Heil has been in the residential heating and cooling industry since 1962, and they are part of International Comfort Products (ICP) along with many other HVAC brands. Heil manufactures single-stage, two-stage and modulating furnaces in two efficiency tiers.
- Their high efficiency furnaces reach up to 98% Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), and some models are ENERGY STAR Certified.
- They also offer 80% AFUE furnaces, which are more affordable and cost-effective in milder climate zones.
According to the technical opinion of our HVAC experts, Heil can be considered a mid-tier furnace brand. They offer a wide product selection that includes high efficiency units, but other brands have a better track record of reliability and durability. If you will move to another home in the near future and only need a short-term solution, Heil can meet the heating needs of your home.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a furnace that will work reliably for 15-25 years, you should consider a top-rated brand like Carrier or Trane.
Did you know? International Comfort Products (ICP) owns Heil, Airquest, Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Keeprite and Tempstar. The selection of furnaces offered by the seven brands is nearly identical. In turn, ICP is a business unit of Carrier Global Corporation, which means that Carrier owns Heil.
However, the ICP brands focus on mid-tier and affordable furnaces, while Carrier manufactures high-tier furnaces branded with their logo.
Heil Gas Furnaces: Main Product Features
The gas furnaces offered by Heil and all other ICP brands are classified into three performance tiers. All three tiers include high AFUE (90%+) and standard AFUE (80%) furnaces:
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- Ion Series (premium tier)
- QuietComfort Series (standard tier)
- Performance Series (value tier)
The Ion Series has the most accurate temperature and humidity control, making indoor spaces more comfortable. These furnaces use variable-speed blowers to ramp up their airflow gradually when the heating cycle starts. The furnace has more time to heat air circulating through the duct system, preventing cold drafts.
![](https://www.hvacfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Heil-ion-96-variable-speed-gas-furnace.png)
All furnace models in the Ion Series are compatible with the Wi-Fi Ion System Control, which enhances comfort.
The QuietComfort Series consists of two-stage furnaces with variable-speed fans, offering a balance between temperature control and price. These furnaces don’t have the Wi-Fi Ion System Control, which means their temperature and humidity regulation is slightly less accurate compared with the Ion Series. However, the combination of a two-stage gas valve and a variable-speed fan offers excellent temperature control on its own.
The Performance Series is the cheapest furnace line offered by Heil. These are all single-stage furnaces, and only some models have variable-speed blowers. This means you can expect notable temperature and humidity variations when using these furnaces.
Pro Tip: There is a common misconception that high furnace efficiency (AFUE) is equivalent to product quality, but this is not necessarily true. An AFUE of over 90% simply means that the furnace uses a secondary heat exchanger to collect more heat when burning natural gas. The top furnace brands make both 80% AFUE and 90-99% AFUE units.
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