3-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE DLCMHB | 24,000 BTU - R410A

Three bedrooms, three temperatures, a single 2-ton condenser for the whole upper floor

On the upper floor of a two-storey house, the bedrooms are rarely alike. The south-facing one overheats as early as May, the one in the north corner holds the cold all winter, and the main bedroom is only occupied in the evening. The 3-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE DLCMHB | 24,000 BTU - R410A gives each one its own wall head and its own set point, fed by a single DLCMHBH24CAK condenser installed outside.

In this configuration, the 2-ton condenser serves 3 zones, which is its maximum of 3. The wall heads intended for it are the DLFSHCH09XAK and the DLFSHCH12XAK. Its certified ratings are 22.3 SEER2, 12.5 EER2 and 9.6 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 2545805, and it qualifies for a $2,160 LogisVert grant.

A bedroom floor, but not only that

The bedroom floor is where we most often recommend this size. It also suits a small bungalow whose living room and two bedrooms are separated by a hallway, or a condo whose rooms are not open enough to each other for a single head to do the job. What they have in common: three modest rooms rather than one large open area.

Roof insulation matters a great deal upstairs. Under a well-insulated attic, three heads are generally enough to heat and cool the bedrooms for most of the year. Under an older roof, heat builds up in summer and escapes in winter; we take that into account in the calculation and tell you before signing.

Three heads on 24,000 BTU: a split that has to be calculated

The three heads share the capacity of the same condenser. During the day, when only one bedroom is occupied, all the available capacity can go to it. At night, all three rooms call at once, and that moment drives our sizing. We calculate each bedroom separately rather than dividing the capacity into three equal shares.

The choice of heads follows from that. The DLFSHCH09XAK, the smallest, suits children's rooms and the office. The DLFSHCH12XAK goes to the main bedroom or the most exposed room. The exact combination is confirmed during the visit. With three zones, every connection on the condenser is used: a fourth room would require another unit.

Summer nights under the roof

Summer is often what pushes our clients to equip the upper floor. The sun heats the roof all day, and the heat stays in the bedrooms long after sunset. With a head in each bedroom, cooling starts where you sleep, without having to cool the whole house to reach the upper floor.

The inverter compressor runs for long periods at low speed instead of starting and stopping. The air passes more slowly over the cold coil, which removes more moisture. The bedrooms stay cool and dry, without the cold blast of a window air conditioner. Each head's dehumidification mode also helps on muggy July days.

Heating the upper floor in winter

The certificate lists 18,000 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F) and 17,000 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), with a COP of 1.83 at the -15 °C point. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

At -15 °C, the condenser therefore keeps 71% of its nominal size, and its three heads share that capacity. On a well-insulated upper floor, that is enough for most winter nights. During deep cold, the existing electric baseboards stay in place as backup and only come on when the heat pump is no longer enough. A COP of 1.83 means that each kilowatt-hour consumed at that temperature returns 1.83 kilowatt-hours of heat, where a baseboard returns one.

In cold, humid weather, the condenser runs defrost cycles lasting a few minutes. The heads then stop blowing warm air and a cloud of vapour rises from the outdoor unit. This is how a heat pump normally works in winter.

How the condenser serves three rooms at once

The condenser meters the R-410A refrigerant sent to each head according to its demand. A bedroom that reaches its set point slows down while the others keep going. Shutting off an unoccupied zone entirely, a guest room for example, leaves the other two running normally.

One rule applies to every system of this type: the heads on the same condenser work in the same mode. They all heat or they all cool. For a bedroom floor, which lives through the same season from one room to the next, this rule almost always goes unnoticed.

Reading this system's ratings

The SEER2 of 22.3 measures cooling efficiency over a whole summer; it is the rating to look at for bedrooms under the roof. The EER2 of 12.5 measures cooling in hot weather, at full load, during heat waves. The HSPF2 of 9.6 measures heating efficiency over the whole cold season; in Quebec, it is the rating that weighs most on the bill. Finally, the COP gives the efficiency at a specific temperature.

These figures come from certificate AHRI 207642990, as published by ENERGY STAR.

The $2,160 LogisVert grant

The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $2,160 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.

Installing three heads cleanly

Running the lines up to the second floor

Each head gets its own refrigerant line set back to the condenser, along with its communication cable. For an upper floor, the three routes are planned together: on the facade, grouped in a painted line cover that follows the lines of the house, or indoors when a closet or the attic allows it. We show you the route before drilling.

In a bedroom, the head's location matters as much as its size. We mount it high on the wall so the air sweeps the room without blowing directly on the bed, and far enough from curtains and tall furniture for the air to circulate freely. When the exterior wall allows it, the head goes there: the line route is shorter and the drilling simpler.

Each head also has its own condensate drain. When a natural slope to the outside is possible, the water drains by gravity. Otherwise, a small condensate pump becomes necessary; we determine that during the visit, room by room.

The outdoor unit and the electrical work

The condenser is installed above the snow line, on a wall bracket or a stand, away from snow sliding off the roof and from the neighbours' bedroom windows. It is connected to a dedicated circuit, which we check at the panel during the visit. At commissioning, we pull a vacuum and run a leak test, check each zone, then set up the remotes with you.

Maintaining three heads

Three heads means three sets of filters to rinse every two weeks in season; they come out by hand. Outside, keep the condenser clear of snow and leaves, without covering it in winter. One HVAC maintenance visit per year cleans the coils, fans and drains of all three heads and checks the connections. Our cleaning service takes over when you prefer to hand off the annual visit.

Warranty

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

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 DLCMHB | 24,000 BTU - R410A. We assess each bedroom and confirm the right size and your grant eligibility before signing.

Available while supplies last.