The main two will be R-22 and R-410A which are also known as Freon and Puron respectively. The two types of refrigerants are not interchangeable within a system, so you want to ensure you choose the right one before purchasing your system. There are some other very important differences between the two refrigerants.
R-410A refrigerant is a blend of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) compounds R-32 and R-125. It has been used as a replacement for R-22 (commonly known as Freon).
The AIM Act has three phases:
That means the usage of R-410A refrigerant could be banned as early as 2025. The phase-down, as the EPA calls it, had already begun in 2020. Its plan to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons under the AIM Act will continue through 2036.
R-410A is an A1 class non-flammable substance according to ISO 817 & ASHRAE 34. One of its components, R-32, is mildly flammable (AL2), and the other, R-125, is an A1 class substance that suppresses the flammability of R32.
Freon is a brand name of air conditioning refrigerant trademarked by DuPont. So you definitely have refrigerant in your air conditioner, but you may or may not have the brand Freon. However, Freon has become synonymous with the word “refrigerant” similar to how the brand name “Kleenex” is synonymous with “tissues”.
It is currently being phased out of use and homeowners now are recommended to turn to Puron® refrigerant to maintain their indoor comfort. Puron®, also known as R-410A, is approved by the EPA to replace Freon® 22 and is the world's first, long-term solution to ozone depletion.
The most important members of the group have been dichlorodifluoromethane (Freon 12), trichlorofluoromethane (Freon 11), chlorodifluoromethane (Freon 22), dichlorotetrafluoroethane (Freon 114), and trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113).
More About the Phase Out
Unfortunately, this refrigerant contains high levels of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) known to deplete the planet's protective Ozone layer. Many regulations (including the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment) have been passed to contain global warming.
State and Federal Regulations Regarding R-410a
As part of the phase-out, new HVAC units will no longer be able to use R-410a refrigerant starting in January 2025. However, the phase-out will take more than 10 years, and R-410a will still be legal to manufacture and import into the US until the end of 2036.
Liquid contact could cause frostbite. EYES: Liquid contact can cause severe irritation and frostbite. Mist may irritate. INHALATION: R-410A is low in acute toxicity in animals.
Just keep in mind that R-410A is still readily available and will be for the foreseeable future. New systems won't use it, but it remains the most common type of refrigerant in use today for residential HVAC systems.
R-410A has an ODP of zero, but its Global Warming Potential is 1890, which is fairly high. For context, carbon dioxide's GWP is 1, and it's the standard by which other refrigerants are measured, meaning that R-410A contributes to global warming 1890 times as much as carbon dioxide.
The government HVAC refrigerant mandate, initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and set to take effect on January 1, 2025, will phase out the use of R-410A refrigerant in residential-type HVAC systems, replacing it with R-454B and R-32, depending on the manufacturer.
Yes, R-410A will still be available for maintenance and repairs for many years. R-410A won't actually be phased out of production until the 2040s. Also, contractors can still reclaim and reuse refrigerant from older systems.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned R22 freon in the country. Why? R22 contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer – which absorbs the ultraviolet radiation from the sun and protects us from its harmful effects – and the ecosystem in general.
As you might imagine, this isn't going to go well for your air conditioner or heat pump. Long story short? Never mix R-22 and R-410a. Unless of course you are looking to destroy your HVAC system, then, by all means, go live that dream.
The main two will be R-22 and R-410A which are also known as Freon and Puron respectively. The two types of refrigerants are not interchangeable within a system, so you want to ensure you choose the right one before purchasing your system. There are some other very important differences between the two refrigerants.
Starting January 1, 2025, the manufacturing or importing of any product in specified sectors that uses a regulated substance with a global warming potential of 700 or greater is prohibited (40 C.F.R. § 84.54(a)). The specified sectors listed include R-410A, the most common refrigerant used in the HVAC industry.
The replacements for R-410A are the two A2Ls, Forane® R-32 and R-454B.
A number of common refrigerants, including R134a, R410A and R407C, will be banned from use in new chillers in the USA from January 1, 2024.
Regulatory Changes: As the phase-out continues to restrict production levels and importation, the R-410A price will likely increase. Manufacturing Costs: Fluctuations in the cost of raw materials and manufacturing can also influence the price of refrigerants.
ComStar's RS-53 (R470A) is the world's only drop-in retrofit replacement for existing R410a systems. At 909, RS-53 has a GWP that is effectively 56% lower than R410a. Additionally, RS-51 (R470B) has a GWP of 717 which is 80% lower than R404a, R507 and half of R448A and R449A.
As Freon was phased out, new HVAC systems began using a refrigerant known as Puron® or R-410A, an HFC. More efficient and less harmful to the environment, R-410A has been in use since its introduction in 1996 and is found in most of today's modern HVAC systems.
Freon is a brand name that has become a generic term for AC refrigerant. However, not all refrigerants are Freon. The original Freon refrigerants, such as R-12 and R-22, are being phased out due to their ozone-depleting properties.
The long phasing-out process came to its conclusion on January 1, 2020. All Freon production is now banned in the United States, and it's also illegal to import the product into the country. If you purchased your AC unit after 2015, you do not need to worry about Freon.