Whether you have a heat pump or a traditional air conditioner, refrigerants are an essential element of your cooling system. However, because of their toxicity and negative environmental impact, they are heavily regulated in the United States and many other countries.
In 2025 the current, widely used, refrigerant R-410A will begin to be phased out in the United States for use in air conditioning and heat pump systems. Manufactures’ will begin selling equipment that operates with more environmentally friendly refrigerants. This is not the first time we have transitioned through a refrigerant change.
Before 1930, air conditioners and refrigerators used toxic or flammable gases like ammonia, propane, methyl chloride, or sulfur dioxide. These gases could be fatal if they leaked.
In 1928 the first non-flammable chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants were created by Thomas Midgley Jr., Albert Henne and Robert McNary. In the 1930s Thomas Midgley Jr. and Charles Franklin Ketterling developed the hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), R-22. It went on to become one of the standard refrigerants used in residential air conditioners after WWII. Many years later, scientists discovered that chlorine, a component of R-22, was damaging the ozone layer.
In 1987 the United States and 45 other countries signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This agreement was later ratified by the US Senate in 1988. In total, 198 countries have ratified the protocol, including all United Nations member states, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Holy See, the State of Palestine, and the European Union. The protocol’s goal is to protect the ozone layer by limiting the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The parties to the protocol meet annually to make decisions about the agreement, including amending it. The protocol has been amended six times since its creation.
In 1992, the Montreal Protocol was amended to phase out the production and use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). R-22 was included in the list of substances that were to be phased out of production over time for new air conditioners and heat pumps. In the United States, the phase out of R-22 is still underway. As of January 1, 2020, production and import of R-22 refrigerant is illegal in the United States. However, continued use of your R-22 air conditioner or heat pump system is still allowed. Your system can still be recharged but the refrigerant cost is now fairly expensive due to its’ limited supply.
A chlorine-free refrigerant, R-410A, became the refrigerant that replaced R-22 in air conditioning and heat pump systems as a result of the phase out of R-22. R-410A was invented and patented by Allied Signal (now Honeywell) in 1991. It was being produced in large quantities by 1995. In 1996 Carrier Corporation became the first company to sell a R-410A based residential air conditioning unit. By 2010 R-410A was on its way to becoming the standard refrigerant for residential and commercial air conditioners and heat pumps in the United States and Europe.
R-410A is a type of HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerant. It is harmless to the ozone layer, but is a potent greenhouse gas with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 2088. This high GWP means that even small leaks in HVAC systems can have a significant impact on the environment.
Because of the global warming potential of many HFC refrigerants, the latest amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the Kigali Amendment, signed on October 15, 2016, proposed to phase-down the use of HFC refrigerants such as R-410A. The Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a series of regulations to reduce the use of high-GWP refrigerants in HVAC systems in the United States. The goal of these regulations is to reduce the total amount of HFCs released into the atmosphere thereby reducing the rate of global warming.
As a result, our industry will again be switching refrigerants. The two main refrigerants that equipment manufacturers have selected are R-32 and R-454B. They have a significantly lower global warming potential than R-410A and 0 ozone depletion potential. As mentioned earlier, R-410A has a GWP of 2088. R-32 has a GWP of 675 and R-454B has an even lower GWP of 465.
These new refrigerants do have some drawbacks though. R-410A is an A1 class non-flammable substance. Both R-32 and R-454B are mildly flammable, with an ASHRAE safety classification of A2L. R-32 is slightly more flammable than R-454B. However, they are both safe to use with proper handling and safety precautions to prevent ignition. This includes avoiding open flames, sparks, and hot surfaces during installation, maintenance, and operation of the equipment.
Currently the cost of both R-32 and R-454B is significantly more than R-410A with R-454B being the most expensive. Its’ current cost is more than double that of R-410A. As time passes, hopefully supplies will increase on these refrigerants and costs will come down some.
What kind of refrigerant is in your HVAC system?
Your owner’s manual will say what refrigerant your HVAC system uses. If you can’t find the manual, you could check the manufactures’ website. They may have the manual available for download or additional information.
If your HVAC system still uses R-22 or R-410A, you don’t need to replace or stop using your system right away. Right now, these older refrigerants are still available for us to maintain and service your system. The EPA’s plan to phase out these harmful refrigerants stretches out into the next decade. The supply of reclaimed/recycled R-22 is dwindling, however, the supply of R-410A should be ample for quite a few years to come.
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