Smart home startup Quilt introduced a three-zone heat pump on Tuesday that promises to maintain efficiency even in the kinds of demanding conditions that stymie traditional incumbents.
The three-zone unit does what it says on the label: One outdoor unit is now capable of driving three indoor heads, as they’re known in the HVAC world. It’s a product that will make large installations simpler and cheaper while minimizing the footprint outside the home, and it’s key to the startup’s plans for expansion, which were recently turbocharged by a $20 million Series B focused on expanding sales.
But the real story is how Quilt developed the new product.
Since its founding, Quilt has prided itself on the amount of data it collects from its heat pumps. Not only are they internet-connected, they’re also laced with more sensors than typical heat pumps.
By analyzing that data, Quilt engineers have been able to do things that other companies have not. In September, for example, they shipped an over-the-air update to heat pumps in people’s homes that unlocked an additional 20% capacity, which could be directed toward either one or two zones. With the free update, people could be more comfortable during heat waves and cold snaps.
The team also used the data to develop the new three-zone unit and, in the process, solve a vexing challenge that many competitors face.
Like all heat pumps, multi-zone units work best when they’re run at variable speed — that is, when heating or cooling demand is low, the compressor runs at a lower speed to deliver only the amount of heating or cooling that’s needed.
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But there are limits to how low they can operate. Compressors become less stable at low speeds, making them harder to control. Matthew Knoll, co-founder and CTO at Quilt, compares it to driving a car a low speeds. Maintaining an even 70 mph is easier than a steady 11 mph. “It’s a l …