Heating, cooling and beyond
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in December that it has agreed to a one year extension for our industry's transition to a new, lower GWP refrigerant set to hit the market late this year. All air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured since 2010 feature R-410A refrigerant which has a global warming potential (GWP) of 2088. The new R-454B refrigerant that is coming has a GWP of 467. In 2020, Congress passed the American Innovation & Manufacturing (AIM) Act which directs the EPA to implement an 85% phase down of the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 2035. Our current R-410A refrigerant is an HFC. In 2024, the new law calls for a 30% reduction in the production of R-410A as part of the phase down. The one year extension (to January 1, 2026 for the installation of R-410A based equipment) is a God send for our industry allowing for a smoother transition. The new R-454B requires not only technician certification, but a retooling of vacuum pumps and recovery machines and will require indoor leak sensors upon installation and very likely a second indoor board for mitigation. The new refrigerant is expected to come with a price increase of 20-30%. The extension allows distributors, manufacturers and dealers more time to study inventory levels and develop buying strategies. For more information, go www.acca.org.
