What You Should Know About The New Refrigerants
Effective December 31, 2024 all manufacturers of cooling and heat pump systems will no longer be able to produce equipment using the existing R410a refrigerant (Freon). Please be aware that we will still be able to install R-410a equipment through the end of 2025. This is in no way a scare tactic, merely educational. If you would like more information on why this change is coming, you can check out our previous article here.
Because of the changes coming with the new A2L refrigerants (R-454b and R-32 regarding residential HVAC), we are being asked regularly by customers if they should replace their current system now or wait for the new equipment. Here are some things to consider:
Age of Existing System– If you have a system over 20 years old, then it may be worth considering replacement now because your current air conditioner or heat pump may be toward the end of its life expectancy.
Efficiency of Existing System– Older systems are less efficient and may be costing you more money every month than a new higher efficiency system will. Especially since energy rates are always on the rise, a new system now will use much less electricity and start saving you money on your energy bills.
Compatibility– Similar to what happened in the early 2000’s when the refrigerant changed from R-22 to R-410a, supply of R-410a will diminish over time due to the government phase down and the components aren’t interchangeable between refrigerants when you look to upgrade your system. There are plans in place for the manufacturers to still be able to produce replacement parts such as compressors, coils, and outdoor units as “service” repairs. It is unknown the timetable for this exception.
Availability of Equipment– If your system breaks down now, chances are there isn’t a R-454b replacement yet available. The manufacturers we have spoken to aren’t planning a full launch until early 2025, which means they are still manufacturing R-410a equipment until the 12/31/24 deadline. But when the R410a systems are gone, they are gone for good.
Field Tested vs. New Technology– Some consumers want the newest and latest of everything. If that is you, then holding off for the new refrigerant would make the most sense. Others like to wait until any “kinks” are worked out, but if your system fails on the front end of the change over then you may have to embrace the new.
Replacement Cost– We can sell R-410a systems at our current costs, but we have been told by the manufacturers to expect a significant cost increase with the new R-454b equipment. Why is that? There are many factors including the upfront investment costs of retooling manufacturing lines to the new equipment which will be passed on to the end user. Additional components like Refrigerant Detection Systems (RDS) will be required on all new equipment to help detect if there is a refrigerant leak. This is a sensor, board, and wiring harness that are all going to be new internal components to the equipment. The last major change will be the size of the copper refrigerant lines (linesets) on split systems being smaller than what is installed now. So even though you have an existing system, we may have to replace those lines that connect the indoor and outdoor units to accommodate the new refrigerant.
Availability of Refrigerant– We understand some may be concerned about installing a system using the existing R410a refrigerant because it is being phased out. The biggest worry is how much will the old refrigerant cost as they began phasing it out in 2022. The good news is, even though in 2022 the refrigerant manufacturers had to decrease their production by 10%, the current cost of refrigerant to us has actually gone down and not up. By the time R410a is phased down to 85% of production (not a 100% phase out) in 2036 yes, the cost of the refrigerant may be more costly, however that won’t mean it isn’t available. The timetables of both the equipment and refrigerant manufacturing are set so that there won’t be a scarcity of refrigerant for the expected lifespan of the system (15-20 years). Not to mention that all R410a refrigerant currently in air conditioning and heat pump systems is required to be reclaimed, cleaned, and resold. This is in addition to new refrigerant being manufactured.
Conclusion– We have seamlessly transitioned from R-22 to R-410a in the past and have utmost confidence in the upcoming transition to R-454b (and R-32 in the case of ductless heat pumps). So, whether you want to have a system installed now, or wait for the newest equipment on the market, we can help! If you are interested in more information, please reach out to us here or by phone at 916-481-0658. We look forward to serving you now as well as in the future.