For over three decades, there has been a global phase down of refrigerants that have been deemed harmful for the environment. While the transition from R-22 to R-410a was over a very long period of time (1996-2010) this new transition from R-410a to A2L refrigerants is coming up quickly. Most air conditioning manufacturers have announced they will be moving to R-454b, however some are designing their systems using R-32. Because of this, for the sake of this post, we’ll be referring to the new refrigerants simply as A2L’s.
Fun Fact: Refrigerants aren’t just manmade. Water is a refrigerant and therefore has a R number of R-718. Air is also a refrigerant and designated with the R number of R-729. Check out this Wikipedia page for a deeper dive*!
WHAT IS AN A2L AND WHY THE CHANGE:
They are refrigerants (sometimes referred to as Freon) used in air conditioning, heat pumps, and refrigeration systems The A2Ls are designed to have a lower global warming potential (GWP) than the current refrigerants we are using today. This will mean they will have a smaller impact on the environment when it comes to climate change.
While all refrigerants used in air conditioning and heat pump systems are considered sealed systems, on occasion they can leak. When this happens the gas is absorbed into the atmosphere and can contribute to greenhouse gases. By creating a new chemical makeup it will lower that impact.
WHEN WILL THESE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT:
We will begin to see equipment with the new A2L refrigerants as early as the beginning of 2024. All manufacturers will be required to suspend manufacturing equipment using R-410a by 12/31/24. We will then have until 12/31/25 where we can install the R-410a equipment to use up any remaining stock from the manufacturers.
The phase down in production of R-410a began with a 10% reduction in 2022. In 2024 there will be a reduction of an additional 30%, another 30% in 2029, 10% more in 2034, and 5% reduction in 2036. At that point there will still be an allowance of 15% production, so you can see that if you have a system installed with R-410a now, there will be plenty of refrigerant to service your system for its expected lifespan. This is not taking into consideration that all refrigerants out there in systems now all have to be reclaimed, cleaned, and resold. So stock will not be an issue, however the price will increase as supply decreases over time.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I HAVE A REFRIGERANT LEAK IN MY EXISTING SYSTEM:
If the leak is repairable and not cost prohibitive, you can have a repair made as long as the refrigerant is still available.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I NEED A NEW AIR CONDITIONER IN THE FUTURE:
If you have an older air conditioning or heat pump system using one of the phased-out refrigerants, you will have to invest in a new system. We cannot mix the different refrigerants, therefore equipment would need to be replaced. On any packaged unit or split heat pump, this unfortunately means the entire heating and air conditioning system. For a split system with a gas furnace, you can replace just the air conditioner and evaporative coil if the furnace is not in need of replacement at the same time (typically due to age or condition).
WHO CAN WORK ON THESE NEW SYSTEMS:
Licensed HVAC technicians who have gone through the proper training in handling the A2L refrigerants are the only people who can work on these systems. There are very specific safety guidelines which will need to be followed due to the refrigerants having a classification of lower flammability. This means that they will need to be handled properly from all aspects of installation, maintenance, and repair.
Have any questions on these upcoming changes and how they may affect future equipment pricing and installation? Please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email here or at 916-481-0658
*We have made a donation to Wikipedia as a thank you for their valuable information.