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Comfort is an integral part of every indoor environment. And while nearly every structure is equipped with a heating and/or cooling system, each must utilize some sort of control apparatus to manage the need for comfort.

HVAC contractors are responsible for the installation and maintenance of such units, making them the authority on comfort controls. So when considering the multitude of options available on the market, who better to decipher the best from the rest than those responsible for their installation and operation? In this article, a handful of experienced HVAC contractors identify their favorite controls and share how and why these units exceed their customers’ expectations.

Airzone Thermostats

PROPRIETARY PROTOCOLS: “Because Airzone uses VRF unit manufacturers’ proprietary protocols, the level of programming and control is far more robust than a standard application,” said Lazarus Angulo, owner, Nel & Sons Inc., when describing Airzone’s thermostats. (Courtesy of Airzone)

Lazarus Angulo, owner, Nel & Sons Inc., Miami, appreciates the aesthetics of the Airzone thermostats, which is one of many reasons he specifies Airzone branded controls first.

“Our customers are making a significant investment in VRF systems and they expect a thermostat with a sophisticated appearance that complements their interior design,” Angulo said. “The sleek, simple interface of the Airzone thermostats meets that need.”

In the last year, Nel & Sons has installed more than 50 Airzone controls.

“Using Airzone thermostats, we can create zoned solutions without needing to bring in additional equipment, adding even greater efficiency to the overall system design,” Angulo said. “Because Airzone uses VRF unit manufacturers’ proprietary protocols, the level of programming and control is far more robust than a standard application.”

Angulo credits Airzone’s customer support, deeming it top-notch.

“I don’t need help often, but when I do, I expect my vendors to be extremely responsive,” he said. “When I call, they recognize me. It’s a personal relationship; I’ve never felt like a number. There is simply no time to wait for answers on the type of high-end installations we do.”

Bryant Evolution Connex

TOTAL CONTROL: Bryant Evolution Connex Control gives homeowners total control over their indoor living environment on an easy-to-use interface. (Courtesy of Bryant)

Jim Price, general manager, Air-Tech Heating and A/C, always starts projects with Bryant’s Evolution Connex, citing the control’s excellent communication capabilities as a chief attribute.

“This control communicates with all of the Evolution equipment we install and offers us operational efficiency,” said Price. “It regulates all stages of the equipment to heat, cool, dehumidify, humidify, and bring fresh air into the home, making this a perfect heat and humidity control. The Connex unit turns Bryant modulating furnaces into true modulating units.”

While other thermostats modulate up and then turn off and restart the process, the Bryant unit modulates up and down in 1% increments from 40% to 100% capacity. This results in long run times and more comfortable residences, said Price.

“The Evolution Connex will direct the Evolution 5 Stage Air Conditioner to modulate up and down in the five stages to have the longest run time while dehumidifying the home and staying within the 0.5°F set point,” said Price. “The control will also work with the furnace to make a standard a/c unit more efficient by controlling the blower speed during the cycle, which helps dehumidify up to seven times faster than a regular control on the same system.”

When it comes to controlling multiple zones, Price deemed the Evolution system a first-class option.

“The system can have one 6-inch supply on a zone, and the system will modulate everything down to accommodate this zone,” said Price. “If the system cannot modulate down enough for the one zone and still operate, the Connex will see the higher static from the furnace blower and modulate the rest of the system dampers just enough to satisfy the static so that the system can continue to operate.”

Price’s company has completed rough-in-style dampers in a retrofit project where every supply had its own damper using daisy-chain wiring.

“We’ve operated 15 dampers on one zone board,” he said. “The Evolution Connex knows to only open the first five, then the next five, and so on.”

Carrier Infinity System Control

CLEAR COMMUNICATION: Carrier Infinity System Control’s communicating capabilities keep the home comfortable by maximizing the performance of connected Carrier units. (Courtesy of Carrier Corp.)

Scot Varnau, president, Conditioned Air Mechanical LLC, Stafford, Texas, always offers Carrier’s Infinity System Control to customers first due to its algorithm, which he deems the best in the industry.

“The unit does a great job controlling the variable-speed motors in Carrier’s Greenspeed Infinity system, which maximizes humidity control and customer comfort,” he said. “Customers are impressed when I explain to them that this is an intelligent, communicating system that has the capability to talk to the other components on startup.”

Through this technology, the control establishes a unique relationship with each piece of equipment in its jurisdiction.

“The Infinity System Control can reach out to the condenser, furnace, etc. and learn their models and serial numbers,” Varnau said. “The control uses that information to maximize the performance of the whole system, report error codes, and give contractors important information about the operating status.”

Varnau said Carrier was among the first manufacturers to implement this technology and has improved upon it multiple times since.

“Even though it is a very advanced piece of equipment, it offers a simple control, so anyone can operate it with no problem,” he said.

Varnau has fielded very little, if any, negative feedback ― he’s received much more positive feedback about the unit.

“We rarely need support from Carrier on this product,” he said. “They provide it, but, on this product, we don’t really need it. That’s probably the loudest endorsement one can give about this unit.”

Ecobee Smart Thermostat

SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE: The unit is designed to be easy to install and operate, which is a boon for homeowners and contractors, said Bunker. (Courtesy of Ecobee)

Richard Bunker, HVAC service manager, Any Hour Services, Orem, Utah, said his company, which deploys 250 trucks and exceeds $100 million in sales, starts their installations with ecobee thermostats.

“The ecobee units are easy to use,” he said. “More and more homeowners are being cautious about their energy usage, and having a smart thermostat can help that.”

The unit is designed to be easy to install and operate, which is a boon for homeowners and contractors, said Bunker.

“The units look very nice,” he said. “Customers don’t have to look at an ugly unit on their wall every day.”

Installation can be done over the phone rather than on the phone, making it easier for those who have difficulty typing or reading on such a small screen. The unit also is accessible via Alexa, allowing customers to control it with their voices. Additionally, the unit is hard-wired into the furnace control board, so customers don’t have to worry about changing batteries.

Bunker cites strong support from the ecobee team as a primary reason for their continued partnership with the company.

“The customer support provided by ecobee is amazing,” he said. “Their team has made numerous trips to our location to just check in and have used our company to beta test new products. They’ve been great when it comes to warranty issues and have conducted multiple training sessions for our entire HVAC team.”

Google Nest Learning Thermostat

Brent Flaharty, senior vice president, strategic alliances, ARS/Rescue Rooter, said his company’s preferred control is the Google Nest Learning Thermostat. Over the last five years, the company has installed hundreds of thousands of Nest thermostats across the U.S.

“The Nest Learning Thermostat has very strong homeowner appeal and demand,” Flaharty said. “The majority of our customers find the Google Nest platform easy to interact with, and the after-install care and service from both ARS and Google Nest has further enhanced that user experience.”

The Nest unit offers multiple benefits, including energy savings, scheduling capabilities, remote access, and predictive analytics (HVAC monitoring) on service/maintenance needs, said Flaharty.

“The built-in HVAC monitoring feature keeps customers connected to us when they need us most at no additional charge,” he said.

On the sales side, the HVAC purchase journey is consultative in nature. ARS and Google Nest continue to bolster relationships through training videos, webinars, and in-person visits.

“Having a partner like Google Nest that can bring detailed training to us that is tailored for our service people, installation crews, comfort advisors, and customer service reps is critical,” Flaharty said.

ARS’s team finds additional value in selling Google Nest’s products during slow times.

“We’ve embraced the opportunity to provide availability to the other smart home products in Nest’s portfolio, such as the Nest Protect smoke and CO alarm,” Flaharty said. “The shoulder season provides us a great opportunity to market to our customers using the Google Nest Doorbells, cameras, and hubs, giving us access to incremental sales and touchpoints with consumers.”

Venstar ColorTouch

HAPPY CUSTOMERS: “The Venstar thermostats are easy to install and program, work well with virtually all HVAC equipment, and make my customers happy,” said David Queirolo, owner, Queirolo’s Heating, A/C & Solar Inc., in Stockton, California. (Courtesy of Venstar)

David Queirolo, owner, Queirolo’s Heating, A/C & Solar Inc., in Stockton, California, said his preferred thermostat is the Venstar ColorTouch (T7850 and T7900 models) and Venstar Explorer (Model T4950-IAQ) with indoor air quality monitoring.

“The Venstar thermostats are easy to install and program, work well with virtually all HVAC equipment, and make my customers happy,” said Queirolo. “With these units, we can remotely monitor customers’ sites on screens from our office. With the heat this summer, this has allowed us to monitor temperatures for air conditioning systems, refrigeration walk-ins, freezer walk-ins and wine cellars, both wired and wireless. With the Venstar thermostats, we are also able to set up and monitor alarms for our customers.”

Over the last 25 years, Queirolo’s Heating A/C & Solar has installed thousands of Venstar controls to near universal acclaim.

“Everybody loves the Venstar ColorTouch thermostats,” Queirolo said. “They love the Wi-Fi ability and the ability to set up alerts if the temperature goes above or below the pre-set limits. The mobile app is very straight forward and easy to use.”

The unit is great for both residential and commercial applications, Queirolo said.

“Commercial customers love the ability to set up different security levels with the locking cover, which offers access through specific parameters,” he said. “We have a residential customer who has three homes, one of which has a large wine cellar filled with very expensive wine. He was having a lot of problems with the wine cellar temperatures which was installed by another vendor. We fixed it using the Venstar ColorTouch T7900 with humidity sensors and set up a glycol sensor with alerts so we can ensure his wine is kept at the correct temperature. He is so happy with the system that he has us monitor his wine full-time. We take care of any issues if there is an alert.”