas furnace project. So never sacrifice contractor quality for lower price.
- Secondly, remember to look up the latest tax credit and rebates.
- Thirdly, ask for at least 3 bids before you make the decision. You can click here to get 3 free estimates from your local contractors, and this estimate already takes rebates and tax credit into consideration and filter unqualified contractors automatically.
At last, once you chose the right contractor, remember to use the tactics from this guide: homeowners tactics when negotiating with HVAC dealer to get the final best price.
Feel free to ask any question by leaving a comment, we will answer any question with actionable tips.
Where can I buy a “permanent” filter for a “Rudd Silhouette II Furnace that will go in my furnace in a 25 inch X 22.5 inch space. It looks like green plastic straw. I tried a paper filter but it significantly reduces the air coming through the vents.
My phone number is 919-604-8622 and I live in Southern Colorado.
I would really appreciate a reply by computer or phone.