Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Performance | 9,000 BTU - R454B

A finished basement you want to use all year round

A finished basement has moods of its own: cool and damp in summer, cold underfoot in winter, often forgotten by the heating system that serves the rest of the house. Whether it is a playroom, a guest room, an office or a home theatre, the Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Performance | 9,000 BTU - R454B gives that room its own comfort, set independently from the floors above.

Its certified ratings are 21.7 SEER2, 12.6 EER2 and 9.4 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 3624490. It runs on R-454B refrigerant and carries the Performance range warranty, described below.

The basement, a room that does not behave like the others

Foundation walls are partly below ground: the soil keeps the basement cooler than the main floor in summer, but it also maintains a humidity that settles into carpets, upholstered furniture and storage boxes. In winter, the concrete slab chills the floor, and warm air rising to the upper floors leaves the room behind. Electric baseboards warm the air along the walls without dealing with the humidity or the feeling of a cold room.

A nominal capacity of 9,000 BTU/h suits a closed basement room of ordinary size, or a finished part of a larger basement when the door can be closed. If the open area spans the whole level, with an open staircase to the main floor, we check it during the visit: a larger size will then be more appropriate.

How the room is used also guides the choice. In a home theatre, you want a discreet unit that holds the temperature without an abrupt restart during a movie; in a guest room, a space that warms up quickly when visitors arrive; in an office, dry, steady air from morning to evening. The variable-speed compressor meets all three needs with the same principle: it adjusts its speed instead of stopping and starting again.

Dehumidify first, cool second

In a basement, cooling is often less about lowering the temperature than about drying the air. This is where variable speed makes a real difference. By running long at low speed, the indoor coil stays cold and condenses the room's moisture, which drains away. You get continuous dehumidification without turning the room into a cold storage space.

The nominal cooling capacity is 9,000 BTU/h, and the 12.6 EER2 rating reflects efficiency on a hot day. In very damp basements, the heat pump does not always replace a dedicated dehumidifier during periods when no cooling is needed, but it clearly reduces its use throughout the summer.

Winter heating, certified figures

The certificate lists 8,000 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F), about 89% of nominal capacity, with a COP of 2.30, and 7,000 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), about 78%, with a COP of 1.99. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published.

The basement has one advantage in winter: the earth around the foundation softens the deep cold, and the room loses its heat more slowly than an upstairs bedroom. The heat pump can therefore handle most of its heating over the season. Aim the louvres downward: warm air is sent toward the slab, where the cold is felt the most. The existing baseboards can stay as backup, set a few degrees lower.

What the Performance ratings mean

• 21.7 SEER2: cooling efficiency over the whole summer. The higher it is, the less each hour of cooling costs in electricity.
• 12.6 EER2: efficiency at the peak of the heat, when demand is highest.
• 9.4 HSPF2: heating efficiency over the whole season, the rating that most influences the winter bill.
• COP of 2.30 at -8 °C and 1.99 at -15 °C: the heat delivered for each unit of electricity consumed. An electric baseboard is limited to one unit of heat per unit of electricity.

These figures come from certificate AHRI 215413219, published by NEEP. The ENERGY STAR cold-climate designation confirms that the pairing was evaluated for winters like ours.

Inverter and R-454B refrigerant

A wall-mounted heat pump moves heat instead of producing it. In winter, the refrigerant draws energy from the outdoor air and delivers it inside; in summer, the cycle reverses. The variable-speed compressor modulates this transfer continuously: it speeds up when the room drifts from the set point and slows down as soon as it gets close, without the stops and restarts that create temperature swings.

R-454B is the new-generation refrigerant, with a much lower global warming potential than the previous generation. Classified A2L, it calls for precise installation methods that we apply systematically.

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.

Basement installation, step by step

Going through at the right spot

In a basement, the line route is planned carefully. When possible, we go through the rim joist, above the foundation concrete, rather than drilling the foundation wall itself. The refrigerant lines, the communication cable and the drain pass through a single opening, sealed inside and out. The indoor unit is mounted securely up high, taking the ceiling height and beams into account, so the airflow covers the room.

The outdoor unit is often right next to the exit point, along the foundation. We avoid basement window wells, which collect snow and water, as well as spots where rainwater runs off the roof. The line cover then follows the wall to the unit for a clean finish.

The drain: gravity or condensate pump

Condensate must drain at all times. When the head is installed above outdoor ground level, a slope is enough for the drain to flow out by gravity. When it sits lower, or no direct route is possible, we install a condensate pump that carries the water to a floor drain or outside. We explain the chosen solution during the visit, before the quote.

Outdoor unit, electrical 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 system needs a dedicated circuit: we check the capacity of the panel, often located in the same basement, during the visit. At commissioning, the circuit is evacuated and checked for tightness, then we test heating, cooling and condensate drainage.

Maintenance

Rinse the indoor filters every two weeks in season; in a basement, dust from storage and the laundry room settles on them quickly. Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow and leaves, and plan annual HVAC maintenance of the coils, drain and electrical connections. If a condensate pump is installed, it is part of the check. 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

This Performance range pairing is covered by the following 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 Wall-Mounted Heat Pump ARCOAIRE Performance | 9,000 BTU - R454B. We visit your basement, plan the line and drain route, and confirm the right size before signing.