Ceiling Cassette ARCOAIRE D5FSCA | 12,000 BTU - R454B
SEER2 (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
HSPF2 (Seasonal Heating Efficiency)
EER2 (Instantaneous cooling efficiency)
COP at -8 °C (Heating energy efficiency)
COP at -15 °C (Heating energy efficiency)
COP at -30 °C (MAX)
CFM (Airflow)
A renovation, an open ceiling: the right time for a cassette
When a kitchen is redone or a wall comes down to open up the main floor, the ceiling is often open too. It is the best time to build in heating and cooling. The Ceiling Cassette ARCOAIRE D5FSCA | 12,000 BTU - R454B is recessed between the joists and shows nothing but a grille. The D5FSCAH12XAK cassette is paired with the D5CSHAH12AAK outdoor unit, with a variable-speed compressor and R-454B refrigerant.
Its certified ratings are 22.3 SEER2, 12.7 EER2 and 11.6 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 3556053, its certificate still lists heating capacity at -30 °C, and it qualifies for a $1,200 LogisVert grant.
Making the most of the work
A cassette installed during a renovation takes less work and gives a better result. The joists are accessible, the refrigerant lines, drain and wiring run through the ceiling before the drywall goes up, and nothing stays visible inside. We first install the lines and drain, the contractor closes the ceiling leaving the planned opening, then we install the cassette and its grille once the painting is done.
The key is to bring it up early. Once the ceiling is closed, installation is still possible, but it means reopening part of the drywall or routing the lines along a less direct path. We can visit the site before it is closed up and plan our work with your contractor.
The rooms this size is meant for
The 12,000 BTU size suits a medium-sized room or a modest open area: a combined kitchen and dining room, a living room, a spacious home office. It also fits small commercial spaces, a shop, a hair salon, a professional's office, where the walls are used for shelving, mirrors or signage.
In a well-insulated building, it covers a larger area than in an older house with original windows. Orientation, glass area and use also count: a south-facing kitchen does not need the same as a north-facing office. The load calculation done during the visit sets the right size.
R-454B, a next-generation refrigerant
R-454B is gradually replacing the previous generation of refrigerants in new heat pumps. Its global warming potential is much lower, which makes it a forward-looking choice for a unit that will stay in place for many years. It is classified A2L, meaning mildly flammable: installing and servicing it requires suitable tools and methods, which we apply. For the occupants, nothing changes day to day.
A kitchen calls for a well-chosen location
In a kitchen, we place the cassette away from the range and the hood. Cooking vapours and grease clog the filter and coil, and the hood drawing out warm air should not compete with the cassette. The right position is usually between the kitchen and the dining room, from where the air reaches both areas.
The cassette spreads the air in four directions through the louvres of its grille. In an open area, this distribution avoids the cold-air corridor typical of a wall-mounted heat pump placed at the end of the room, and it evens out the temperature between the island, the table and the living room. In heating, the central position and the louvre setting help the warm air, which tends to stay high, come back down toward the floor.
Heating in winter: the certificate's points
The certificate publishes heating points measured separately; we report each one as published:
- 10,000 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F), with a COP of 2.74, or 83 % of the nominal capacity;
- 11,500 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), with a COP of 1.99;
- 4,300 BTU/h at -30 °C, with a COP of 1.04.
A COP of 2.74 means that for each unit of electricity used, the cassette delivers more than two and a half times as much heat; an electric baseboard delivers exactly one. It is at these common winter temperatures that the heat pump does most of its work. In extreme cold, its capacity drops markedly: we recommend keeping the existing heating as backup for those few nights.
Cooling a kitchen and an open area
A kitchen produces its own heat: the oven, the range, the dishwasher, and often a large window or patio door facing the sun. In cooling, the cassette removes that heat and, along the way, the moisture in the air, which condenses on the coil and flows out through the drain. The variable-speed compressor slows down when the room is comfortable and speeds up at dinnertime, without abrupt cycles. The EER2 of 12.7 measures exactly this hot-weather efficiency, at full load.
The ratings, translated
- 22.3 SEER2: seasonal cooling efficiency. A higher rating means less electricity for the same cooling over the whole summer.
- 12.7 EER2: cooling efficiency in hot weather.
- 11.6 HSPF2: seasonal heating efficiency, calculated for a reference climate milder than Quebec's. Useful for comparing models, not for predicting a bill.
- COP: heat delivered per unit of electricity, at a given temperature. For our winters, it is the most concrete indicator.
The $1,200 LogisVert grant
The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $1,200 for the owner of an existing home, according to the list in effect on the installation date. We confirm eligibility before signing and prepare the detailed invoice, model numbers and proof of payment. Our page on the efficient heat pump grant summarizes the program's conditions.
Warranty
Warranty: 10 years on the compressor, 10 years on parts and 6 years on labor.
Keep the detailed invoice we give you: it carries the model numbers of the cassette and the outdoor unit and serves as the reference throughout the coverage period.
Installation, step by step
- Visit. Load calculation, review of the ceiling structure, routing of the lines and drain, check of the electrical panel capacity.
- Rough-in during the work. The refrigerant lines, drain and wiring are installed in the open ceiling, with a drainage slope for condensate, or a small pump if the route requires it.
- Outdoor unit. It goes on a wall bracket or a ground stand, above the snow line, clear of roof runoff and away from bedroom windows, including the neighbours'. The lines reach it through a single sealed opening, and a line cover can finish the run.
- Electrical. The system needs a dedicated circuit, connected to code.
- Cassette installation. Once the ceiling is finished, the cassette is fastened to the structure, level, with access to the filter and drain, then the grille is installed.
- Commissioning. Leak test, evacuation, checks in heating and cooling, and an explanation of the settings before we leave.
Maintenance
In a kitchen, the filter deserves special attention: open the grille and rinse it every two weeks in season, more often if you cook a lot. Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow and leaves, and plan annual HVAC maintenance of the coils, drain and electrical connections. In winter, white vapour during defrost and a short pause in heating are normal. Our cleaning service takes over when you prefer to hand off the annual visit.
AirGreen, for the life of the installation
A family business active for more than fifteen years in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore and the South Shore, we hold RBQ licences for ventilation, refrigeration and electrical work and carry $5,000,000 in liability insurance. The in-home assessment is free, the quote is in writing, and our financing options let you choose the right unit rather than the cheapest one.
Request your free estimate for the Ceiling Cassette ARCOAIRE D5FSCA | 12,000 BTU - R454B. Tell us about your renovation project from the start: we assess the room and confirm the right size and your grant eligibility before signing.