Changes In The HVAC Industry

R410a Refrigerant Is Going Away

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

As of January 1, 2025, HVAC manufacturers no longer are able to produce equipment that uses R410a refrigerant and are required to produce equipment that uses a class of refrigerants known as A2Ls. The majority of residential air conditioning and heat pump systems will be using R-454B or R-32. This will replace R410a, which has been the most common refrigerant used in residential equipment since 2010.

COMMON CONCERNS ABOUT A2L REFRIGERANT

Some concerns have been raised about the flammability of A2Ls due to their classification. For context, all refrigerants are rated for toxicity and flammability. The classification consists of three parts: ‘A’ represents nontoxic and ‘B’ represents toxic. The second digit can be 1, 2, or 3, where 1 is not flammable, 2 is slightly flammable, and 3 is very flammable. The ‘L’ means that the refrigerant is less flammable than the standard indicated by the previous number. Therefore, A2L stands for a nontoxic, less than slightly flammable refrigerant. A2L refrigerants are very challenging to ignite and have a very low flame speed. Despite being considered mildly flammable, they do not pose any significant risk to installers, service technicians, or homeowners. For A2L refrigerants to ignite, a substantial energy source, like a direct flame or a high concentration of refrigerant, is necessary.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

While the R410a equipment is no longer manufactured, the refrigerant itself will be available for quite a long time. So your recently installed R410a system will be able to be serviced & repaired for many years into its expected service life. The phase out of R410a will last into 2037 according to the phase down schedule in the AIM Act.

Some will try to use scare tactics and tell you that R410a is illegal now and you must replace your system. If someone tells you this, they are likely just trying top sell you something. While there may be legitimate reasons that your system should be replaced, running R410a refrigerant is not one of them.

Let us know if you have any questions regarding these changes.