Central Heat Pump ADD-ON ARCOAIRE Compact Quiet Comfort | 1.5 Tons - 18,000 BTU (Coil DLFULA 17.5 in.) - R410A
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)
Add a heat pump to your electric furnace without replacing it
Your electric furnace is in good condition, but you want air conditioning in summer and a more efficient heat source for most of the winter. The ADD-ON approach answers exactly that: a coil is installed on the existing furnace, an outdoor unit is added outside, and the heat pump heats and cools through the same ducts. The furnace stays in place and its electric elements only serve as backup. The Central Heat Pump ADD-ON ARCOAIRE Compact Quiet Comfort | 1.5 Tons - 18,000 BTU (Coil DLFULA 17.5 in.) - R410A pairs the DLCURAH18ABK outdoor unit with the DLFULAH24XBX coil.
Its certified ratings are 16.1 SEER2, 11.7 EER2 and 9.5 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 2841437, its certificate still lists capacity at -30 °C, and it qualifies for a $1,764 LogisVert grant.
How the ADD-ON approach works
A central electric furnace already has everything needed to distribute air: a blower, a plenum and a duct system. The ADD-ON approach builds on these. The heat pump coil sits on the furnace's air outlet; when the heat pump runs, the furnace blower pushes air through that coil, which warms it in winter and cools it in summer.
The heat pump thus takes over the cooling and most of the heating. The furnace's electric elements stay ready to provide backup heat during deep cold. There is no unit to remove and no indoor unit to fit: only a coil, a line set, an outdoor unit and a suitable thermostat.
Which homes the 1.5-ton size suits
The 1.5-ton size, or 18,000 BTU/h, is meant for compact homes heated by an electric furnace: a townhouse, a small bungalow, a semi-detached house in Longueuil or on the South Shore. These are often homes without central air conditioning, where a window unit had to do.
For an ADD-ON system, the size is chosen first according to cooling needs, then according to the share of heating the heat pump will be able to take on. An oversized unit would cool in bursts and remove moisture poorly. The room-by-room load calculation accounts for insulation, windows and orientation; we do it before proposing a size.
A 17.5 in. coil matched to the furnace
The width shown in the title, 17.5 in., is the coil's width. It must match the width of the furnace's air outlet so that air passes through the whole coil without bypassing its edges. It is a common width for residential furnaces, but we always measure on site before confirming the model.
The coil fits between the furnace and the supply plenum. Depending on the height available in the mechanical room, the plenum is adjusted or rebuilt. A condensate drain is connected to the coil, since it produces water in cooling mode.
Which unit heats, and when
A compatible thermostat decides when the heat pump heats on its own and when the electric furnace's elements come into play. As long as the heat pump holds the set point, it heats alone. When it is no longer enough, in deep cold, the thermostat brings in the electric elements as auxiliary heat, then takes them out as soon as the heat pump is enough again.
The moment the backup comes in is set according to the heat pump's capacity, the home's heat loss and your comfort preferences. We set it during commissioning and explain how it works.
What the certificate lists for winter
The certificate lists 14,700 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F) with a COP of 2.60, and 15,000 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F) with a COP of 2.20, about 83% of the nominal size. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published. At -30 °C, the certificate still lists 12,500 BTU/h with a COP of 1.80.
These figures come from certificate AHRI 213372116, published by NEEP. In a small, well-insulated home in Montreal, they leave a large part of the heating season to the heat pump; the furnace's elements step in mainly during cold snaps.
The ratings and what they mean
- 9.5 HSPF2: the heat pump's efficiency over the whole heating season.
- COP: heat delivered divided by energy used. An electric furnace's elements never deliver more heat than the electricity they receive; at -8 °C, the heat pump delivers more than two and a half times, as heat, the electricity it uses.
- 16.1 SEER2: cooling efficiency over a typical summer.
- 11.7 EER2: cooling efficiency at full load, on a hot day.
Cooling, on top of heating
In summer, the heat pump cools every room served by the ducts, upstairs bedrooms included, with no window units. Its variable-speed (inverter) compressor slows down as it approaches the set point and runs for long periods at low speed, which removes moisture from the air. The system runs on R-410A, a refrigerant that refrigeration technicians know well.
The $1,764 LogisVert grant
The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $1,764 for the owner of an existing home, according to the list in effect on the installation date. The amount corresponds to the certified pairing of the DLCURAH18ABK outdoor unit and the DLFULAH24XBX coil.
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 on the existing furnace
Checking the furnace, then installing
An ADD-ON system only makes sense if the electric furnace is in good condition. During the visit, we check its age and general condition, its blower and the airflow it can deliver, the filter, its heating elements and their electrical connections, and the space above the unit. We also examine the duct sizes and the air return. If the furnace is nearing the end of its life, we tell you and present other options.
On installation day, the coil is mounted on the furnace and connected to the condensate drain. The outdoor unit goes on a wall bracket or a stand, above the snow line, away from roof drip. The insulated copper line set is brazed, pressure-tested and put under vacuum. The outdoor unit is connected on a dedicated circuit, with an outdoor disconnect, and the thermostat is replaced with a model that manages the heat pump and the furnace's electric backup. Commissioning checks the charge, airflow, defrost and the backup setting.
Maintenance
The furnace filter now serves both units: check it every month in season and replace it according to its format. Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow and leaves, without covering it. Plan annual HVAC maintenance that covers the heat pump's coil, condensate drain and electrical connections, as well as a check of the electric furnace and its elements. In winter, the white vapour during defrost is normal.
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 Central Heat Pump ADD-ON ARCOAIRE Compact Quiet Comfort | 1.5 Tons - 18,000 BTU (Coil DLFULA 17.5 in.) - R410A. We check your furnace, assess the home room by room and confirm your grant eligibility before signing.