Central Heat Pump ARCOAIRE R4H5S Economy | 2 Tons - 24,000 BTU (Air Handler FJMA4X) - R410A
A 2-ton central heat pump, planned around your ducts and your electrical panel
A central heat pump connects to two of the home's systems: the ducts, which distribute the air, and the electrical panel, which powers it. When both are ready, it handles the cooling of every room and most of the heating. The Central Heat Pump ARCOAIRE R4H5S Economy | 2 Tons - 24,000 BTU (Air Handler FJMA4X) - R410A pairs the R4H5S24AKAAA outdoor unit with the FJMA4X24L0BC cabinet, which pushes air through the existing duct system.
Its certified ratings are 15.2 SEER2, 12.5 EER2 and 7.5 HSPF2. The R4H5S series is Arcoaire's Economy series: a conventional pairing to heat and cool the house through its ducts.
For a semi-detached house, a single-storey home or a small two-storey house
The 2-ton size is aimed at mid-size homes that already have ducts: a two-level semi-detached house, a single-storey home with a partly finished basement, a small two-storey house with a renovated envelope. In these homes, it covers the cooling of every room and a large part of the year's heating needs.
Floor area alone does not tell the whole story. A semi-detached house has a shared wall that loses little heat; a detached house loses heat on all four sides. Windows, attic insulation and orientation matter too. The room-by-room load calculation we do during the visit decides between this size and its neighbours.
Two units, one system
The R4H5S24AKAAA outdoor unit holds the compressor, the outdoor coil and its fan. The FJMA4X24L0BC cabinet, an air handler, takes the place of the old electric furnace: it houses the indoor coil, the blower that pushes air through the ducts and the backup electric heating elements. An insulated copper refrigerant line and the control wiring link the two.
The two units are certified together; it is this exact pairing that carries the published ratings. We install it as is, without substitution.
The electrical panel, a starting check
A central heat pump needs two power supplies: a dedicated circuit for the outdoor unit, with a disconnect within reach, and the supply to the cabinet, which includes the blower and the backup elements. Those elements are the largest electrical load in the system; their capacity must be chosen according to the heating needs, but also according to what the panel can deliver.
During the visit, we look at the capacity of the electrical service, the free space in the panel and the loads already present: water heater, range, dryer, spa or charging station. A home that has added several of these since its furnace was installed sometimes needs its circuits redistributed. We hold the RBQ licence for electrical work, and everything required appears in the written quote.
Heating by capturing heat from the air
Even in cold weather, outdoor air contains heat. The heat pump captures it in its outdoor coil with the R-410A refrigerant, concentrates it in the compressor and releases it in the cabinet's coil. The blower then sends it through the ducts. In summer, a reversing valve runs the path the other way: the heat of the house is released outdoors.
This principle explains why a heat pump uses less electricity than an electric furnace for the same heat. It also explains why its capacity drops as the cold intensifies: there is less heat to capture in the air.
The published winter figures
The certificate lists 14,200 BTU/h at -8 °C and 11,000 BTU/h at -15 °C. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published. At the -15 °C point, the COP is 2.06.
Compared with the nominal size of 24,000 BTU, these figures come to about 59% at -8 °C and 46% at -15 °C. In other words, on a -15 °C night, the heat pump supplies a little less than half of its nominal capacity, at an efficiency still about twice that of a baseboard.
These figures come from certificate AHRI 210998675, as published in the AHRI certification directory.
When the backup heat comes in
Beyond a certain level of cold, the house asks for more heat than the heat pump supplies. The cabinet's backup elements then fill the gap, and switch off as soon as the heat pump is enough again. The thermostat, designed for a heat pump with backup, manages this handover with nothing for you to do.
Sizing the backup is a balance. Too small, it leaves the house cool in deep cold; too large, it asks more of the panel than necessary. We set it from the load calculation and the available electrical capacity, and explain it in the quote.
SEER2, EER2, HSPF2 and COP, without jargon
Read these ratings as an efficiency: the higher the number, the less the system uses for the same work. SEER2 (15.2) applies to cooling over a whole summer. EER2 (12.5) applies to cooling on a heat-wave day. HSPF2 (7.5) applies to heating over a whole season, and it is the one that matters most in a Quebec home.
COP is read at a specific temperature: it shows how many units of heat the heat pump delivers for each unit of electricity. An electric baseboard is at 1; this pairing is at 2.06 at the -15 °C point.
Summer: cooling and humidity
In summer, the same cabinet cools the air and removes humidity, which flows out through the condensate drain. Every room served by the ducts is cooled, with no window unit or wall unit in the bedrooms. The only visible equipment is the outdoor unit, which we place away from bedroom windows as far as possible, yours and your neighbour's.
A properly sized unit runs long enough to dry the air: the house feels cool without lowering the set point, and the humidity of heavy July days does not settle in.
LogisVert
This pairing does not carry an amount on Hydro-Québec's LogisVert list of October 19, 2026. If the grant matters for your project, we will point you to an eligible pairing of comparable size.
A complete installation, ducts and electrical included
The installation steps
The cabinet takes the place of the old furnace and connects to the existing duct system. Before the quote, we check duct sizes and the air return, because a central heat pump only delivers its full efficiency if the airflow keeps up.
- Visit: load calculation, inspection of the ducts and the electrical panel.
- Removal of the old equipment, with refrigerant recovery if there is an old air conditioner.
- Installation of the FJMA4X cabinet, connection to the plenum and return air, condensate drain to a floor drain or a pump.
- Installation of the outdoor unit on a stand, above the snow line, out of the roof drip line.
- Refrigerant line in insulated copper, brazing, pressure test and vacuum.
- Electrical work: dedicated circuit, disconnect, power to the cabinet and backup, thermostat.
- Commissioning: refrigerant charge, airflow, defrost and settings, then an explanation of how everything works.
Maintenance and warranty
Check the cabinet filter every month in season and replace it according to its format. Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow and leaves, and do not cover it in winter: it heats the house all season. Plan annual HVAC maintenance of the coils, the condensate drain and the electrical connections. In winter, the white vapour released during defrost is normal.
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 R4H5S Economy | 2 Tons - 24,000 BTU (Air Handler FJMA4X) - R410A. We assess the home room by room and confirm the right size and your grant eligibility before signing.