Wall-Mounted Heat Pump CONFORTO MHWAL | 18,000 BTU - R410A

A bright living area that stays comfortable in front of its big windows

Recent condos and renovated houses often have one thing in common: a large living area open to the kitchen, with floor-to-ceiling windows or a wide patio door. The light is superb, but comfort lags behind: in summer, the sun turns the room into a greenhouse; in winter, the cold glass creates a feeling of draft even when the thermostat shows the right temperature. The Wall-Mounted Heat Pump CONFORTO MHWAL | 18,000 BTU - R410A handles both seasons with a single wall head.

Its certified ratings are 21.5 SEER2, 12.5 EER2 and 11.3 HSPF2. The system is ENERGY STAR certified with the cold-climate designation under ENERGY STAR ID 2495133. It qualifies for a $1,800 LogisVert grant.

Glass, friend of light and foe of comfort

A large glass area lets in a lot of solar heat, especially facing south and west, and lets a lot of it escape in winter, even with high-performance glazing. These two effects often dominate the load calculation of a modern living area, far more than its floor area. That is why two rooms of the same size can need very different capacities.

A nominal capacity of 18,000 BTU/h typically suits a good-sized open living area, with an adjoining kitchen and generous windows, in a condo or a well-insulated house. For a room fully glazed on two sides, we check during the visit whether this size is enough or whether the load should be split differently.

Cooling: the afternoon sun

In cooling mode, the nominal capacity is 18,000 BTU/h. The 12.5 EER2 rating measures efficiency at the most demanding moment, when the late-day sun hits the glass directly; the SEER2 rating of 21.5 sums up efficiency over the whole season. The variable-speed compressor follows the sun: it speeds up as the load rises and slows down in the evening, smoothly.

Blinds or thermal curtains on the sunny side greatly reduce the heat to fight. The heat pump handles the rest, and its continuous dehumidification, running at low speed, avoids the heavy air often felt in large glassed-in spaces in July.

The cold-surface effect in winter

In front of a large window, you can feel cold even in a room at the right temperature: the body loses heat toward the cold glass surface, and air cooled against the pane flows down along the floor. A baseboard under the window partly compensates, but it mostly heats air that rises to the ceiling. The wall-mounted heat pump circulates the air of the whole room; by aiming the louvres toward the glazed areas, you soften that cold feeling and even out the temperature.

Winter, certified figures

The certificate lists 15,000 BTU/h at -8 °C (17 °F), about 83% of nominal capacity, with a COP of 2.35, and 18,000 BTU/h at -15 °C (5 °F), about 100%, with a COP of 1.80. The two points are measured separately; we report each one as published, even though the -15 °C value is higher than the -8 °C value.

In practice, the heat pump keeps its full nominal capacity in January cold, which makes it the main heat source for the living area for most of the winter. The existing baseboards, set a few degrees below the set point, stay as backup for cold peaks. The ENERGY STAR cold-climate designation confirms that the pairing was evaluated for this climate.

In a condo: what to plan for

In a condo, installing a heat pump generally requires the condo board's approval. The outdoor unit is most often placed on the balcony, on a wall or floor stand, and the line passage through the exterior wall must respect the building envelope. We provide the technical information useful for the board request, and we plan a discreet line route, protected by a line cover.

On a balcony, we take into account the space to move around, the drainage of defrost water and the proximity of neighbours, so the unit bothers no one.

Inverter and R-410A refrigerant

The heat pump moves heat: in winter, it draws it from the outdoor air and delivers it to the living area; in summer, it rejects the room's heat outside. Inverter technology varies the compressor's speed instead of running all-or-nothing. The circuit uses R-410A refrigerant, proven over many years and well known to refrigeration technicians. In cold, humid weather, a short defrost cycle pauses heating for a few minutes; the white vapour rising from the outdoor unit is normal.

The ratings, explained

• SEER2 of 21.5: cooling efficiency over the whole summer, important for a very sunny room.
• EER2 of 12.5: cooling efficiency at the hottest time of day.
• HSPF2 of 11.3: heating efficiency over the whole season, the most decisive in Quebec.
• COP of 2.35 at -8 °C and 1.80 at -15 °C: heat delivered per unit of electricity, where a baseboard delivers one.

These figures come from certificate AHRI 210605804, published by NEEP.

The $1,800 LogisVert grant

The system is listed in Hydro-Québec's LogisVert program, with $1,800 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

Visit and load calculation

The visit is free. We measure the living area, the size of each window and its orientation, note the glazing type and wall insulation, then run the load calculation. For a heavily glazed room, this step is what prevents undersizing the unit for summer or oversizing it for nothing.

Placing the head and the outdoor unit

The wall head goes up high, on a solid wall, from which the airflow can sweep the living area and reach the glazed zones. It is secured to the framing with a drainage slope for condensate. In a house, the outdoor unit goes on a ground or wall stand, above the snow line, away from bedroom windows, including the neighbours'. The refrigerant lines, the cable and the drain go through a single sealed opening.

Electrical, commissioning and maintenance

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 the drain. After that, rinse the indoor filters every two weeks in season, 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.

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 CONFORTO MHWAL | 18,000 BTU - R410A. We assess your living area and its windows and confirm the right size and your grant eligibility before signing.