Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE 16.8 SEER | 18,000 BTU - R410A

An open-plan space heated and cooled in one airflow

In an open-plan space, the kitchen, dining room and living room share the same air. With baseboards, each area still keeps its own heater, its own thermostat and its own swings: cold near the patio door, warm above the stove, lukewarm in the middle. The Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE 16.8 SEER | 18,000 BTU - R410A treats the space as a whole. A single well-placed head covers the kitchen, dining room and living room, and its inverter compressor modulates its output with the season rather than running flat out.

Its certified ratings are 18.3 SEER2, 9.9 EER2 and 8.7 HSPF2. These figures, published for the exact pairing we install, are the ones to use when comparing it with other units.

For the open-plan living area

The 18,000 BTU/h size targets spaces where several functions share one volume: a kitchen open to the dining and living rooms, the ground floor of a two-storey house whose partitions have been removed, an open-plan condo with a wall of windows, or a family room in the basement. It is also the size to consider when a smaller unit would be borderline in a room with strong afternoon sun.

Floor area alone does not determine the right capacity. An unusual ceiling height, a mezzanine, large patio doors, the orientation of the windows and the quality of the exterior wall insulation weigh just as much. A well-insulated open area in a recent building and the same area in a pre-war house do not have the same needs. The load calculation done during the visit settles the question, and we propose another size if this one is not the right fit.

Moving air from one end to the other

In a large open volume, the location of the head determines the result. We prefer to mount it high, on a short wall or at one end of the space, so that the airflow travels the length of the room instead of hitting a nearby wall. We avoid blowing directly on the table or the sofa, and we take obstacles into account: beams, ceiling drops, tall kitchen cabinets, an island with a range hood.

The adjustable louvres do the rest: toward the ceiling in cooling, so the cool air settles gently over the whole area, and toward the floor in heating, so warm air does not collect up high. Closed rooms that open onto the open area, such as a bedroom or bathroom, receive only part of this air, and only with the door open; they keep their baseboards, or we present another solution if needed.

What happens to the baseboards

Replacing baseboards does not mean tearing them out. In most open-plan spaces, we recommend keeping them as backup heat, with their thermostats set a few degrees below the heat pump's set point. They then stay off for most of the winter and only come on during deep cold, or when a corner far from the head falls behind. The heat pump becomes the main heating; the baseboards become the reserve.

This split has a practical advantage: one unit to set for the whole space, and smaller differences between the window and the kitchen. The day you redo the floor or the cabinets, there will always be time to remove a baseboard that is no longer needed.

Summer in an open kitchen

An open kitchen adds its own heat to the sun's: oven, stove, dishwasher, guests around the table. In cooling mode, the 9.9 EER2 rating measures efficiency in high heat, when demand is at its peak, and the 18.3 SEER2 rating measures efficiency over the whole season. During a heat wave, when the sun hits the windows late in the day and dinner is cooking, the compressor speeds up; once the space has cooled, it slows down and holds the temperature without abrupt stops.

Dehumidification follows the same principle. As long as the unit runs at low speed, the indoor coil condenses moisture from the air, and the drain carries it outside. Cooking steam and the humidity of July evenings are removed continuously, which makes the open area more comfortable at the same temperature. The range hood is still needed to remove odours and grease at the source: the heat pump does not replace it.

How an inverter heat pump works

A wall-mounted heat pump moves heat instead of producing it. In winter, R-410A refrigerant captures the heat contained in the outdoor air, even when it is cold; the compressor concentrates it, and the indoor unit spreads it through the open area. In summer, the cycle reverses and the heat from the house is rejected outdoors.

The variable-speed compressor adjusts its speed continuously instead of starting and stopping. In a large volume, the difference is noticeable: an all-or-nothing unit lets the far end of the room cool down between cycles, then blows hard to catch up, while an inverter unit keeps a steady airflow that reaches the whole area. R-410A is a proven refrigerant, well known to refrigeration technicians, which makes long-term service easier.

The published winter points

For heating, we only report the measured points. The certificate lists 10,500 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F), about 58% of the nominal size, and 10,100 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), about 56%, with a COP of 1.84 at that last point. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

These figures can be read two ways. First, the unit keeps heating efficiently in deep cold: at -15 °C, it still delivers close to two units of heat for each unit of electricity consumed, compared with just one for a baseboard. Second, its capacity drops as the temperature falls, like that of any heat pump. That is why we size the open area with the cold days in mind, and why the baseboards kept as backup still make sense in January.

SEER2, EER2, HSPF2 and COP, in plain terms

• SEER2 (18.3): cooling efficiency over the whole summer. The higher it is, the less electricity cooling takes for the same comfort.
• EER2 (9.9): cooling efficiency on the hottest days, when the unit works hardest.
• HSPF2 (8.7): heating efficiency over the cold season, the rating that matters most for an electrically heated home in Quebec.
• COP (1.84 at -15 °C): the heat delivered per unit of electricity consumed, measured at a specific outdoor temperature.

These figures come from certificate AHRI 205967970, as published in the AHRI certification directory. The certificate covers the pairing of indoor unit DLFVHAH18XAK and outdoor unit DLCVRAH18AAK.

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, which we present in the same quote.

Installation by AirGreen, step by step

From the visit to the quote

We always start with a visit. We measure the open area, note the ceiling height, the glazed area and the condition of the insulation, then we do a load calculation. We then choose the wall for the head with you based on air circulation, and the location of the outdoor unit based on the line route, snow and the neighbours. The written quote describes all of this before anything is signed.

Installation day

The indoor unit is secured to the framing, with a drainage slope for condensate. The outdoor unit goes on a ground or wall stand, above the snow line, clear of snow falling from roofs and away from bedroom windows, including the neighbours'. The refrigerant lines, communication cable and drain go through a single opening, sealed on both sides, and a line cover can finish the run on the facade.

The system needs a dedicated circuit at the electrical panel: we check the panel capacity during the visit, and we install a disconnect near the outdoor unit. At commissioning, the refrigerant circuit is put under vacuum and leak-checked before the valves are opened. We test heating, cooling and drain flow, then show you how to set the unit and aim the louvres for each season.

Maintaining a heat pump near the kitchen

Rinse the indoor filters every two weeks in season; near a kitchen, check them more often, since cooking grease sticks to them along with dust. Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow and leaves, and plan annual HVAC maintenance of the coils, drain 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.

A family business behind 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 Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE 16.8 SEER | 18,000 BTU - R410A. We assess the open area on site, confirm the right size and the location of the head, and check your grant eligibility before signing.