Quilt has released a software update that increases the heating and cooling capacity of its heat pump systems by 20 percent. This enhancement applies to all Quilt heat pumps, including units already installed in customers’ homes.
The update represents a significant improvement for existing customers, who will benefit from the increased capacity without needing to purchase new equipment or schedule installation visits. For homeowners using Quilt systems, this means more powerful heating and cooling performance from their current hardware.
How the Update Works
The software update modifies how Quilt heat pumps operate, allowing them to extract and distribute more thermal energy than previously possible. This optimization unlocks latent capacity that was built into the hardware but not fully utilized by earlier software versions.
Unlike traditional HVAC systems that would require physical modifications or component replacements to increase capacity, Quilt’s approach demonstrates how modern heat pump technology can improve through digital updates similar to those common in consumer electronics.
Impact for Homeowners
For current Quilt customers, the update provides several practical benefits:
- Increased heating capacity during cold weather conditions
- Enhanced cooling performance during hot summer months
- Potentially faster temperature adjustments within homes
- Improved ability to maintain comfort during extreme weather
The update may also allow some systems to operate more efficiently under partial load conditions, though Quilt has not specifically mentioned efficiency improvements in its announcement.
Industry Implications
This development highlights a growing trend in the HVAC industry toward software-defined equipment. Traditional heating and cooling systems typically operate at fixed capacities determined by their physical components, with improvements requiring hardware replacements.
“Software-updatable HVAC systems represent a fundamental shift in how we think about home comfort equipment,” said an industry analyst familiar with heat pump technology. “The ability to improve performance through software updates means these systems can get better over time, similar to how smartphones receive new features.”
Other manufacturers have begun exploring similar approaches, but Quilt’s across-the-board 20 percent improvement represents one of the most substantial capacity increases delivered through a software update in the residential HVAC market.
Deployment Process
The update is being distributed to all compatible Quilt heat pumps. Systems connected to home networks will likely receive the update automatically, while disconnected units may require a service visit or customer action to implement the new software.
Quilt has not specified whether customers need to take any steps to activate the additional capacity or if the improvement will function automatically once installed.
This development comes as heat pumps gain popularity as energy-efficient alternatives to traditional heating and cooling systems. The technology has received increased attention due to its potential role in reducing residential energy consumption and carbon emissions.
The capacity increase may also help address concerns about heat pump performance in extreme temperatures, which has been a barrier to wider adoption in some climate zones with very cold winters or very hot summers.
