The same outdoor model number under a different brand
If you are holding three quotes from three brands, two of them may name the same outdoor model number. We counted how often that happens in the EPA's own certified list, and the number is larger than we expected.
Of the 3,026 distinct outdoor model numbers in the ENERGY STAR certified ducted heat pump list, 846 (28%) appear under more than one brand name. The largest single case carries 17 brands on one model number. Between them, these shared model numbers account for 75% of all 266,456 certified pairings in the list.
How we counted it
We took the EPA's published list of certified ducted heat pumps, retrieved 2026-09-26, and grouped every row by the outdoor unit model number, then counted the distinct brand names attached to each.
The first thing we tried did not work, and it is worth saying so: we looked for AHRI certificate numbers shared between brands, on the assumption that one certificate would cover one machine. Not a single certificate number is shared. Every brand files its own, even when the model number on the outdoor unit is character-for-character identical. That is why this is not obvious from the paperwork, and why the model number is what gives it away.
How concentrated it is
| Brands on the model number | Model numbers |
|---|---|
| 2 | 453 |
| 3 | 84 |
| 4 | 80 |
| 5 | 67 |
| 6 | 39 |
| 7 | 13 |
| 8 | 26 |
| 9 | 14 |
| 10 | 4 |
| 11 | 27 |
| 12 | 11 |
| 13 | 13 |
| 14 | 6 |
| 15 | 3 |
| 17 | 6 |
Most cases are modest — 453 model numbers carry exactly two brands — but 162 carry six or more, which is where it stops looking like an exception and starts looking like how the industry is organised.
The largest cases
| Outdoor model number | Brands | Sold as |
|---|---|---|
| D5CUHAH18AAK | 17 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, PAYNE HEATING AND COOLING, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann, WEATHERMAKER |
| D5CUHAH24AAK | 17 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, PAYNE HEATING AND COOLING, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann, WEATHERMAKER |
| D5CUHAH30AAK | 17 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, PAYNE HEATING AND COOLING, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann, WEATHERMAKER |
| D5CUHAH36AAK | 17 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, PAYNE HEATING AND COOLING, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann, WEATHERMAKER |
| D5CURAH24AAK | 17 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, PAYNE HEATING AND COOLING, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann, WEATHERMAKER |
| D5CURAH36AAK | 17 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, PAYNE HEATING AND COOLING, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann, WEATHERMAKER |
| DLCURAH24AAK | 15 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann |
| DLCURAH24ABK | 15 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann |
| DLCURAH48ABK | 15 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Grandaire, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann |
| DLCSRBH18AAK | 14 | Airquest, Arcoaire, BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS, Carrier, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, LPS Legacy, Midea, SMART COMFORT, Tempstar, Viessmann |
Brands people compare head to head
Of Bryant's 155 certified outdoor model numbers, 77 (about 50%) are also certified under the Carrier name. The same count for other pairs that often come up side by side on quotes:
| Brand | Outdoor model numbers | Also certified as | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryant | 155 | Carrier | 77 (50%) |
| Ruud | 71 | Rheem | 67 (94%) |
| Heil | 135 | Tempstar | 110 (81%) |
| American Standard | 79 | Trane | 33 (42%) |
| Amana | 35 | Goodman | 0 (0%) |
A zero does not mean two brands are unrelated. It only means their model numbers differ, so a model-number check cannot tell you anything about that pair.
What this does not prove
An identical model number under two brands is strong evidence of the same equipment. It is not proof of identical manufacture, and it says nothing at all about the things that differ between badges and often matter more than the metal:
- Warranty terms and who honours them. These are set by the brand, not by the certified rating.
- The dealer network. A brand with a contractor near you who answers the phone in February is worth something a spec sheet does not capture.
- Parts availability over the fifteen years you will own it.
- Installation quality. On a heat pump this moves real running cost more than a point of HSPF2 does, and it has nothing to do with the badge.
- Price. Which is rather the point of checking.
We are also only looking at ducted heat pumps on the ENERGY STAR list. We have not checked whether the same pattern holds for other equipment categories.
How to check your own quotes
- Write down the outdoor model number from each quote. Ignore the brand name for a moment.
- Compare them character by character, allowing for wildcards. Manufacturers publish model numbers with asterisks standing in for colour or voltage codes, so
N5H9V24*K*AAA*and a unit labelledN5H9V24GKAAAAcan be the same family. - Look each one up in the directory or the calculator. Where a model number is shared, the brand page names the other brands it appears under.
- If two quotes name the same outdoor model number, the equipment is very likely the same, and the comparison shifts to price, warranty and installer. Ask each contractor to confirm the indoor units and the AHRI numbers too: those can still differ.
Look up the model numbers on your quotes
Related
- What to check on a heat pump quote
- How to find and check the AHRI certificate number
- Browse brands and models
Sources and reuse
- U.S. EPA, ENERGY STAR Certified Ducted Heat Pumps, retrieved 2026-09-26; most recent certification date in the file 2026-09-23. A U.S. federal government work in the public domain.
- Method: Counts distinct outdoor model numbers that appear under more than one brand name in the ENERGY STAR certified list. Each brand files its own AHRI certificate - no certificate number is shared - so the model number is what shows the equipment is the same.
- Limits: An identical model number under two brands is strong evidence of the same equipment, but this data cannot prove identical manufacture, nor that the warranty, the dealer network or the installed price are the same.
The counts on this page are our own analysis of public data. If you want to use them, please link back to this page so readers can see the method and the date. If you find an error in the count, tell us and we will correct it and say what changed.
By Adrián Criado · About the author and this dataset · Updated 2026-09-26 · CertifiedSpecs is independent and is not affiliated with the EPA, AHRI or any manufacturer.