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

Four zones with room to spare, and a fifth one possible

When a home's rooms are large, or the house is getting on in years, four zones call for a condenser that does not run at its limit. The 4-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 48,000 BTU - R454B meets that need. Its 4-ton D5CMHAH48FAK condenser serves 4 zones and accepts up to 5 at most. It is built with the D5FSHAH09XAK, D5FSHAH12XAK and D5FSHAH24XAK wall-mounted heat pump heads, and its inverter compressor modulates its capacity according to the zones that are calling.

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.

When four zones need 4 tons

Four modestly sized rooms do not need this size. It is justified when at least one zone is truly large, such as an open area combining living room, dining room and kitchen across the full width of the house, or when the building envelope lets heat escape: original windows, a poorly insulated attic, a basement with bare concrete walls. In these homes in Laval, on the North Shore or the South Shore, a smaller condenser would run flat out all winter; this one keeps a margin. The room-by-room load calculation confirms which of the two scenarios applies to your home.

A mixed-use configuration

The four zones do not all lead the same life. A common configuration brings together the open ground-floor area, the primary bedroom, a home office and a workout room or studio in the basement. The living room is used in the evening, the bedroom at night, the office during working hours, and the workout room for short but intense periods. Each head has its own remote and timer: the set point follows how the room is used rather than a single setting for the whole house.

Different uses, one mode

In a multi-zone system, the four heads work in the same mode at any given time: heating or cooling. Most of the time this causes no difficulty, since the whole house follows the same season. The situation arises mostly in fall and spring, when a workout room warmed by exercise would like cooling while the rest of the house calls for heat. That room's head can then switch to fan only, or its set point can be lowered so it stops heating. If a room absolutely must be cooled all year round, let's discuss it during the visit: a separate unit may then make more sense.

Choosing the four heads

Each head's code indicates its size: the D5FSHAH24XAK, the largest on the list, for the open area; the D5FSHAH12XAK for the primary bedroom or a large basement room; the D5FSHAH09XAK for an office or a smaller bedroom. The total of the four heads must stay within the combinations the manufacturer allows for this condenser. Choosing each head as closely as possible rather than as large as possible keeps the small rooms comfortable, without short cycles or clammy air.

The fifth zone

The D5CMHAH48FAK accepts a fifth head. A guest room, a child's bedroom or a room added later can be connected to it, provided the combination of five heads remains allowed. We take this into account from the first installation in choosing the four heads and in laying out the lines.

Cold weather according to the certificate

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 (17 °F)
• COP of 2.00 at the -15 °C point (5 °F)
• Maximum capacity at -30 °C: 24,600 BTU/h, COP of 1.27
• Heating certified down to -30 °C

These values stay close to the nominal 48,000 BTU size at both cold points. For four zones in the Montreal area, the heat pump carries most of the heating through the usual cold; as temperatures approach -30 °C, capacity drops and the baseboards you keep take over. These figures come from certificate AHRI 215357152, published by NEEP.

Reading the ratings

The 11.3 HSPF2 sums up heating efficiency over a full season, the rating that counts most in our climate. The 23.0 SEER2 does the same for cooling, and the 12.0 EER2 measures efficiency on the hottest days. COP gives the efficiency at a specific temperature: 2.00 at -15 °C means two units of heat for each unit of electricity, where an electric baseboard gives only one.

Cooling and humidity in a large home

In summer, the variable-speed compressor speeds up when several zones call, then slows down and holds the set points at low speed. These long cycles are the ones that remove the most humidity; each head's dehumidification mode handles muggy days, an asset in the basement. The new-generation R-454B refrigerant has a global warming potential markedly lower than 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.

Installation and maintenance

Preparing the job: electrical, facade, drains

The in-home assessment starts with the electrical panel: a 4-ton condenser needs a properly sized dedicated circuit, and we check the available space and capacity before the quote. We then draw the route of the four refrigerant line sets, grouped under a finishing cover so that only one run shows on the facade, and that of the four drains: by gravity for above-ground heads, through a condensate pump for a basement head. 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. Commissioning includes the leak test, the vacuum, a check of each of the four zones and programming the remotes with you.

Maintenance

Rinse the four filters every two weeks in season; the one in a workout room or an open area with a kitchen sometimes needs more frequent rinsing. Keep the condenser clear of snow and leaves, without covering it in winter. An annual HVAC maintenance visit cleans the coils and blower wheels and checks the drains 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 4-Zone Heat Pump ARCOAIRE D5CMHA | 48,000 BTU - R454B. We assess your four zones and your electrical panel, choose each head and confirm your grant eligibility before signing.

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