Which heat pump for an open-concept space?
Updated October 24, 2026
Open kitchen, living and dining room: the ideal case for a single wall unit, which throws air along the whole length of the room.
Heating at -23 °C12,000BTU/h
Cooling at 30 °C5,100BTU/h
Recommended system
ZERO 12,000 wall unitfrom $2,349 · DIY
Covers 100% of the heating load at -23 °C
See on kanartic.caLoad by floor area and city
| Area | Toronto (-18 °C) | Montreal (-23 °C) | Edmonton (-32 °C) | Cooling Montreal | System (Montreal) | DIY price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 sq ft | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 3,200 | ZERO 9,000 wall unit | $2,199 |
| 600 sq ft | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 4,500 | ZERO 9,000 wall unit | $2,199 |
| 800 sq ft | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 5,100 | ZERO 12,000 wall unit | $2,349 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 | 5,200 | ZERO 18,000 wall unit | $2,895 |
| 1,200 sq ft | 18,000 | 18,000 | 18,000 | 5,400 | ZERO 18,000 wall unit | $2,895 |
Good to know
- Mount the unit on the shortest wall so air travels across the whole room.
- Adjoining closed rooms (bedrooms, office) stay cooler: plan a multi-zone if you want to heat them too.
- A large south-facing window increases the cooling load.
- Leave at least 6 in. above the unit for air intake.