Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Performance | 12,000 BTU - R454B

A comfortable kitchen and dining room, even with the oven on

The kitchen open to the dining room has become the heart of many homes. It is also a hard room to keep comfortable: the oven, the stove and the dishwasher add heat and humidity, the large dining-room windows let the sun in, and the baseboards under the windows get in the way of the layout. The Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Performance | 12,000 BTU - R454B takes care of this space with a single wall head, in cooling as well as heating.

Its certified ratings are 21.4 SEER2, 10.8 EER2 and 9.2 HSPF2. It runs on R-454B refrigerant, with a variable-speed compressor, and carries the Performance range warranty described below.

A room that makes its own heat

Most rooms in the house are affected by heat coming from outside. The kitchen produces its own: an oven running for an hour, pots simmering, a dishwasher in its drying cycle. In summer, this heat adds to the sun's at the worst time of day, late in the afternoon, when you are making dinner. In winter, it works the other way: the kitchen warms up during meals, then cools quickly in the evening.

A nominal capacity of 12,000 BTU/h typically suits a kitchen open to a dining room, or a modest kitchen-dining-living space in a well-insulated home. For a large open area that includes a spacious living room, an island and a lot of glass, we check during the visit whether a larger size is better suited.

Cooling: late afternoon under control

In cooling mode, the nominal capacity is 12,000 BTU/h. The 10.8 EER2 rating measures efficiency on a hot day, precisely when the oven and the sun add up; the SEER2 rating of 21.4 sums up efficiency over the whole season. The variable-speed compressor speeds up while the meal is being prepared and slows down as soon as the room returns to the set point, without letting the temperature climb.

Dehumidification matters just as much. Steam from cooking and the dishwasher loads the air with moisture; running at low speed, the indoor coil stays cold and condenses part of that moisture, which drains away. The dining room stays pleasant during the meal, without heavy air.

The range hood and the heat pump, two different roles

An important point: the heat pump does not replace the range hood. The hood removes smoke, grease and steam right at the source, to the outdoors. The heat pump handles the temperature and humidity of the room's air, but it does not ventilate. The two work together: use the hood while cooking, and the heat pump takes care of comfort across the whole space.

Replacing the dining-area baseboards

In a dining room, the baseboards are almost always under the windows, exactly where you would like to put a sideboard or a bench. They heat the air along the wall and often leave the floor cold under the table. The wall-mounted heat pump gently circulates the air of the whole room, which evens out the temperature. The baseboards can stay in place as backup, set a few degrees below the set point, and only switch on during deep cold.

Winter, certified figures

The certificate lists 9,200 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F), about 77% of nominal capacity, with a COP of 2.32, and 8,000 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), about 67%, with a COP of 1.80. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

In practice, the heat pump heats the kitchen and dining room through the fall, the spring and most winter days with much better efficiency than baseboards. On the coldest days, its capacity drops and the baseboards take over part of the demand. Heat from cooking also helps at mealtimes.

Inverter and R-454B refrigerant

A heat pump moves heat instead of producing it: in winter, it draws it from the outdoor air; in summer, it rejects the kitchen's heat outside. Inverter technology varies the compressor's speed continuously, which suits a room whose load changes hour by hour. R-454B is the new-generation refrigerant, with a much lower global warming potential than the previous one; classified A2L, it requires precise installation methods that we apply on every job.

The ratings, plainly

• SEER2 of 21.4: cooling efficiency over the whole season.
• EER2 of 10.8: cooling efficiency at the hottest point.
• HSPF2 of 9.2: heating efficiency over a full season.
• COP of 2.32 at -8 °C and 1.80 at -15 °C: the heat delivered for each unit of electricity, where an electric baseboard delivers one.

These figures come from certificate AHRI 215413220, published by NEEP.

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.

Installation, step by step

Placing the head away from the stove

In a kitchen-dining space, the wall head's location is chosen carefully. We avoid installing it above the stove or near the hood, where it would draw in greasy steam and where cooking heat would skew the temperature reading. We favour a wall on the dining-room side, up high, from where the airflow covers the whole space. The head is secured to the framing with a drainage slope for condensate, clear of upper cabinets that could block the air return.

Outdoor unit, lines and commissioning

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 both modes and drain flow.

Maintenance and warranty

Near a kitchen, the indoor filters work harder: besides dust, they catch fine grease particles. Rinse them every two weeks in season, with warm soapy water if needed, and let them dry before putting them back. 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 Performance | 12,000 BTU - R454B. We assess your kitchen and dining room, choose the right wall with you and confirm the size before signing.