HVAC Rated

18,000 BTU mini-split heat pump · D5F Series

Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK

Below average cooling efficiency and excellent heating efficiency for a 18,000 BTU mini-split heat pump, and certified for cold climates.

Ranks #256 of 465 18,000 BTU mini-splits for cooling efficiency, and costs about $409 a year to run in a mixed climate like Atlanta.

SEER2
21.5 Cooling efficiency over a season
Below average · beats 39%
HSPF2
12.4 Heating efficiency over a season
Excellent · beats 93%
EER2
12.5 Cooling efficiency on a 95°F day
Average · beats 44%
Heat at 5°F
18,000 BTU/h100% of its 47°F output
Very good · beats 78%

A good fit if…

  • Your winters get properly cold - it is ENERGY STAR cold-climate certified, with 18,000 BTU/h at 5°F.
  • It will heat most of the year - its HSPF2 beats 93% of mini-splits.
  • You want steady temperatures and quiet running - the compressor varies its speed.
  • You want a choice of indoor units - 97 certified pairings.

Think twice if…

  • Cooling cost matters most - its SEER2 is below average for mini-splits.

Calculate my running cost

Details

Specifications18,000 BTU, R-454B
General
BrandArcoaire
Also sold asComfortmaker, Day & Night, Smart Comfort, Heil, Keeprite, Kenmore, Midea, Tempstar, Airquest, LPS Legacy, Viessmann, Grandaire
Outdoor unit modelD5CSHAH18AAK
SeriesD5F Series
TypeMini-split heat pump
Nominal size18,000 BTU
CompressorVariable-speed units run longer at low powerContinuously variable
RefrigerantR-454B
Connected (smart) capableNo
On the market sinceNovember 15, 2018
Last certifiedMay 6, 2026
Cooling
SEER2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better21.5 (range 18.0-21.5)
EER2Efficiency at 95°F outdoors12.0-12.6
Cooling capacity16,000-18,000 BTU/h
Heating
HSPF2Seasonal efficiency, higher is better10.1-12.4
Capacity at 47°F17,000-20,000 BTU/h
Capacity at 17°F14,000-18,000 BTU/h
Capacity at 5°F17,000-18,000 BTU/h
COP at 5°F2.0 = twice as efficient as a space heater1.86-2.20
ENERGY STAR cold climateYes
Heating output as it gets colder100% kept at 5°F

Every heat pump delivers less heat as the outdoor temperature drops. Certified output of its matchup with D5FSHAH18XAK at the standard test temperatures, in BTU/h:

Certified matchups97 indoor units

The same outdoor unit scores differently with each indoor unit. The 60 highest-rated of 97 are shown. Ask your installer for the AHRI reference number of the exact system you are quoted.

Indoor unitSEER2EER2HSPF2Heat @5°FAHRI ref.
D5FSHAH18XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324117
D5FSHAH18XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324190
D5FSHAH18XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324263
D5FSHAH18XAK HEIL · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324336
D5FSHAH18XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324409
D5FSHAH18XAK KENMORE · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324482
D5FSHAH18XAK MIDEA · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324555
D5FSHAH18XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324628
D5FSHAH18XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324701
D5FSHAH18XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324774
D5FSHAH18XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate21.512.511.018,000215324847
D5FSHAH18XAK Viessmann · cold climate21.512.511.018,000217178795
D5FSOAH18XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324118
D5FSOAH18XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324191
D5FSOAH18XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324264
D5FSOAH18XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324702
D5FSOAH18XAK HEIL · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324337
D5FSOAH18XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324410
D5FSOAH18XAK KENMORE · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324483
D5FSOAH18XAK MIDEA · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324556
D5FSOAH18XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324629
D5FSOAH18XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324775
D5FSOAH18XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate20.712.512.217,500215324848
D5FSOAH18XAK Viessmann · cold climate20.712.512.217,500217178796
D5FCFAH18XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324121
D5FCFAH18XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324194
D5FCFAH18XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324267
D5FCFAH18XAK HEIL · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324340
D5FCFAH18XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324705
D5FCFAH18XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324413
D5FCFAH18XAK KENMORE · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324486
D5FCFAH18XAK MIDEA · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324559
D5FCFAH18XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324632
D5FCFAH18XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324778
D5FCFAH18XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate20.512.610.317,000215324851
D5FCFAH18XAK Viessmann · cold climate20.512.610.317,000217178799
D5FSFAH16XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324120
D5FSFAH16XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324193
D5FSFAH16XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324266
D5FSFAH16XAK HEIL · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324339
D5FSFAH16XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324704
D5FSFAH16XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324412
D5FSFAH16XAK KENMORE · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324485
D5FSFAH16XAK MIDEA · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324558
D5FSFAH16XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324631
D5FSFAH16XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324777
D5FSFAH16XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate20.212.510.317,500215324850
D5FSFAH16XAK Viessmann · cold climate20.212.510.317,500217178798
D5FSCAH18XAK ARCOAIRE · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324119
D5FSCAH18XAK COMFORTMAKER · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324192
D5FSCAH18XAK DAY & NIGHT · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324265
D5FSCAH18XAK SMART COMFORT · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324703
D5FSCAH18XAK HEIL · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324338
D5FSCAH18XAK KEEPRITE · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324411
D5FSCAH18XAK KENMORE · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324484
D5FSCAH18XAK MIDEA · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324557
D5FSCAH18XAK TEMPSTAR · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324630
D5FSCAH18XAK AIRQUEST · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324776
D5FSCAH18XAK LPS Legacy · cold climate20.012.512.417,000215324849
D5FSCAH18XAK Viessmann · cold climate20.012.512.417,000217178797
Yearly running cost in 10 large cities$371-$973

At each state's average electricity price and the city's typical heating and cooling hours.

Questions5
What is the SEER2 rating of the Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK?
The Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK is rated at up to 21.5 SEER2 and 12.5 EER2 for cooling and up to 12.4 HSPF2 for heating. The exact figure depends on the indoor unit it is paired with; across its 97 certified matchups SEER2 ranges from 18.0-21.5.
Is the Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK good for cold climates?
Yes. At least one certified matchup meets the ENERGY STAR cold-climate criteria, delivering up to 18,000 BTU/h at 5°F with a COP of 2.20, so it is still 2.2 times as efficient as electric resistance heat at that temperature.
How much does the Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK cost to run per year?
At its rated efficiency it costs about $371-$973 a year in electricity in large U.S. cities, depending on climate and local rates - for example $455 in Phoenix and $811 in Minneapolis. The calculator on this page works it out for your city and compares it with your current system.
Which indoor units work with the Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK?
ENERGY STAR lists 97 certified combinations for this outdoor unit. The highest-rated ones use ARCOAIRE D5FSHAH18XAK, COMFORTMAKER D5FSHAH18XAK, DAY & NIGHT D5FSHAH18XAK.
What refrigerant does the Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK use?
It uses R-454B.

Running cost and savings

Pre-filled with this model. Pick your city and what you heat with today; everything else is optional.

Heat pump $450/yrYou save $459/yrSee details ↓
1. Where you live
Adjust heating and cooling hours

Filled in from your city's climate. Change them if you run the system much more or less than usual.

2. The heat pump Arcoaire D5CSHAH18AAK
3. What it replaces
4. Price replace the example with your quote
Heat pump, per year
$450
Current system, per year
$909
You save per year
$459
Payback
14.2 years
Net after 10 years
-$1,907

Cooling $278Heating $172Electricity used: 2,812 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $252

Estimates use the unit's rated SEER2 and HSPF2, full-load hours derived from NOAA 1991-2020 degree days, average residential electricity prices from the U.S. EIA (12 months to July 2026) and fuel prices from EIA (2025 for natural gas, week of 2026-10-05 for propane and heating oil). Very cold days that need backup heat are not modelled. Federal minimum for comparison: 14.3 SEER2 / 7.5 HSPF2.

Similar 18,000 BTU models

See all 465 18,000 BTU mini-splits, ranked

Source: ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps (U.S. EPA), certification of May 6, 2026. How we use the data.