2-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 30,000 BTU - R454B

Two large spaces, heated and cooled to their measure

Some homes do not need five heads, but two heads able to cover real floor area. The 2-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 30,000 BTU - R454B is designed for that case: a large open ground floor and a finished basement, or the two full floors of a semi-detached house. Its 2.5-ton D5CMHAH30EAK condenser serves 2 zones and accepts up to 4 at most. It is built with the D5FSHAH06XAK, D5FSHAH09XAK, D5FSHAH12XAK and D5FSHAH18XAK wall-mounted heat pump heads, and its inverter compressor modulates its speed according to the demand of both zones.

Its ratings are 24.0 SEER2, 13.2 EER2 and 10.7 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 3722940. The certificate still lists its capacity at -30 °C, and the system qualifies for a $4,200 LogisVert grant.

An open area and a basement: two very different loads

An open-concept ground floor and a finished basement are almost opposites. Upstairs, large windows, cooking and the afternoon sun drive up the cooling load; in winter, the glass area and exterior doors make it the zone most exposed to the cold. Downstairs, the foundation walls keep a stable temperature: the basement stays cool in summer, but humid, and its cold floor calls for heat a good part of the year. A single wall unit placed upstairs does not go down the stairs; one head per level gives each its own set point.

The size of each head comes from the load calculation: floor area, ceiling height, windows, insulation of the foundation walls. A seventies house with an uninsulated basement does not have the needs of a recent build; we measure before we propose.

The D5FSHAH18XAK head for the large room

In an open area, the question is not only capacity but how far the air carries. The D5FSHAH18XAK head, the largest on the list, suits rooms where the air must travel the full length between the living room and the dining room. We preferably mount it on a short wall, so the airflow runs along the room rather than across it, making sure an island, a beam or a soffit does not cut it off. The adjustable louvers then direct the flow: upward in cooling, downward in heating.

The basement, the zone people overlook

A basement heated only by baseboards often remains the least pleasant room in the house. The basement head is mounted high on the wall, so warm air is pushed toward the floor in winter, and it offers an advantage in summer: the dehumidification mode removes the moisture that builds up against the foundation, without cooling a room that is already cool. For a family room, a home theatre or a basement office, that is often the difference between a room you avoid and a room you use.

January cold according to the certificate

A glassed-in open area is the first zone to cool down when the temperature plunges. This system's certificate lists 35,000 BTU/h at -8 °C and 36,000 BTU/h at -15 °C, two values above the nominal 30,000 BTU size. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

• COP of 2.40 at the -8 °C point (17 °F)
• COP of 2.00 at the -15 °C point (5 °F)
• Maximum capacity at -30 °C: 22,400 BTU/h, COP of 1.47
• Heating certified down to -30 °C

These figures come from certificate AHRI 215357141, published by NEEP. For two zones, this reserve means a heat pump that keeps carrying most of the heating through the usual cold of the Montreal area. During extreme cold snaps, the existing baseboards serve as backup.

Two zones today, up to four tomorrow

The D5CMHAH30EAK accepts up to four heads. With two zones, two ports remain free for an upstairs bedroom, an office or a room added later. The addition remains possible provided the full set of heads stays within the combinations the manufacturer allows; that is why we choose the first two heads with what might follow in mind. We also place the condenser and plan the line route so that nothing has to be redone when a zone is added.

One condenser for two zones, rather than two units

You could get two zones with two independent wall-mounted heat pumps. Multi-zone has other strengths: only one unit to clear of snow outside, only one dedicated circuit at the panel, only one maintenance visit for the condenser. On the other hand, both heads work in the same mode at any given time, heating or cooling, and a condenser shutdown affects both zones at once. For a home whose two zones follow the same seasons, the balance clearly tips toward multi-zone.

The ratings, without jargon

The 24.0 SEER2 measures seasonal cooling efficiency; the 13.2 EER2 isolates the hottest days, when the glassed-in open area works hardest. The 10.7 HSPF2 sums up the heating season: the higher it is, the more heat each kilowatt-hour produces. COP is the snapshot of that efficiency at a given temperature: 2.40 at -8 °C means the heat pump delivers, as heat, more than double the electrical energy it consumes.

The $4,200 LogisVert grant

The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $4,200 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.

Installation and maintenance

Our installation method

The in-home assessment sets the size of both heads, the condenser location and the line route. The job then follows a precise order.

• The condenser is placed on a stand or a wall bracket, above the snow line, clear of snow and ice falling from the roof.
• The ground-floor head is connected by a refrigerant line set under a finishing cover along the facade, with its communication cable and drain.
• For the basement head, the lines usually pass through the rim joist; since the drain cannot always flow by gravity below ground level, a condensate pump is often needed.
• The condenser is connected to a dedicated circuit, after checking the capacity of the electrical panel.
• R-454B, a mildly flammable new-generation refrigerant, is handled according to its rules: leak test, vacuum, then commissioning of each zone and programming of the remotes with you.

Maintenance

Rinse the filters of both heads every two weeks in season; the ground-floor one clogs faster near a kitchen. Keep the condenser clear of snow and leaves, without covering it in winter. An annual HVAC maintenance visit cleans the coils and blower wheels, checks the drain and the condensate pump if there is one, and tightens the 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 2-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 30,000 BTU - R454B. We assess your two spaces, choose the size of each head with future zones in mind and confirm your grant eligibility before signing.

Warranty: 10 years on the compressor, 10 years on parts and 6 years on labor.