Efficient. Comfortable. Deluxe. The Trane XL 18i heat pump offers enhanced comfort at a lower cost.

If you’re looking for a heat pump that can help with humidity issues, uneven temperatures, and high heating and cooling costs, let me introduce you to Trane’s XL 18i heat pump.

The Trane XL 18i heat pump offers reliable, high-efficiency heating and cooling with increased comfort.

At Xtreme Air Services, we’ve helped thousands of North Texas homeowners customize their HVAC systems to meet their needs. We believe you can get the most out of your investment by better understanding how your system can address your comfort needs.

We want to ensure you have the best information, no matter where you live. That’s where this article comes in.

This article will discuss the cost, benefits, and features of the Trane XL 18i heat pump. We’ll also cover when the XL18i may be a good fit (and when it may not).

Overview of the Trane XL18i Heat Pump

The Trane XL 18i heat pump provides efficient heating and cooling that can boost comfort all year. If you have issues with humidity, uneven temperatures, and high heating and cooling costs, the XL 18i may be able to help.

But while the XL 18i isn’t the most expensive model on the market, it may be outside some budgets. (More on this later.)

Trane designed the XL 18i heat pump to:

• Efficiently heat and cool your home
• Boost comfort by reducing temperature spikes, humidity, and hot and cold spots

Features of the Trane XL18i Heat Pump

The Trane XL18i heat pump is a high-efficiency, two-stage heat pump.

We need to discuss some of the XL18i’s core features to break that down.

Core features of the Trane XL18i heat pump include:

• Two-stage compressor
• Patented WeatherGuard Top

Two-Stage Compressor

A heat pump’s compressor controls its heating and cooling output. Compressors can also have multiple output settings, also known as stages.

Compressors can have one of three types of staging:

1. Single-stage
2. Two-stage
3. Variable-speed

Single-stage compressors have one setting: 100% capacity.

Single-stage compressors are tried-and-true technology. All heat pumps were single-stage until recently.

Multi-stage heat pumps like the XL18i were designed to provide more comfort by addressing comfort concerns.

Two-stage compressors have two settings: 100% and another set that’s around 70% capacity.

As a two-stage heat pump, the XL18i will run on its lower capacity setting more frequently than at full capacity. This also gives the XL18i a longer runtime.

In this case, a longer runtime is a good thing. The longer a multi-stage heat pump can run at a lower capacity, the more evenly it can heat and cool your home. And since running at a lower capacity, a longer runtime won’t increase your energy bills.

The only options that have the potential to offer more efficiency and comfort are heat pumps with variable-speed compressors.

Variable-speed compressors can have hundreds of stages ranging from around 25% to 100% capacity.

This range gives variable-speed heat pumps the potential to address the most comfort concerns, like humidity and uneven temperatures.

WeatherGuard Top

The Trane XL18i heat pump comes standard with Trane’s patented WeatherGuard Top.

The WeatherGuard Top offers additional protection for your heat pump without restricting airflow.

However, the WeatherGuard Top makes the XL18i one of Trane’s taller heat pumps. Depending on your system, the Trane XL18i heat pump can be as tall as five feet once installed.

If your current heat pump is under a window less than five feet off the ground, the XL18i could block part of the window. If this is a concern, discuss your options with your HVAC partner.

How Efficient Is the Trane XL18i Heat Pump?

The Trane XL18i heat pump can get up to 18 SEER and 9.5 HSPF.

What do these ratings mean for you?

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings score the amount of energy heat pumps and air conditioners used to cool your home. Heat pumps range between 14 – 22 SEER commonly.

Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) ratings describe the energy heat pumps use to heat your home. Heat pumps typically range between 7.7 – 11 HSPF.

While SEER and HSPF ratings are scored on different scales, the higher the rating, the more efficient the system.

Trane estimates that the XL18i can save you as much as 56% of your current heating and cooling costs. (This depends on your current system’s efficiency, however. If your current system is approximately 10 SEER or less, you could see a significant change in your heating and cooling costs with the XL18i.)

Another factor that can affect your heating and cooling costs is the temperature when your system switches to backup heat.

Heat pumps can only heat your home until outside temperatures dip below a certain point. For the Trane XL18i, that point is around 30 degrees.

After temperatures drop below 30 degrees, your system relies on your backup heat to keep your family warm.

If you have an all-electric system, your system will switch to your air handler’s heat strips.

Heat strips are similar to the filaments in a toaster. Heating your home with heat strips for long periods can drastically increase your heating costs.

You may have a gas or propane furnace with a dual fuel system.

Natural gas can be a cost-effective way to heat your home. But the cost of propane can fluctuate throughout the year. You may pay more to heat your home with propane as temperatures drop.

If your current system has high heating and cooling costs, such as a variable-speed model, you may benefit from a system that can heat into lower temperatures.

Who’s a Good Fit for the Trane XL18i Heat Pump?

The Trane XL18i heat pump can be a great option if you have issues with humidity, uneven temperatures, and high heating and cooling costs. So if you’re looking for increased comfort without a top-of-the-line price tag, the XL18i may be able to help.

Because of the efficiency and comfort, it can offer, the Trane XL18i heat pump can be a great choice if you plan to stay in your home long-term.

And while the XL18i isn’t a top-of-the-line heat pump, it may be outside some budgets.

However, the Trane XL18i may not be the best fit for you if:

• You don’t have many comfort concerns. The Trane XL18i may still be able to offer more comfort than your current system. But the XL18i was designed to address comfort concerns like humidity, uneven temperatures between floors, hot and cold spots, and high heating and cooling costs. If you don’t currently have these comfort concerns, you may not notice a significant difference with the XL18i.
• You don’t plan to stay in your home long-term. Plans can change. But if you don’t plan to stay in your home for the next ten years, you may not see a return on your investment. Efficiency is a long game. And if you’re not looking for boosted comfort during that time, the XL18i may not be the right system for you.

Choosing the Right Heat Pump for You

If you’ve made it this far, we hope you love the Trane XL18i as much as we do. (Check out the XL18i’s technical specifications here.) But if you’d like to continue exploring your options, we’d love to meet with you!

Whether you have a list of comfort concerns or want a reliable heat pump, you have options. There’s no one-size-fits-all heating and cooling solution.

At Xtreme Air Services, we take the time to understand your needs and perform load calculations before we make any recommendations. We believe in educating the homeowners we meet with, not using pushy sales tactics.

If you’d like to schedule your free, no-obligation in-home estimate, enter your zip code below to get started.