A balcony installation where every centimeter had to serve performance, accessibility, and durability
At Saint-Urbain-Premier, this installation of a Fujitsu AIRSTAGE Altair 700 wall-mounted heat pump perfectly illustrates a type of project in which equipment selection represents only part of the work. Here, the outdoor unit had to be integrated into a relatively limited balcony area, immediately adjacent to the building wall, a window, and the railing.
The photo taken during our work shows the result: a compact Fujitsu AIRSTAGE outdoor unit, installed on an elevated metal structure and positioned to preserve reasonable passage while allowing it to be connected to the building.
In this type of situation, we cannot simply place the condenser wherever seems most convenient. We must consider airflow, noise, vibrations, water drainage during defrost cycles, access to the technical components, and the routing of the refrigerant lines.
This is precisely what makes this project interesting for homeowners considering a wall-mounted heat pump installation in Saint-Urbain-Premier, Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore, or the South Shore: when a balcony or terrace presents constraints, choosing a compact outdoor unit and precise planning become essential.
A Fujitsu Altair 700 designed in a single-zone configuration
The Fujitsu AIRSTAGE Altair 700 belongs to the H series of single-zone wall-mounted systems. The manufacturer's documentation presents two configurations in this range:
- ASUH09KMAS with AOUH09KMAS1, corresponding to a rated cooling capacity of 9,000 BTU/h;
- ASUH12KMAS with AOUH12KMAS1, corresponding to a rated cooling capacity of 12,000 BTU/h.
In the photo from the Saint-Urbain-Premier project, we can clearly see the Fujitsu AIRSTAGE outdoor unit and its rating plate, but the markings are not legible enough to confirm unambiguously which of the two capacities was installed. We therefore prefer to present the exact specifications of the range rather than arbitrarily assigning a capacity to the project. The Fujitsu technical sheet confirms these two combinations and their main specifications.
A particularly compact outdoor unit for this type of balcony
One of the most relevant elements in this installation is the size of the outdoor unit.
According to the Altair 700 technical sheet, the outdoor unit measures approximately:
- 799 mm wide;
- 542 mm high;
- 290 mm deep;
- for a net weight of approximately 32 kg.
These dimensions are identical for the documented 9,000 and 12,000 BTU/h configurations.
A depth of approximately 290 mm is particularly useful when working on a balcony like the one shown in the photo. A deeper machine could have reduced the available space further and made it more difficult to maintain clearance in front of or behind the appliance.
However, we must distinguish between compact size and installation without constraints. Even a small outdoor unit needs a suitable environment to operate properly.
The metal support: more than a simple accessory
The outdoor unit visible in the photo is installed on a raised metal support, rather than directly on the balcony surface.
This choice provides several practical benefits.
Separating the machine from the balcony surface
When a heat pump operates in heating mode, it produces water during its defrost cycles. This water must be able to drain away without unnecessarily accumulating directly beneath the appliance’s base.
By raising the condenser, we create more space beneath the machine.
Maintaining a stable installation
A rigid, properly assembled support also helps keep the unit level and reduce unwanted movement.
On a terrace or balcony, vibrations are especially important because they can be felt more easily through the building structure if the machine is improperly installed.
Making future service work easier
The additional height can also improve access to the lower part of the machine during HVAC maintenance or an inspection.
A heat pump should not only be easy to install on the day of the work. We also think about the technician who may eventually need to open the panels, inspect the connections, clean the heat exchanger, or perform diagnostics.
An installation near the wall that requires careful planning
The photo shows that the outdoor unit is located near the exterior wall and a window.
This configuration requires several aspects to be considered simultaneously:
- the available space;
- the route of the lines indoors;
- the presence of the railing;
- window opening;
- access to the service panel;
- the clearance required around the heat exchanger;
- the fan’s air discharge;
- future maintenance options.
A common mistake when installing on a balcony is focusing only on “making the unit fit.” That is not enough.
We must also ask ourselves whether the unit will be able to breathe properly and whether a technician will still be able to access it in a few years.
Inverter technology: capacity that varies according to demand
The Altair 700 series uses an Inverter compressor, allowing the system to modulate its capacity instead of operating solely in on-off mode.
For the 9,000 BTU/h version, Fujitsu indicates:
- rated cooling capacity: 9,000 BTU/h;
- cooling modulation: 3,100 to 12,100 BTU/h;
- rated heating capacity: 12,000 BTU/h;
- heating modulation: 2,800 to 14,500 BTU/h.
For the 12,000 BTU/h version:
- rated cooling capacity: 12,000 BTU/h;
- cooling modulation: 3,100 to 13,800 BTU/h;
- rated heating capacity: 14,000 BTU/h;
- heating modulation: 2,800 to 15,000 BTU/h.
This modulation is important for comfort.
A room does not constantly need the full capacity of its heat pump. An outdoor temperature of 12 °C in the fall does not create the same demand as a much colder day. In summer, a mildly hot day does not represent the same load as a heat wave.
The Inverter therefore allows the system to adapt its operation more closely to the actual demand.
Efficiency of up to 30.0 SEER2
The Fujitsu specification sheet presents very impressive efficiency ratings for this range.
The 09KMAS1 configuration shows:
- SEER2: 30.0;
- HSPF2 Region V: 9.9;
- EER2: 16.4;
- COP2: 4.64.
The 12KMAS1 configuration shows:
- SEER2: 27.5;
- HSPF2 Region V: 8.5;
- EER2: 13.5;
- COP2: 4.32.
Both configurations also appear with the ENERGY STAR, ENERGY STAR Cold Climate, and ENERGY STAR Most Efficient designations in the documentation provided.
For a homeowner, these values provide a much more useful basis for comparing units than BTU capacity alone.
Heating down to -15 °C according to Fujitsu
The operating range announced by Fujitsu for the Altair 700 is:
- -10 °C to 50 °C in cooling mode;
- -15 °C to 24 °C in heating mode.
This data must be carefully reviewed when choosing a heat pump in Quebec.
We never recommend relying solely on the words “cold climate” without consulting the specific values for the model under consideration. The minimum operating temperature, available capacity at low temperatures, and the supplemental heating system already present in the home must all be considered.
In Saint-Urbain-Premier, as elsewhere in Montérégie, winter temperatures can drop below -15 °C. It is therefore essential to integrate the heat pump into a coherent heating strategy for the entire season.
R-32: the refrigerant used by this new Altair 700
The Altair 700 line uses R-32 refrigerant.
Fujitsu documentation indicates a global warming potential of 675 for R-32, compared with 2,088 for R-410A, corresponding to an announced 68% reduction in GWP.
For us, this change is not limited to a note on a sales sheet. An R-32 installation must be carried out using the methods, equipment, and procedures specified for this type of refrigerant.
This includes the quality of the refrigerant connections, evacuation, leak testing, and proper commissioning.
This project in Saint-Urbain-Premier shows why a balcony heat pump must be considered as a complete system
The 1/4 in. – 3/8 in. piping provides some flexibility
Both Altair 700 configurations use the same pipe diameters:
- 1/4 in. for the liquid line;
- 3/8 in. for the gas line.
The specified minimum piping length is 3 m, or 10 ft, while the maximum length allowed by the documentation is 20 m, or 66 ft.
The maximum vertical difference is 14.9 m, or 49 ft.
These figures are particularly interesting when the outdoor unit is located on a balcony. Depending on the building configuration, the indoor unit may be some distance away or on another level.
That said, being able to use up to 66 ft of line set does not mean that a long route should always be created.
At AirGreen, we instead aim for a logical, protected, and accessible route.
The service panel must remain accessible
In the photo, we can clearly identify the side of the outdoor unit where the nameplate and junction box are located.
This is an important detail.
A professional HVAC installation must anticipate future service work. If a unit is wedged so close to a wall, railing, or obstacle that its service panel cannot be removed, every maintenance task becomes unnecessarily complicated.
For balcony installations, we therefore assess the space around the unit not only from an operational standpoint, but also from a service perspective.
15 A circuit breaker for both documented configurations
The Fujitsu Altair 700 operates at 208 to 230 V, 60 Hz, single-phase.
The technical specifications indicate a 15 A circuit breaker for the 09KMAS1 and 12KMAS1 configurations.
For the 9,000 BTU/h model, Fujitsu specifies a maximum current of:
- 6.4 A in cooling mode;
- 9.4 A in heating.
For the 12,000 BTU/h model:
- 6.9 A in cooling;
- 9.4 A in heating.
However, you should never choose the wiring for an installation solely on the basis of a general value found online. The exact model, nameplate, connection method, and applicable electrical requirements must always be confirmed on site.
Relatively quiet outdoor operation
Noise becomes even more important when an outdoor unit is located on a balcony adjacent to living areas.
Fujitsu states that the 09KMAS1 version has an outdoor sound level of 44 dB(A) in cooling and 47 dB(A) in heating. The 12KMAS1 version has 48 dB(A) in cooling and 50 dB(A) in heating.
Indoors, the wall-mounted unit can operate as quietly as 19 dB(A) in cooling and 21 dB(A) in heating in quiet mode.
However, even a quiet machine still depends on the quality of its installation. An unstable structure or inadequate mounting can amplify vibrations that a properly installed unit would not normally transmit.
Built-in Wi-Fi and remote management
The Altair 700 documentation also indicates built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing use of the AIRSTAGE mobile app.
This function can, among other things, be used to manage the heat pump remotely, which can be useful for:
- change a setpoint;
- prepare the home before the occupants arrive;
- check operation;
- manage a period of absence;
- adjust heating and cooling habits more easily.
The range also supports several optional controllers and interfaces, including certain BACnet and Modbus solutions for projects requiring greater integration.
One mistake to avoid: choosing the outdoor location solely to shorten the lines.
When a balcony is available, installing the heat pump right next to the penetration point may seem obvious.
But the shortest distance is not always the best choice.
Before finalizing the position, we need to check:
- whether the air discharge will remain unobstructed;
- whether maintenance will remain possible;
- whether the window will function normally;
- whether the unit’s presence will obstruct movement on the balcony;
- whether vibrations can be controlled;
- where the defrost water will go;
- how to protect the lines;
- whether the support structure is suitable for the installation.
This analysis is particularly important in apartment buildings, condos, duplexes, and homes where outdoor space is limited.
Proper sizing remains more important than automatically choosing the 12,000 BTU/h unit.
It is common to think that a 12,000 BTU/h unit is necessarily preferable to a 9,000 BTU/h unit.
This reasoning is too simplistic.
The capacity must correspond to the area's heat losses and gains, its volume, solar exposure, insulation, and airflow to adjacent rooms.
An oversized unit can reach its setpoint quickly and reduce some of the benefits of prolonged operation at low output.
Conversely, an undersized unit may run continuously without achieving the desired comfort under the most demanding conditions.
That is why, at AirGreen, we aim to adapt the wall-mounted heat pump to the building rather than adapting the building to an arbitrarily selected capacity.
A suitable installation for restricted outdoor spaces
This Saint-Urbain-Premier project clearly illustrates one of the practical advantages of the Fujitsu Altair 700: its compact outdoor unit can facilitate installations where every inch matters.
In the photo, the unit fits into a space bordered by:
- the building wall;
- a window;
- a guardrail;
- the balcony circulation area.
The metal bracket keeps the unit elevated, while its shallow depth helps preserve a reasonable amount of space around the equipment.
This is exactly the kind of project where the choice of unit and the installation strategy must be established together.
Our approach to installations in Saint-Urbain-Premier and Greater Montreal
At AirGreen, we carry out wall-mounted heat pump installations in a variety of settings: single-family homes, condos, duplexes and triplexes, buildings with balconies, tight spaces, or more complex façades.
Whether we are working in Saint-Urbain-Premier, Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, on the North Shore, or the South Shore, our objective remains the same: to achieve an installation that works well today without creating avoidable problems tomorrow.
This means paying attention not only to the unit, but also to its support, location, piping, power supply, drainage, accessibility, and interaction with the building.
In this project, the Fujitsu AIRSTAGE Altair 700 with R-32 offers precisely the features suited to this type of setting: a compact outdoor format, Inverter technology, 1/4 in–3/8 in connections, power supplied through a 15 A breaker according to the documented configurations, integrated Wi-Fi, and efficiency of up to 30.0 SEER2.
The result is a discreet balcony installation where the available space was used precisely, without losing sight of the essential technical requirements of a heat pump expected to heat and cool for many seasons.