International Comfort Products (ICP)

International Comfort Products, or ICP, builds some of the most common outdoor units in Central Texas neighborhoods. If your air conditioner says Heil, Tempstar, Comfortmaker, Arcoaire, Airquest, Day & Night or KeepRite, it is ICP equipment, and its replacement parts are ICP parts. From its headquarters in Lewisburg, Tennessee, ICP designs and builds furnaces, heat pumps and central air conditioners for homes and light commercial buildings. It has been part of the Carrier family since 1999 (see our Carrier page).

ICP doesn’t sell to homeowners. Each brand goes through its own local HVAC dealers, which is why one neighbor has a Heil and the next has a Tempstar that looks almost the same.

Older ICP brand lists also included Lincoln, Dettson and Clare. If one of those names is on an older furnace, it is likely ICP-related too.

ICP builds every major piece of a home system:

• Air conditioners from basic single-stage models up to two-stage and variable-speed units.
• Heat pumps that cool in summer and heat in winter. Learn more on our heat pump page.
• Gas furnaces, including the high-efficiency type that vents through PVC pipe. See heating services.
• Air handlers, evaporator coils and packaged units for attics, closets and rooftops.

ICP equipment tends to be simple to service, and its parts are widely stocked. That matters on a 104°F afternoon, when the fastest repair is the one whose part is already sitting on a supply house shelf in town.

United Technologies, then Carrier’s parent, bought International Comfort Products in 1999 and folded it into Carrier. Carrier has run ICP as its own business, with its own brands, factory and dealers, rather than simply putting new badges on Carrier units.

So is a Heil the same as a Carrier? Not exactly. They are cousins: ICP brands share engineering standards and plenty of component suppliers with Carrier, Bryant and Payne, but they come off ICP’s own lines, with their own model numbers and warranty programs. Inside the ICP family the sharing runs deeper, which is why parts suppliers publish interchange guides between Heil, Tempstar and the other badges.

Whirlpool owned the Heil-Quaker heating and cooling business until 1986, when it sold it to a Canadian firm, Inter-City Gas. That company became International Comfort Products in 1997 and joined the Carrier family two years later. So the Heil furnace in your attic has a family tree that runs through a washing machine company and a Canadian gas utility.

These three share a platform, so performance comes down to the model tier and the installation, not the logo:

• Heat and humidity. A two-stage or variable-speed Heil or Tempstar runs longer at lower output, which pulls more moisture out. An oversized single-stage unit cools fast, shuts off before the moisture comes out and leaves the house sticky.
• Attic installs. Most Heil, Tempstar and Comfortmaker furnaces and air handlers here sit in attics that run far hotter than the outdoor air in summer. A clear drain line and a working safety float switch prevent ceiling stains.
• Freezes. Camp Mabry hit 7°F in Winter Storm Uri. A Heil or Tempstar heat pump needs working backup heat to keep up in that kind of cold. See our freeze guide.

Yes. We install, service and repair all seven ICP brands across Central Texas, including the older Heil or Tempstar that has been cooling your house for years. If it has quit, start with AC repair. If it’s time to replace it, compare options with Build Your Own System. If it’s still running, our Home Maintenance Plan covers the seasonal tune-ups that keep it efficient.

Want to see how ICP compares with other families? Read about Carrier, Daikin and Goodman and Rheem and Ruud.

Who owns International Comfort Products?
ICP is a subsidiary of Carrier Global. United Technologies, then Carrier’s parent, acquired it in 1999.

Is Tempstar the same as Heil?
They are sister ICP brands built on a shared platform with many interchangeable parts. The badge, dealer network and model names differ.

What brands does ICP make?
Heil, Tempstar, Comfortmaker, Arcoaire, Airquest, Day & Night and KeepRite.

Is ICP equipment good?
ICP products are widely installed, and parts are easy to find. How well a Heil or Tempstar performs depends mostly on correct sizing, installation quality and regular maintenance.