Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Duracomfort | 18,000 BTU - R454B

A large open area heated by the heat pump, no longer by the baseboards

Kitchen, dining room and living room in one large space: it is the layout many people want, and it is also the one electric baseboards heat the worst. Each baseboard warms its own stretch of wall, under its own window, with its own thermostat, and the space stays uneven. The Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Duracomfort | 18,000 BTU - R454B treats the open area as a whole, with a single wall head that circulates the air of the entire room.

Its certified ratings are 21.5 SEER2, 12.5 EER2 and 11.0 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 3556057, and the certificate still lists its capacity at -30 °C. It qualifies for a $2,160 LogisVert grant.

The open area, where baseboards struggle

In an open area, each baseboard works on its own. The kitchen one stops when the oven is on, the living-room one runs non-stop under the big window, and the warm air from all of them rises to the ceiling. The result is familiar: warm spots, cool spots and a cold floor. A well-placed wall-mounted heat pump spreads heat from a single point, at low airflow, and the variable-speed compressor adjusts its output to the demand of the entire space.

Full capacity at -8 °C and at -15 °C

The certificate lists 18,000 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F), about 100% of nominal capacity, with a COP of 2.55, and 18,000 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), also about 100%, with a COP of 1.92. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

This is the pairing's strong point: capacity does not drop between an ordinary cold day and real January cold. For a well-insulated open area, the heat pump can take on the main heating for nearly the whole winter, with a COP of 1.92 at -15 °C, where a baseboard is limited to one unit of heat per unit of electricity. The circuit uses R-454B refrigerant, from the new generation, with a much lower global warming potential than the previous one.

What an 18,000 BTU/h head covers, and what it does not

A nominal capacity of 18,000 BTU/h typically suits a good-sized open kitchen-dining-living area, on the ground floor of a cottage, a semi-detached house or a large condo. Air circulates well as long as the space is truly open: no solid partition between the head and the far end of the room, no long hallway to cross.

It does not, however, cover closed bedrooms or the upper floor of a house. Some heat rises through an open staircase, but not enough to heat bedrooms whose doors stay closed. Those rooms keep their baseboards or get their own heads. We discuss this during the visit, floor plan in hand, before proposing anything.

At -30 °C, the heat pump still heats

The certificate publishes the maximum capacity at -30 °C (-22 °F): 8,000 BTU/h, about 44% of nominal capacity, with a COP of 1.20. On those exceptional nights, the heat pump keeps delivering more heat than it consumes in electricity, but the baseboards take on part of the work. The ENERGY STAR cold-climate designation confirms that the pairing was evaluated for this climate.

In cold, humid weather, frost forms on the outdoor unit. The heat pump then pauses heating for a few minutes for a defrost cycle; the white vapour that rises from it is normal.

Getting baseboards and heat pump to work together

In an open area, there are often three or four baseboards, each with its own thermostat. The recommended setting is the same for all of them: a few degrees below the heat pump's set point. That way, they stay cold for most of the winter and only switch on if the heat pump needs help. If one baseboard switches on often, a corner of the room is less well served: we can then adjust the direction of the louvres.

Summer in an open area

In cooling mode, the nominal capacity is 18,000 BTU/h. The 12.5 EER2 rating measures efficiency on a hot day, when the sun comes through the large windows and the kitchen adds its heat; the SEER2 rating of 21.5 sums up efficiency over the whole season. At low speed, the indoor coil condenses moisture from the air, which drains away: continuous dehumidification keeps the space pleasant without an icy draft.

The ratings, one by one

• SEER2 of 21.5: cooling efficiency over the whole summer.
• EER2 of 12.5: cooling efficiency at the hottest point.
• HSPF2 of 11.0: heating efficiency over the whole season, the most important one in Quebec.
• COP of 2.55 at -8 °C, 1.92 at -15 °C and 1.20 at -30 °C: heat delivered per unit of electricity, where an electric baseboard delivers one.

These figures come from certificate AHRI 215324117, published by NEEP.

The $2,160 LogisVert grant

The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $2,160 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, step by step

Finding the wall that covers the whole open area

In a large space, the head's location is decisive. We look for a wall, up high, from which the airflow can cross the room lengthwise, rather than a side wall that would leave one end of the space out. We avoid the immediate vicinity of the stove and hood, as well as walls crowded with upper cabinets. The head is secured to the framing with a drainage slope for condensate. The load calculation, done during the visit, then confirms that the size suits the whole space.

Outdoor unit, lines and electrical

The outdoor unit goes on a ground or wall stand, above the snow line, away from bedroom windows, including the neighbours', and sheltered from snow sliding off roofs. The refrigerant lines, the cable and the drain go through a single sealed opening, and a line cover can finish the run. The system needs a dedicated circuit: we check the panel capacity during the visit. At commissioning, the circuit is evacuated and checked for tightness, then we test heating, cooling and the drain, and set the baseboards as backup.

Maintenance and warranty

Rinse the indoor filters every two weeks in season; in an open area with a kitchen, they also catch fine cooking particles. 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.

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 Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Duracomfort | 18,000 BTU - R454B. We assess your open area and confirm the right size and your grant eligibility before signing.