There are several actions the United States is taking to reduce its carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels. The home improvement industry is taking great strides with innovation in products that aid in the electrification of homes. The HVAC industry is no stranger to this trend. Right now, our manufacturing partners, Trane and Mitsubishi Electric, are working together to develop heating and cooling systems that reduce fossil fuel usage. These manufacturers are also focused on building energy-efficient systems that raise the bar in efficiency ratings.
In the HVAC industry, efficiency is rated by Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER2) and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF2). The US Department of Energy recently increased its testing standards for these ratings, so the new standards are notated with a 2 at the end of the nomenclature: HSPF2 and SEER2.
WHAT IS THE INTELLI-HEAT COIL?
Ohio is located in what is considered to be the Northern zone of the United States; it can get extremely cold here in the winter months. However, we also have our fair-share of mild winter days where temperatures can easily climb higher than 50 degrees. This puts us in the perfect place to take advantage of improved heat pump technology.
If you’ve ever lived in a home with an old, inefficient heat pump, you may have felt uncomfortable. In the past, heat pumps got a bad reputation for producing a ‘cold heat.’ While it’s true that electric heat does not output as warm as a gas or propane heat, it’s important to take note that heat pump technology has improved immensely in the last 20 years. The heat pumps of today are much more efficient thanks to variable speed technology and can help keep your home more comfortable than what the older and less efficient models could provide.
Mitsubishi Electric Cooling and Heating has teamed up with Trane (METUS) to design a heating coil which allows any gas or propane burning furnace to become transformed into a dual fuel or hybrid heating system. Intelli-HEAT combines heat pump technology along with a gas furnace. This heat pump replaces the standard outdoor unit (either your air conditioner or heat pump). An electric heat pump allows homeowners the capability of using electric to warm their homes on mild winter days. During much colder days, the gas furnace would kick in to heat up the home.
Mitsubishi Electric prides itself on its inverter-driven compressor technology. This allows the heat pump system to provide better heat at much lower temperatures when comparing to the traditional heat pump.
HOW WILL THE INTELLI-HEAT COIL IMPROVE MY HOME’S EFFICIENCY?
According to Chris North, the senior specialist, product marketing at Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US, the new Intelli-HEAT dual fuel system has the potential to cut the average home’s carbon footprint up to 40%. He also states that using electric to heat the home is a great way to improve the air quality. Better yet, the Intelli-HEAT coil has endured numerous tests, and the testing proves that the Hyper-Heating INVERTER (H2i) models can produce heating capacity down to 5-degree outdoor temperature, and will operate down to -13-degrees outdoor temperature.
The Intelli-HEAT system will allow for comfortable and efficient heating on those mild winter days, and cool, comfortable air conditioning throughout the summer months.
WHY WOULD I WANT TO REPLACE MY EXISTING HVAC SYSTEM WITH INTELLI-HEAT TECHNOLOGY?
There are a number of reasons to get Intelli-Heat Coil technology. Within the last year, energy costs have sharply increased. In some locations, the cost of natural gas and electricity has almost doubled. Energy costs aren’t expected to go down anytime soon. By replacing your existing cooling and heating system with an Intelli-HEAT system you’ll be able to benefit from increased efficiency. You’ll also be able to choose and control how you heat your home. Remember, Intelli-HEAT offers both electric and natural gas (or propane) heating options. With a dual-fuel system, you have the choice in which energy source you use to heat your home. If gas prices drop, you’ll have the option to use your gas furnace for heat. Otherwise, you’ll have your electric heat pump as a source of efficient heat to warm your home until extreme temperature effect our region.
ARE THERE INCENTIVES TO HAVE AN INTELLI-HEAT DUAL FUEL SYSTEM INSTALLED AT MY HOUSE?
As part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, it is expected that there will be possible tax credits (up to $2,600) that homeowners may qualify for after installing an Intelli-HEAT system to their home. To qualify, we recommend homeowners speak with their tax accountants about how they may qualify for any possible 25c federal tax credits.
HOW DO I FIND OUT IF I COULD ADD INTELLI-HEAT TECHNOLOGY TO MY HOME?
The Intelli-HEAT coil came on the market in 2023. At Logan Services we are in continual communication with our manufacturing partners at Trane and Mitsubishi Electric to become educated and trained in selling and installing systems that include the Intelli-HEAT coil. We are excited to offer these high efficiency heating and cooling systems that are sure to grow in popularity as their production continues off the assembly lines.
We recommend you get started with a FREE, in-home estimate from one of our comfort consultants at Logan Services. Our comfort consultant will want to evaluate your current heating and cooling system to see if it is compatible with Intelli-Heat Coils and then will be able to recommend some choices for replacement. During the consultation, you’ll discuss your energy efficiency goals. Through that conversation, you’ll learn how Logan Services has multiple solutions to increase your efficiency and in part, your overall home comfort.
Get started with a free, no obligation quote today to learn more about Intelli-HEAT choices for your home. Request your estimate today.
