Sharp CHU: when Montreal drops to -30°C, it gives the most.
At -30°C, the CHU 18,000 still delivers 11,800 BTU/h, the highest figure among Sharp wall units. The CHU 12,000 delivers 9,700. And Sharp gives it two things the CU doesn’t have: a motion sensor and an ion indicator. We choose it with you, then install it in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the South Shore or the North Shore.
Cold-weather rankingWhere does the CHU rank in the cold?
CHU 18,00022,600BTU/h
CU 18,00022,400BTU/h
CU 24,00022,400BTU/h
FilterSweep 12,00019,000BTU/h
CHU 12,00018,900BTU/h
CU 15,00018,100BTU/h
Airest 12,00015,000BTU/h
CU 12,00015,000BTU/hCHU 18,00019,500= (1st)CU 18,00019,000= (2nd)CU 24,00019,000= (3rd)CHU 12,00016,000+1 place (5th)FilterSweep 12,00015,500-1 place (4th)CU 15,00015,300= (6th)CU 12,00012,700+1 place (8th)Airest 12,00012,500-1 place (7th)CHU 18,00017,100= (1st)CU 24,00016,400+1 place (3rd)CU 18,00015,000-1 place (2nd)CHU 12,00013,800+1 place (5th)CU 15,00013,200+1 place (6th)FilterSweep 12,00012,800-2 places (4th)CU 12,00010,700+1 place (8th)Airest 12,00010,600-1 place (7th)CHU 18,00014,800= (1st)CU 24,00013,900+1 place (3rd)CU 18,00012,000-1 place (2nd)CHU 12,00011,600+1 place (5th)CU 15,00011,100+1 place (6th)FilterSweep 12,00010,300-2 places (4th)Airest 12,0009,000= (7th)CU 12,0009,000= (8th)CHU 18,00012,700= (1st)CU 24,00012,300+1 place (3rd)CU 18,00011,500-1 place (2nd)CHU 12,00011,200+1 place (5th)CU 15,00010,100+1 place (6th)FilterSweep 12,0009,200-2 places (4th)Airest 12,0008,200= (7th)CU 12,0008,000= (8th)CHU 18,00011,800= (1st)CU 24,00010,500+1 place (3rd)CHU 12,0009,700+2 places (5th)CU 18,0009,200-2 places (2nd)CU 15,0008,900+1 place (6th)FilterSweep 12,0008,000-2 places (4th)Maximum heating output per unit, at the size shown. -8°C and -15°C: ENERGY STAR (17°F and 5°F). -20°C to -30°C: Sharp submittal sheets, January 2026 (FilterSweep: May 2026; Airest: June 2025). The rank in brackets is the rank at -8°C.
Bring the temperature down. The CHU holds on.
From -8°C to -30°C, the CHU 18,000 keeps 52% of its heat; the CHU 12,000, 51%. Turn on “Compare with the CU”: at -30°C, the CU 24,000 delivers 10,500 BTU/h, less than the CHU 18,000.
Maximum heat: Sharp spec sheets (-20°C to -30°C) and ENERGY STAR (-8°C and -15°C). Montreal temperatures: MétéoMédia (2021 and 2025) and 1871-2024 records.
Two sizes. The difference shows most in deep cold.
Pick a size. The bars show maximum heat by outdoor temperature.
Maximum heat by outdoor temperature
18,900 BTU/h × 120 $ / 1 000Heat at -8°C, Hydro-Québec tool, Oct. 6, 2026
Maximum heat by outdoor temperature
22,600 BTU/h × 120 $ / 1 000Heat at -8°C, Hydro-Québec tool, Oct. 6, 2026
Sources: Sharp submittal sheets (-20°C to -30°C), ENERGY STAR (-8°C and -15°C, SEER2, HSPF2, COP), Hydro-Québec LogisVert tool (Oct. 6, 2026).
The CHU notices when the room empties.
If nobody moves for a set period, the CHU adjusts heating or cooling to save energy. As soon as someone comes back, it restores your settings. That’s how Sharp describes it; actual savings depend on how you use the room. On the front, a Plasmacluster ion indicator, which the CU doesn’t have either.
Your settings
Saving mode
Source: Sharp HVAC CHU / CU page (“CHU Variant Only”), re-read October 8, 2026. Illustration without figures: Sharp doesn’t put a number on the savings.
At -15°C, 1 kWh of electricity gives 2.2 of heat.
That’s the CHU 18,000, according to ENERGY STAR. An electric baseboard gives 1. The cold-climate bar is 1.75.
1 kWh of electricity at -15°C: how much heat?
Electric baseboards: 1 kWh of heat for 1 kWh of electricity · ENERGY STAR cold-climate bar: 1.75
Coefficient of performance (COP) at -15°C according to ENERGY STAR. An electric baseboard turns all its electricity into heat, no more: its COP is 1. For cold-climate certification, ENERGY STAR requires at least 1.75 at this temperature.
22 dB: the quietest Sharp wall unit.
That’s the CHU 12,000 at its lowest fan speed, in heating. Québec.ca puts a whisper heard from one metre at about 20 dBA.
- 22 dBCHU 12,000
- 25 dBCHU 18,000
Indoor unit at its lowest fan speed, from Sharp’s spec sheets. Reference points: Québec.ca. Measurement conditions differ: compare the ballpark, not the exact decibel.
What the CHU does without you thinking about it.
We stick to what Sharp states, caveats included.
Sources: Sharp product page, Sharp manuals (OM_CU_CHU, OM_ZU_ZHU_BU), read Oct. 6 and 8, 2026.
How Sharp describes its ions
A small electrical discharge produces positive and negative ions surrounded by water molecules.
On a surface, these ions combine into OH radicals.
According to Sharp, these radicals remove hydrogen from surface proteins, which reduces their activity.
CHU or CU: same family, not the same winter.
At -8°C, they’re close. From -20°C down, the CHU pulls ahead: at -30°C, 11,800 BTU/h for the CHU 18,000 against 9,200 for the CU 18,000.
CHU 12,000
CU 12,000
CHU 18,000
CU 18,000CHU 18,000
CU 24,000Sources: Sharp submittal sheets, ENERGY STAR (Oct. 8, 2026), Hydro-Québec LogisVert tool (Oct. 6, 2026), Sharp manuals.
The CHU 12,000 also comes in dark grey.
Sharp offers its “Dark Gray” finish on three models: CHU 12,000, CU 15,000 and CU 18,000. The CHU 18,000 is white only.
Same unit, same performance: only the front panel changes. Dark grey is less noticeable on a dark or wood wall.
On airgreen.ca, the dark grey version is listed as “Black”: CHU black.
On-screen colours are a guide only: the real shade changes with the room’s lighting.
Tap a card to flip it.
Japanese engineering, a local team.
Sharp designed the CHU for winters that bite. Our job: install it in the right spot, on the right wall, with a properly done refrigerant line, so it delivers its 11,800 BTU/h the day it hits -30°C.
What SHARP brings
- Down to -30°CBoth sizes, according to Sharp’s January 2026 spec sheets.
- Motion sensor and ion indicatorCHU only: the CU doesn’t have them.
- Plasmacluster and After CareIons released in all modes; the unit dries its inside for 70 to 90 minutes after cooling or dry mode.
- Built-in Wi-FiSHARP AIR app, set up at installation.
What AirGreen brings
- SHARP Platinum dealerOn Sharp’s official dealer list for Quebec.
- Free home estimateWe look at the room, the wall and the outdoor location.
- Full commissioningAnd SHARP AIR app setup at installation.
- RBQ 5645-9605-01Subcategories 15.8, 15.10 and 16.
The result: the right CHU, installed and commissioned by a Platinum team.
$2,268 or $2,712 for a CHU, checked with Hydro-Québec.
We looked up every AHRI number on our product pages in Hydro-Québec’s tool on October 6, 2026. Every Sharp on the list is rated cold climate: $120 per 1,000 BTU/h of heat at -8°C.
| Sharp system | AHRI | Heat at -8°C | LogisVert |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHU 18,000AE-X18CHU + AY-XP18CHU | 217508925 | 22,600 BTU/h | $2,712 |
| CHU 12,000 · white or dark greyAE-X12CHU + AY-XP12CHU (-B) | 217512736 / 217512733 | 18,900 BTU/h | $2,268 |
Since November 26, 2025, only an ENERGY STAR certified system is eligible.
The outdoor unit must have a rated capacity of at least 12,000 BTU/h.
The grant never exceeds 100% of the pre-tax cost.
Deadline to apply: 9 months after installation (LogisVert guide, version 1.10).
22,600 BTU/h at -8°C × $120 per 1,000 BTU/h = $2,712
AHRI 217508925
For a cold-climate heat pump on Hydro-Québec’s list. Indicative amount: Hydro-Québec confirms it when it reviews your application, which must be filed no later than 9 months after installation.
Indicative amounts: Hydro-Québec confirms the grant when you apply. The multi-unit building bonus only applies to certain eligible buildings and is not included here.
The Sharp warranty, as Sharp writes it.
For CHU, CU and FilterSweep, Sharp has not yet published the warranty text in its manuals (product registration announced as “coming soon”). We give you the exact terms with the quotation.
Good to know
- Warrantor: Sharp Corporation; contact in Canada: Sharp Electronics of Canada.
- Keep your proof of purchase and installation date.
- We confirm the terms in writing, before you buy.
SHARP Platinum dealer: what it means for you.
The strongest cold-weather series deserves careful commissioning. AirGreen is on Sharp’s official dealer list for Quebec.
Access to the CHU, CU, FilterSweep, Airest, ZU1 and ZHU1 series and to Sharp multi-zone systems.
Installation, Wi-Fi setup with the SHARP AIR app, Plasmacluster ion settings, diagnostics and repairs.
Professional vacuum pull, refrigerant parameters validated, performance checked for winter.
Sharp parts through Sharp’s Canadian distributor; after-sales service in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore, the South Shore and Montérégie.
We look at the room, the wall and the outdoor location.
Series, size, colour, and the indicative LogisVert amount with its AHRI number.
Full commissioning and SHARP AIR app setup.
We stay your contact for the Sharp warranty and maintenance.
Plasmacluster, explained by Sharp.
One minute from Sharp on its ion technology, built into the CHU.
What people ask us about the CHU.
No question matches. Call us at 514 316-2973.
For the same size, the CHU keeps more heat in extreme cold: at -30°C, the CHU 12,000 delivers 9,700 BTU/h, while the CU 12,000 stops at -27°C. The CHU also has a motion sensor and an ion indicator. The CU offers more sizes and its heads work on the multi-zone.
Not when it’s very cold. According to Sharp’s spec sheets, at -30°C the CHU 18,000 delivers 11,800 BTU/h and the CU 24,000, 10,500 BTU/h. At -8°C, they are almost equal.
No. According to the Sharp CU/CHU manual, CHU units don’t connect to a multi-zone system. For several rooms on one outdoor unit, look at the CU multi-zone.
Yes, the CHU 12,000 comes in dark grey (“Dark Gray” at Sharp, “black” on our site). The CHU 18,000 is white only.
According to Hydro-Québec’s tool, checked on October 6, 2026: $2,268 for the CHU 12,000, white or dark grey, and $2,712 for the CHU 18,000. You must apply within 9 months after installation.
Sharp has not yet published the CHU warranty text in its manuals. We give you the exact terms, in writing, with the quotation.
It’s Sharp’s ion technology: a small discharge produces ions that, according to Sharp, act on surface proteins. Sharp points out that its tests used concentrations far higher than the units produce and that results vary from room to room. On its heat pumps, Sharp makes no health claims.
Yes, the Wi-Fi adapter is built in, according to Sharp. We set up the SHARP AIR app at installation.
The CHU 12,000 goes down to 22 dB at its lowest fan speed and the CHU 18,000 to 25 dB, per Sharp’s spec sheets. Québec.ca puts a whisper heard from one metre at about 20 dBA.
When nobody moves in the room for a set period, the CHU adjusts heating or cooling to save energy; it restores your settings as soon as it detects movement. Sharp doesn’t put a number on the savings.
Your CHU, chosen for your winter, installed by AirGreen.
We look at the room, the wall and the outdoor spot, then write down the right model and its LogisVert amount. Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, South Shore, North Shore.
Hydro-Québec never solicits anyone by phone or door to door for LogisVert. A call “from Hydro-Québec” selling a heat pump? Hang up.
Sources checked on October 6 and 8, 2026
- Sharp submittal sheets: CHU and CU (January 2026), FilterSweep AY-XP12DWU (May 2026), Airest (June 2025), AE-X3M24CU multi-zone (January 2026) and its capacity table.
- ENERGY STAR, Certified Air-Source Heat Pumps, dataset w7cv-9xjt, queried by AHRI number on Oct. 8, 2026 (heat at 17°F and 5°F, SEER2, EER2, HSPF2, COP).
- Sharp HVAC, CHU / CU product page (air throw, motion sensor, After Care, line lengths, finishes, sound levels), re-read Oct. 8, 2026.
- Sharp owner’s manuals OM_CU_CHU, OM_CPU and OM_ZU_ZHU_BU (limited warranty, Plasmacluster ions, After Care and self-cleaning).
- Sharp, Plasmacluster pages (global.sharp/pci): mechanism, cited tests and Sharp’s caveats; checked Oct. 6, 2026.
- Hydro-Québec, LogisVert residential participation guide, version 1.10, Sept. 15, 2026.
- Hydro-Québec, eligible heat pump search tool (search by AHRI number), checked Oct. 6, 2026.
- ENERGY STAR heat pump criteria, Version 6.2 (rev. February 2026): cold climate, COP of at least 1.75 at 5°F (-15°C).
- Québec.ca, “Mesure du bruit” (20 to 60 dBA reference points), checked Oct. 8, 2026.
- MétéoMédia, January 25, 2021: -30°C or colder in Montreal, 34 times since 1941; the last on January 27, 1994 (-31.8°C).
- MétéoMédia, January 31, 2025: -29.5°C in Montreal on February 4, 2023.
- Montreal records 1871-2024 (Extreme Weather Watch): record low of -37.8°C on January 15, 1957.
- Sharp, corporate outline and chronology (global.sharp), read Oct. 8, 2026.
- AirGreen, installations blog, articles published as of Oct. 6, 2026; airgreen.ca product pages, Oct. 8, 2026.
LogisVert amounts are indicative: Hydro-Québec confirms them when you apply.
Our CHU wall heat pumps, right below.
Both sizes, with their full product page and AHRI number. The dark grey version has its own page: CHU black.
