HVAC
HVAC Installation in San Antonio, TX

For nearly 20 years, R-410a has been the industry-standard refrigerant used in all types of cooling units, including air conditioners and heat pumps. It was originally introduced as the primary replacement for R-22, more commonly known as Freon, which began being phased out in the US back in 2010. It was completely banned in 2020. As part of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now required to also begin phasing out the use and production of R-410a in favor of less harmful refrigerants. The first part of the phase-out begins at the start of 2025 when HVAC manufacturers will no longer be able to produce equipment that uses R-410a. In this article, we’ll provide a full overview of what you should know about the phase-out, including why it’s happening and how it may affect you if you need heating or cooling system repairs.

Why R-410a Is Being Phased Out

The phase-out is part of a global initiative to limit the use of environmentally damaging chemical compounds known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This initiative originally began with the Montreal Protocol of 1987, which established global rules that first limited and then eventually banned the use and production of ozone-depleting chemicals known as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). These rules were what led to R-22 Freon being phased out and then banned since it was one of the main chemicals responsible for creating the hole in the ozone layer. This ban is also why the ozone layer has now almost completely recovered.

The reason that we switched from HCFCs like R-22 to HFCs like R-410a is that the latter has no ozone-depleting properties. Nonetheless, the problem with HFCs is that they have a high global warming potential (GWP). That means they are extremely powerful greenhouse gases that trap huge amounts of heat in the atmosphere and directly contribute to global temperature increases.

The GWP of any greenhouse gas measures its ability to trap heat and thus how much it contributes to global warming. The baseline used to measure global warming potential is carbon dioxide, which has a GWP of 1. R-410a has a GWP of 2,088, which means it traps more than 2,000 times more heat than carbon dioxide. In contrast, R-22 only has a GWP of 1,700. Although it’s not as powerful of a greenhouse gas, it is still considered much more harmful due to its ozone-depleting properties.

The other concern with R-410a is that it functions at an extremely high pressure. That means there is a high risk of it leaking out of an HVAC system and entering the environment whenever the system is being serviced or repaired. This is another reason why the phase-out is happening since the new refrigerants it is being replaced with don’t operate at nearly as high a pressure and are thus less likely to leak.

What Is R-410a Being Replaced With?

HVAC manufacturers have been preparing for the phase-out for a few years and were required to stop producing units with R-410a in late 2024. At that time, they had the option to switch to one of two different refrigerants: R-32 and R-454b. Both of these refrigerants fall into the same class, known as A2L refrigerants, which have a much lower GWP compared to R-410a. Most manufacturers have chosen to use R-454b, but some have chosen to both produce units that use R-454b and units that use R-32.

R-32 is still an HFC, but it is less harmful since it only has a GWP of 675. R-454b is a blend that is partially made up of R-32 along with another refrigerant known as R-1234yf. The latter belongs to an even less harmful category of chemical compounds known as hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). The addition of this secondary compound is why R-454b only has a GWP of 466, meaning it traps 76% less heat than R-410a.

The fact that R-454b has a lower GWP is one of the reasons why most manufacturers have chosen to use it instead of R-32. The other reason is that R-454b uses the same diameter of refrigerant lines as both R-22 and R-410a. That means you can install a new R-454b unit and still use the existing line set as long as neither line leaks. With R-32 units, you’ll need to replace the old line set since this refrigerant requires larger diameter lines.

How the Phase-Out Will Affect Future Repairs and Installations

The first thing to know is that there is no reason to panic and immediately replace a unit that uses R-410a. That’s because the phase-out will happen gradually over time. Although manufacturers will no longer be able to produce units that use this refrigerant, the refrigerant itself will still be legal to produce and import until 2035. However, the supply of R-410a will start to dwindle over the next years as manufacturers are required to reduce the percentage of it that they produce year by year. Even once its production is fully banned, there will still be a supply for quite a few years as a result of it being reclaimed from older systems when they’re being replaced. This reclamation is also why you can usually still get R-22 if you need to recharge an old system that uses it. Nonetheless, the dwindling supply of R-410a means it will likely continue to get more and more expensive over the coming years.

In terms of installing a new AC or heat pump that uses either of the new refrigerants, the cost will unfortunately be a bit higher. That’s because units that use either of the new refrigerants are more difficult to manufacture and install. The reason is that A2L refrigerants are mildly flammable, meaning the units require additional sensors that can detect any refrigerant leaking out. Nonetheless, this flammability generally isn’t something you need to be concerned with since the refrigerants aren’t particularly flammable. The units also have a safety mechanism that will cause them to automatically shut down in the event of a refrigerant leak to help prevent the refrigerant from catching on fire.

If you plan on installing a new AC or heat pump in 2025, you may still have the option to choose a unit that uses R-410a. That’s because many manufacturers began stockpiling additional units once the phase-out was announced, meaning that there will likely still be some of this old inventory available. Nonetheless, you should think carefully about whether it is worth installing an R-410a unit since it will eventually become quite a bit more expensive should you need to have the unit recharged with additional refrigerant.

The good news in all of this is that the use of either of the new refrigerants allows ACs and heat pumps to be more energy efficient. That means you’ll save on energy costs, and the savings should more than offset the higher initial cost of the new unit. This is another reason why it’s probably better to invest in a unit that uses one of the new refrigerants even if an R-410a unit is still available.

Our HVAC Company

If you’re concerned about what the phase-out means for your existing AC or heat pump and whether you should replace it, the experts at Air Authority, A Riteway Service Company have all of the advice and information you need. We’ve been serving the San Antonio area for more than 30 years and can assist if you want to upgrade your AC system with a new replacement or if you need to have your unit serviced or repaired. For more information or to schedule any residential or commercial HVAC service, contact us today.

company icon