Central Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Compact Quiet Comfort | 3 Tons - 36,000 BTU (Air Handler D5FUHA 36 000) - R454B

A 3-ton home as comfortable during heat waves as in January

People often choose a central heat pump for winter, then realize its real advantage in July. The Central Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Compact Quiet Comfort | 3 Tons - 36,000 BTU (Air Handler D5FUHA 36,000) - R454B pairs the D5CUHAH36AAK outdoor unit with the matching-size D5FUHAH36XAK cabinet, which replaces the furnace and distributes cool or warm air through the home's existing ductwork.

Its certified ratings are 18.0 SEER2 and 12.0 EER2 for cooling, and 10.0 HSPF2 for heating. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 3560981, its certificate lists capacity down to -30 °C, and it qualifies for a $3,960 LogisVert grant. It runs on R-454B, the new-generation refrigerant.

Hot, humid summers

Spells of humid heat come back every summer in Greater Montreal. In a large home, window or portable air conditioners can no longer keep up: they cool one room, noisily, while the upper floor stays stifling. A central system cools every room served by the ducts at once, with no visible units and a single thermostat.

For a home this size, the quality of the cooling matters as much as that of the heating. This pairing lends itself to that: its cooling ratings are high, and its variable speed lets it remove moisture instead of only cooling the air.

The 12.0 EER2: efficiency when it is hottest

Two ratings describe cooling. SEER2, here 18.0, measures efficiency over a typical summer, when the unit runs mostly at part load. EER2, here 12.0, measures full-load efficiency on a very hot day, when the house demands everything the system can give.

EER2 is the best indicator of behaviour during a heat wave. A high rating means the system stays efficient precisely when the cooling runs longest, which limits the rise in consumption during the hottest weeks.

Dehumidifying a large home

How hot it feels depends as much on humidity as on temperature. An oversized or fixed-speed unit cools the air quickly, stops, then starts again: the house is cool but clammy. This system's variable-speed (inverter) compressor slows down as it approaches the set point and runs for long periods at low speed. Air spends more time over the cold coil and leaves its moisture there.

The result is most noticeable in the finished basement, often the dampest room in a house, and in the bedrooms on hot nights. The water removed from the air drains from the cabinet to a floor drain or a condensate pump.

The homes and rooms it serves

The 3-ton size, or 36,000 BTU/h, often suits a two-storey cottage with a finished basement, a large split-level or a spacious semi-detached house in Laval, Longueuil or on the South Shore. These homes often have an upstairs home office, several bedrooms and a kitchen open to the living room, all rooms that need cool air at the same time.

For the upper floor to get its share, the duct system has to serve it properly: enough supply registers, an upstairs air return where possible, balanced branch ducts. The room-by-room load calculation confirms the size, and the duct inspection shows which corrections are useful. An older, poorly insulated home may need more, a renovated home less.

And winter: what the certificate lists

• At -8 °C (17 °F): 33,000 BTU/h, with a COP of 2.50.
• At -15 °C (5 °F): 37,400 BTU/h, with a COP of 1.90, about 104% of the nominal size.
• At -30 °C: 27,600 BTU/h, with a COP of 1.56.

The -8 °C and -15 °C points are measured separately; we report each one as published. These figures come from certificate AHRI 215323725, published by NEEP. With an HSPF2 of 10.0 over the heating season and a COP that stays above that of an electric baseboard (a COP of 1) even at -30 °C, the system heats as well as it cools.

The D5FUHA cabinet and backup heat

The D5FUHAH36XAK cabinet houses the indoor coil and the blower. It is installed where the old furnace stood and connects to the supply plenum, the air return and the condensate drain. We set its airflow during commissioning, taking both cooling and heating into account.

During deep cold, electric backup, usually housed in the cabinet, supplements the heat pump when the house loses more heat than it supplies. We size it from the load calculation, check that the electrical service can handle it along with the outdoor unit, and list it in the quote.

R-454B refrigerant

R-454B is the refrigerant manufacturers have adopted for their new central heat pumps; if it leaks, its effect on global warming is much lower than that of the refrigerant it replaces. It belongs to the A2L class, known as mildly flammable, and its installation follows specific requirements that our refrigeration technicians apply during the connection and commissioning.

The $3,960 LogisVert grant

The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $3,960 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 D5CUHAH36AAK outdoor unit and the D5FUHAH36XAK cabinet.

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 by AirGreen

From the visit to commissioning

The home visit is used for the load calculation, the inspection of the ducts and air return, the check of the electrical service and the choice of the outdoor location. The written quote specifies the size, the backup heat and any corrections.

On installation day, the furnace is removed and the cabinet takes its place, connected to the plenum, the air return and the drain. The outdoor unit is mounted on a wall bracket or a stand, above the snow line, away from roof drip and, for summer, as far from bedroom windows as possible. The insulated copper line set is brazed, pressure-tested and put under vacuum. The electrical connection is made on a dedicated circuit, with an outdoor disconnect. Commissioning checks the charge, airflow, defrost and backup heat; we then explain the thermostat's modes to you.

Maintenance

Check the cabinet's filter every month in season and replace it according to its format. In spring, before the first hot days, clear leaves and debris from the outdoor unit; in winter, keep it free of snow, without ever covering it. Annual HVAC maintenance cleans the coils and checks the condensate drain, the electrical connections and operation in both modes. The white vapour the unit releases 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 ARCOAIRE Compact Quiet Comfort | 3 Tons - 36,000 BTU (Air Handler D5FUHA 36,000) - R454B. We assess the home room by room, from the top floor to the basement, and confirm the right size and your grant eligibility before signing.