A basement, a bedroom, a kitchen diner and an office have four different heat loads, four different amounts of glass and four different schedules. One capacity fitted four times gets all four a little bit wrong.

The heads here are rated 9,000, 9,000, 12,000 and 18,000 BTU, chosen room by room rather than matched for the sake of it, and each carries its own controller. Only the zones that are switched on draw from the 36,000 BTU outdoor unit.

What is actually in the cartons

The chart counts it out: one outdoor unit, four indoor units, and for every zone a remote, a wall sleeve, a drain hose, a copper line set, a mounting plate, communication wire and a screw kit. Tape, putty and wall caps come eight up. Line sets are the item most quotes price separately, and there are four of them here, 16 ft each.

The number that matters in February

That orange glow along the base is the chassis heater keeping the pan clear of ice so the unit can still shed meltwater. The manufacturer rates heating down to -25°C (-13°F) and cooling up to 52°C (125°F). Natural Resources Canada notes that heat pumps lose capacity as it gets colder, so keep a backup heat source for the worst nights.

Control from the sofa or from work

Each zone answers to the app as well as its own remote, so you can start the living room before you get home and leave the spare bedroom off. The app screen in the photo shows a single zone with its mode, fan speed and set point. Nothing here needs a smart speaker: the app and the remote do the work.

The five minute job that keeps it cheap to run

The front panel lifts and the filters slide out. Rinse them under a tap, let them dry, put them back. Four indoor units means four sets to do, and dirty filters are the most common reason a zone stops keeping up and starts costing more to run.

One 36,000 BTU outdoor unit runs all four indoor units. Each zone starts, stops and holds its own temperature, so an empty room costs nothing to leave alone.

A common rule of thumb is 20 to 25 BTU per square foot (Carrier publishes 25). On that basis a 9,000 BTU unit suits roughly 360 to 450 sq ft, a 12,000 BTU unit suits roughly 480 to 600 sq ft and an 18,000 BTU unit suits roughly 720 to 900 sq ft. Natural Resources Canada points to CSA F280-12 for a proper load calculation.

The compressor varies its speed instead of cycling on and off. Published ratings are 23 SEER2 for cooling and 10 HSPF2 for heating on R32 refrigerant.

A chassis electrical heater keeps the outdoor base pan clear. The manufacturer rates heating down to -25°C (-13°F) and cooling up to 52°C (125°F).

Each zone gets a 16 ft insulated copper line set and 13 ft of communication wire, plus a 6.5 ft drain hose. That is the material most quotes list separately, four times over on a system this size.

The outdoor unit runs on 208-230V~60Hz, single phase. This is not a standard 15 amp household outlet. It wants its own branch circuit, sized from the MCA and maximum breaker figures on the unit's own nameplate, with a disconnect within reach.

Wifi app plus a remote with a digital display for each zone, and a 24 hour timer. No smart speaker is needed to run it.

The indoor filters pull out, rinse under a tap and go back in. Four heads means four sets, and clean filters are the cheapest way to keep airflow and running cost where they should be.

Ships from our United States warehouse. Delivery to Canada usually takes 8 to 14 business days, with no customs charges or duties to pay on arrival. Free shipping on orders over $150, a flat $18.90 below that, and tracking by email as soon as it leaves.

Return within 14 days of purchase, unused, in original condition and packaging.

Covered directly by the manufacturer under their warranty terms for material and manufacturing defects.

Found it cheaper at a Canadian retailer? Send us the link and we will match that price. It has to be the same item, in stock, sold and shipped inside Canada, and compared like for like on what comes in the box.

Capacities run from 9,000 BTU, roughly 360 to 450 sq ft, up to 18,000 BTU, roughly 720 to 900 sq ft. Each room gets a head sized to it rather than one size fitted four times.

Older houses, additions, attic conversions and finished basements rarely have duct where it is needed. Four zones from one outdoor unit avoids opening up ceilings.

This is a heat pump, not a cooling only air conditioner. It carries a 10 HSPF2 heating rating and a chassis electrical heater on the outdoor unit for cold weather.

What we stand behind

• Ships from our United States warehouse, free shipping over $150, and 14 day returns unused in the original packaging.
• 14 day returns on unused items in original condition and packaging
• Covered by the manufacturer's own warranty for material and manufacturing defects
• Line sets, communication wire and a controller for every one of the four zones are in the box

How much space will each indoor unit cover?

Sizing runs off the heat load of the room, not just its floor area, and Natural Resources Canada points to CSA F280-12 for the real calculation. As a rough check, 20 to 25 BTU per square foot is the usual rule of thumb. On that basis a 9,000 BTU unit suits roughly 360 to 450 sq ft, a 12,000 BTU unit suits roughly 480 to 600 sq ft and an 18,000 BTU unit suits roughly 720 to 900 sq ft. Poor insulation, large west facing windows or a 9 ft ceiling all push the figure up.

The four indoor units add up to 48,000 BTU but the outdoor unit is 36,000 BTU. Is that a mistake?

No. On any multi zone system the indoor ratings are not meant to be added together, and multi zone sizing guides say so plainly. The 36,000 BTU figure is what the outdoor unit can deliver at one time, shared among whichever zones are calling for it. Four rooms rarely peak at the same moment, which is why this combination is offered.

How cold can it get outside before it stops heating?

The manufacturer rates low ambient heating down to -25°C (-13°F), helped by an electric heater in the outdoor chassis. Natural Resources Canada notes that air source heat pumps lose capacity and efficiency as it gets colder, with typical COPs falling from 2.0 to 5.4 at 8°C to 1.1 to 3.7 at -8°C, and that most newer units have a minimum operating temperature between -15°C and -25°C. Keep a backup heat source for the coldest stretches.

Can I install this myself in Canada, and does it run on a normal outlet?

No on both counts. The outdoor unit runs on 208-230V~60Hz, single phase, so it needs its own branch circuit and an electrician, not a wall socket. Refrigerant work is also regulated: Ontario, for example, states that only a certified technician may remove, discharge, handle and dispose of refrigerants including HFCs, and that mechanical work on refrigeration equipment needs a Certificate of Qualification on top of that. Other provinces have their own halocarbon rules, and the federal Code of Practice says the same thing in plainer terms.