Amana ACEC96 Review
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AFUE:Up to 96%
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ENERGY STAR ®:Yes
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Burner Type:Dual Stage
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Blower Type:Variable Speed
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Warranty Score:A+++
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Overall Grade:A+++
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Price:$4,500 - $5,500
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BTU Output:38,400 - 96,000
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Warranty Grade: It can be difficult to know which brands and models offer the best warranty coverage, particularly because a lot of the key details are hidden in dense warranty documents filled with hard to understand legalese. Thankfully for you, we’ve carefully studied them and created this grading system to account for things like the length AND quality of their guarantee, coverage restrictions and more!
Overall Grade: This grade weighs key factors like efficiency, ENERGY STAR certification, comfort, noise level (for A/Cs), our warranty grade, and more.
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A two-stage, multi-speed gas furnace, the Amana ACEC96 is a unit that comes with a tubular stainless-steel heat exchanger and promises high-efficiency performance. It also comes with a lifetime warranty protection plan as well as a ten-year warranty on parts.
The goal of this Amana ACEC96 model review is to help you decide if it’s the right furnace for your home.
To help you determine this, we’ll talk about the ACEC96’s features, price range, warranty details, specifications, and technologies, and then we’ll compare it with three other Amana furnaces based on features, price, and tier.
About the ACEC96
Average Price (with installation): $4,800 - $5,400
Top Features
- A sound-isolated blower assembly and heavy-gauge steel cabinet means it operates very quietly, letting you enjoy comfortable, noise-free heating
- Offers a lifetime warranty
- A multi-speed ECM motor that adjusts airflow during moderate demand and reduces energy consumption
- A secondary heat exchanger for better efficiency and reduced fuel waste
The Bottom Line
As a mid-range unit, the ACEC96 comes with a great warranty and useful features at a good price. Its ENERGY STAR® certification means you’ll be saving money in the long run and reducing your ecological footprint.
This unit could potentially be eligible for rebates because of the two-stage operation, high AFUE, and ENERGY STAR certification, which could help make it more affordable for families with moderate budgets who still want a reliable, efficient, and high-performing furnace.
In Depth Review
Product specifications:
- AFUE: 96 percent
- Burner type: Two-stage
- Blower type: Multi-speed
- ENERGY STAR certified: Yes
- BTU input: 40,000 - 100,000
- BTU output: 38,400 - 96,000
- Sub-models available: 0403BNA, 0603BNA, 0803BNA, 1005CNA
Features Overview
The ACEC96’s high AFUE means 96 cents of every energy dollar will be converted into heat for your home. That means you could potentially save a great deal on your monthly energy bills over the years, especially if you're upgrading from an older furnace with a lower efficiency rating.
Part of the ACEC96’s efficiency comes from the two-stage operation and multi-speed blower, which allow the furnace to operate at a lower speed most of the time. This maintains the temperature of your home without wasting energy. At the same time, the ACEC96 can kick into the higher stage when necessary to combat drops in temperature and still keep your house warm.
Other Key Features
- The ACEC96 has a self-diagnostic control board that monitors operation continuously, ensuring reliable operation for years to come
- Should a problem arise, the unit will give you feedback through a flashing LED
- The silicon nitride igniter means the furnace doesn’t rely on a pilot light that can waste fuel and increase maintenance demands
- Highly durable protection from the heavy-gauge steel cabinet, which is resistant to corrosion and will safeguard the essential components of your unit
- The thermally insulated cabinet means that your unit can maximize heat transfer efficiency and reduce air leaks while lowering blower noise
Warranty Information
Should the heat exchanger ever fail, Amana will provide you with a new furnace at no cost through the lifetime unit replacement warranty.
The ten-year limited warranty applies to all other parts of the furnace, so should any part stop functioning, you can receive a repair or replacement. Extended service plans are also available.
To receive the lifetime unit replacement and 10-year parts warranties, you have to register the furnace with Amana within 60 days of installation. An unregistered ACEC96 will still be covered under a warranty, but it will expire sooner.
Comparable Models
Amana is a trusted brand with lots of high-quality furnaces to choose from. Be sure to check out our website for details on other Amana models. If you’re looking for comparable models to look at, here are some.
Model Comparison by Price: ACSS92
At a lower price you can have the ACSS92 installed in your home and still get some good benefits. The average price to buy and install an ACSS92 is between $4,200 and $4,800.
The model’s 92% AFUE still means you’re getting a high-efficiency unit that provides you with comfortable heating. It does, however, lack certain features the ACEC96 has, such as the two-stage gas valve.
This is important because the ACSS92’s single-stage operation means it won’t be as powerful or efficient, and might not be capable of keeping larger homes warm in colder Canadian climates.
It also doesn’t have ENERGY STAR certification, and might not be eligible for rebates that the ACEC96 qualifies for, and those rebates could actually bring down the price of the ACEC96 enough to make the purchase prices comparable.
Model Comparison by Features: ACVM97
If you’re considering spending more and venturing into the premium range tier of furnaces from Amana, then the ACVM97 is a good option to consider.
With an excellent 97% AFUE rating, you’ll be saving more money and getting a higher efficiency. The ACVM97 also features Amana’s ComfortBridge and CoolCloud technology, so the unit can provide you with comfortable heating and quick diagnostics should any issues arise.
The ACVM97 also has an even more advanced modulating burner, which means instead of having just two heating stages, it can modulate its heating output incrementally for even bigger energy savings and more comfort.
Model Comparison by Tier: ACVC96
With a 96% AFUE rating and similar features, the ACVC96 is a solid and reliable unit.
The added bonus it has over the ACEC96 is its integration with Amana’s ComfortBridge and CoolCloud technology. These two features give the unit a technological edge in gathering data to make automatic adjustments and enabling qualified technicians to diagnose the system quickly and accurately.
It also has a superior variable-speed blower for improved airflow, temperature consistency, and energy savings.
About Company
Founded in 1934, Amana has over eight decades of furnace experience. They are well-known for their top of the line service and technology, and for their lead role in the field of innovation. They are dedicated to serving customers across Canada and providing them with high-quality products.
