Mitsubishi intelli-HEAT Mini-Split Heat Pumps: Our Most Popular Installs
In 2023, our team at Save Home Heat Company introduced our customers and readers to a revolutionary new home comfort system from Mitsubishi called the intelli-HEAT™ Hybrid Dual Fuel Heat Pump system. Extremely versatile, highly efficient for both heating and cooling, a great fit for many existing homes and systems, and a welcome addition to the “green” home comfort movement, intelli-HEAT is a mini-split heat pump option that is steadily gaining fans among our customers.
In this post, we’ll briefly revisit what this advanced new heat pump system is, review its primary benefits, and then take a closer look at the most popular intelli-HEAT installations with our customers over the past year.
What is the intelli-HEAT Mini-Split Heat Pump System?
The intelli-HEAT system from Mitsubishi is unique in that it’s designed to function as both a whole-house, central heat pump in a dual fuel system working in tandem with a gas furnace or air handler, and also as a zoned mini-split system – and it can do all this at the same time!
Many homeowners choose the intelli-HEAT system as a more environmentally friendly option than a gas-fired system, and it’s available in a range of BTU ratings and configurations that allow it to serve a wide range of size and design homes.
Primary benefits of the intelli-HEAT system include:
- Can be used in tandem with a gas-fired furnace in a central dual fuel system, and can simultaneously accommodate independent room blower units, to be added either at the time of installation, or later if part of the initial plan: a multi-zone, mini-split system combined with a central system all in one product!
- Enables you to centrally heat or cool your entire home to a minimum, low-demand, energy-conserving level, while allowing you to boost comfort levels in specific rooms that are being used
- Variable-speed INVERTER compressor technology from Mitsubishi provides just the right amount of heating and cooling to meet a broad range of comfort needs and system demands
- Very high HSPF and SEER efficiency ratings for heating and cooling place the intelli-HEAT system at the top of the industry
- Achieve superior, energy efficient, customized comfort levels around your home
- Significantly reduce natural gas or propane consumption during the heating season. In some cases, especially during milder weather, the electric-powered heat pump is capable of handling 100% of the heating job
- The versatility and efficiency ratings of the electric-powered intelli-HEAT system make it a “green” home comfort product that’s continuing to gain more attention from homeowners and industry observers, alike
The Most Popular Mitsubishi intelli-HEAT Installations with Our Customers
One of the most attractive aspects of the intelli-HEAT system is its versatility. Some systems can accommodate up to 8 indoor blower units, plus the central dual fuel system – all powered by a single outdoor condensing unit. 8-to-1 intelli-HEAT systems are not our biggest sellers, and sometimes it makes sense to install two separate systems in the same home in order to properly accomplish our customers’ goals. Our team at Save Home Heat frequently installs systems ranging from a basic, central dual fuel system, up to 5-to-1 configurations.
The range of BTU sizes and options for intelli-HEAT systems continues to grow, and there are a wide variety of indoor blower unit options, as well (including wall and ceiling-mounted, and more). While the following systems that we’ll present below have been the most popular with our customers, thus far, there are plenty of other configurations that our team routinely installs.
Here’s a quick look at the intelli-HEAT systems that have been most popular with our customers in the Boulder-Denver metro area:
#1 – Dedicated central dual fuel system
This is the most basic, and has been the most popular Mitsubishi intelli-HEAT installation with our customers. A dedicated central dual fuel system is achieved by connecting an INVERTER heat pump with an existing gas furnace, employing the intelli-HEAT “smart” control module. The smart control precisely coordinates heat pump and furnace operation as they perform in tandem, employing either one or the other heating product, as the home’s needs require.
This ensures optimal overall system efficiency, in a system that can be fine tuned for your home and needs. Outdoor heat pump condensing units built for the intelli-HEAT system are currently available in a range of sizes up to 42,000 BTU per hour (our team would is glad to elaborate). Mitsubishi continues to work on expanding the available heating and cooling sizes of its mini-split systems.
In a central dual fuel system, the heat pump takes over a significant portion of the shared heating load from the gas furnace, especially during the spring and fall when outdoor temperatures are more moderate. Year-round gas consumption decreases as the highly efficient, variable-speed heat pump becomes a valuable part of the two-pronged heating system. In the process, stress and wear on the furnace is also reduced, helping to extend its life.
During the summer, the intell-HEAT system provides highly efficient air conditioning, taking the place of a conventional central AC or mini-split, AC-only system. The heat pump design produces very high SEER ratings for summertime air conditioning.
An expandable system, too!
It’s not unusual for a customer to initially have us install a basic dual fuel system, with plans to add independent room blower units at a later date. Lots of options!
#2 – Central dual fuel system + master bedroom
The next most popular intelli-HEAT installation with our customers entails the central, dual fuel system described above, with the addition of an independent indoor blower unit serving the master bedroom. The master bedroom systems we install usually range from 12,000 to 15,000 BTUs per hour of heating and cooling capacity.
#3 – Dual fuel system + master bedroom & great room
Our third most popular intelli-HEAT system adds a living room or great room to the central dual fuel system and the master bedroom system. This is known as a 2-to-1 system: 2 independent indoor room units, along with the central, dual fuel system. In this arrangement, the benefits of multi-zone mini-splits start to strut their stuff.
The indoor blower units we install for great room/living room areas often range in capacity from 12,000 to 18,000 BTUs of heating and cooling. Indoor units are currently available up to 36,000 BTUs in size, which are often able to take care of the largest rooms we see with a single indoor unit. On occasion, we recommend installing two, smaller indoor units to serve these larger areas, providing better coverage and improved comfort levels all around the room.
#4 – Dual fuel system + master bedroom, great room & home office, too!
Yet another intelli-HEAT installation that our team at Save Home Heat installs often is a 3-in-1 system that incorporates the master bedroom, a great room/living room, and a home office, of course along with the central dual fuel system. In this configuration, the versatility of this advanced, multi-zone heat pump system really shines.
Our customers’ home office heating and cooling needs are often supplied by an indoor blower unit ranging in size from 9,000 to 12,000 BTUs, not surprisingly the smaller units available from Mitsubishi.
Other popular intelli-HEAT heat pump installations
The above popular systems by no means represent the full range of intelli-HEAT multi-zone systems that our team installs for our customers. Other popular applications are 4-to-1 and 5-to-1 systems that incorporate additional bedrooms into the system, taking full advantage of the many benefits of zoned heating and cooling throughout the home. Kitchens and dining areas have also come into play on a regular basis.
Multi-Zone Indoor Blower Unit Options Abound!
One of the great unsung plusses of multi-zone, mini-split systems is the wide range of indoor blower unit options available, including compact, modern, unobtrusive wall-mounted units, a variety of ceiling units, floor consoles, and even duct-able air handlers to match a variety of size areas from single rooms to an entire home. Our team is very experienced and adept at matching the appropriate indoor blower units with our customers’ needs and desires, ones that are also a good fit for their homes.
Expert Mitsubishi intelli-HEAT Heat Pump Installation in the Denver-Boulder Metro Area!
intelli-HEAT from Mitsubishi is a viable and growing “green” heating and cooling alternative for Boulder-Denver area homeowners, providing impressive efficiency, versatility, and superior comfort levels in a zone-able system. To learn more about intelli-HEAT and other multi-zone heat pump systems from Mitsubishi, a worldwide leader in ductless comfort technology, please reach out to our friendly team at Save Home Heat today.
Whether it’s a mini-split system or something else that’s a better match for your home and your needs, you can rely on our team to provide highly informative, low-pressure, free install quotes for whatever product or products that you’re interested in.
Please contact me to schedule an intelli-HEAT install quote!
