3-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 48,000 BTU - R454B

One level, one head: basement, ground floor and upper floor

A home on three levels lives through three climates at once: a cool, humid basement, an open and glazed ground floor, an upper floor that holds the heat. The 3-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 48,000 BTU - R454B puts a head on each level, with its own set point, on a single condenser. That 4-ton D5CMHAH48FAK condenser serves 3 zones (up to 5 at most) and is built with the D5FSHAH09XAK, D5FSHAH12XAK and D5FSHAH24XAK wall-mounted heat pump heads.

Its ratings are 23.0 SEER2, 12.0 EER2 and 11.3 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 3556880. The certificate still lists its capacity at -30 °C, and the system qualifies for a $5,400 LogisVert grant.

Three levels, three different climates

In the basement, the foundation walls stabilize the temperature: the room stays cool in summer, but humidity builds up, and the floor calls for heat a good part of the year. On the ground floor, large windows and exterior doors make the open area the zone most sensitive to both cold and sun. Upstairs, rising heat and heat from the roof add up in summer. A single head cannot answer these three situations; three heads, one per level, can, each set according to its room.

The large open area, the heart of the sizing

In this type of home, it is the open ground-floor area that sets most of the load. The D5FSHAH24XAK head, the largest on the list, is often the right choice there, mounted on a wall from which its airflow runs along the room between the living room and the kitchen. The other two zones get a D5FSHAH12XAK or a D5FSHAH09XAK depending on their size. The total of the three heads must stay within the combinations the manufacturer allows, and the load calculation checks the most demanding scenario: all three levels calling together on a January morning.

An older house with original windows, or a heavily glazed open area, may need more than one head covers comfortably. We measure it and say so during the visit.

The basement: warmth in winter, dry air in summer

The finished basement is often the most neglected room in the house, heated by a few baseboards and left humid in summer. Its head is mounted high on the wall to push warm air down toward the floor in winter. In summer, the dehumidification mode removes the moisture that builds up against the foundation without needlessly cooling a room that is already cool. A family room, a workout room or a basement office thus become rooms you use all year.

The upper floor: a quiet primary suite

Upstairs, the head serves the primary bedroom first, the room where the set point matters most at night. We place it so the air runs along the ceiling without blowing on the bed, and we keep access to the filter. A head mounted in a hallway does not reach bedrooms whose doors stay closed; if the children's rooms need their own set point, the condenser's free ports are there for that.

Two ports in reserve

The D5CMHAH48FAK accepts up to five heads. With three zones in service, two ports remain free for secondary bedrooms or an added room, provided the whole set stays within the allowed combinations. We place the condenser and plan the line route so these additions stay simple.

Published capacity in cold weather

The certificate lists 45,000 BTU/h at -8 °C and 47,000 BTU/h at -15 °C. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

• COP of 2.60 at the -8 °C point
• COP of 2.00 at the -15 °C point
• Maximum capacity at -30 °C: 24,600 BTU/h, COP of 1.27
• Heating certified down to -30 °C

At -8 °C as at -15 °C, the published value stays close to the nominal 48,000 BTU size. For three levels of a well-insulated home in the Montreal area, the heat pump carries most of the heating through the usual cold; near -30 °C, capacity drops and the baseboards you keep serve as backup. These figures come from certificate AHRI 215357152, published by NEEP.

What 23.0 SEER2, 12.0 EER2 and 11.3 HSPF2 are worth

The 11.3 HSPF2 measures heating efficiency over the whole season; it is the most important rating for a Quebec home, since winter weighs most on the bill. The 23.0 SEER2 does the same for cooling, and the 12.0 EER2 measures efficiency on the hottest days. COP reads as a ratio: at 2.60, the heat pump delivers as heat more than two and a half times the electricity it consumes, while a baseboard delivers exactly what it consumes.

Inverter, R-454B and a shared mode

The inverter compressor adjusts its speed continuously to the demand of the three levels: it speeds up in the morning when the whole house is calling, then slows down and holds the set points at low speed. The three heads work in the same mode at any given time, heating or cooling; each one nonetheless keeps its own temperature and fan speed. R-454B is a new-generation refrigerant with a global warming potential markedly lower than that of the fluids it replaces; mildly flammable, it is handled according to precise rules.

The $5,400 LogisVert grant

The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $5,400 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.

Lines across three levels, installed cleanly

The route of the lines and drains

Connecting three levels to one condenser takes a plan. During the in-home assessment, we choose an exterior wall where the lines from the upper floor and the ground floor can come down together under a finishing cover, and we bring the basement line in through the rim joist. Each head has its communication cable and drain: by gravity along the wall for the upper heads, through a condensate pump for the basement head, which sits below ground level. The condenser goes on a solid stand or a wall bracket, above the snow line and out of the path of snow falling from the roof. It is connected to a dedicated circuit, after checking the capacity of the electrical panel, a point not to overlook with a 4-ton unit. Commissioning includes the leak test, the vacuum, a check of all three zones and programming the remotes with you.

Maintenance

Rinse the three filters every two weeks in season. Keep the condenser clear of snow, ice and leaves, and do not cover it in winter. An annual HVAC maintenance visit cleans the coils and blower wheels, checks the drains and the basement condensate pump, 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 3-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 48,000 BTU - R454B. We assess your three levels, choose the size of each head and confirm your grant eligibility before signing.

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