R-454B refrigerant is quickly becoming the HVAC industry standard for use in air conditioners and heat pumps and you can expect to see it increasingly used in newly manufactured units.
Beginning in late 2024, R454B will replace R410A in all newly manufactured HVAC systems to meet these environmental goals. This change is in line with the EPA's SNAP (Significant New Alternatives Policy) program, which ensures that the alternatives meet both environmental and safety standards.
USA: Lennox has become the latest US manufacturer to announce a switch to lower GWP refrigerant R454B across all its residential HVAC products. Last month, Johnson Controls announced the launch of a brand-new suite of residential products optimised for use with the same refrigerant.
No. R-454B is NOT a drop-in replacement for R-410A. Although many of the characteristics of R-454B are similar to R-410A, the use of R-454B is restricted by code and regulation to systems for which it was specifically designed.
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.
R32 has the advantage of being a singlecomponent refrigerant with higher energy efficiency and a smaller physical footprint. It's already in use globally, so you can be confident in its reliability. R454B, while newer, has the benefit of an even lower GWP, making it the more environmentally friendly option.
R22 (also known as HCFC-22) is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) once widely used as a refrigerant. If your home or office AC is over 10 years old, it's probably using R22 freon. However, R22 Freon is banned in the U.S. today.
R454B: slightly lower capacity than R410A but better efficiency; lower GWP. R32: better efficiency and around 10% more capacity than R410A, depending on the application and system design.
Gauge sets used with R-410A should be okay to use with R-454B, although technicians may need to update their digital manifolds to include the newer refrigerants. Standard hand tools like wrenches and tube cutters should be the same.
Cost: Systems that use R-454b will likely be more expensive due to specialized tools and installation procedures. Maintenance: Homeowners may face more frequent sensor issues with R-454b systems, especially in the early stages of its adoption.
R-454B, known commercially as Puron Advance™, is Carrier's refrigerant of choice for all ducted and ductless residential and light commercial applications.
R-410A PHASE-DOWN TIMELINE
We will reach a 70% decrease by 2029. In 2034, we will see 80% less R-410A being produced than it is today, and the phase-down will end in 2036 with another 5% reduction.
R-454B, also known by the trademarked names Opteon XL41, Solstice 454B, and Puron Advance, is a zeotropic blend of 68.9 percent difluoromethane (R-32), a hydrofluorocarbon, and 31.1 percent 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (R-1234yf), a hydrofluoroolefin.
Like its predecessor R-410A, R-454B poses no danger to the ozone layer. These advantages that led Lennox to adopt R-454B as our primary 2025 Compliant Refrigerant for whole-home systems and R-32 for our ductless mini-split systems.
What refrigerant will replace R-410A in 2025? For whole-home systems, Lennox has chosen 2025 Compliant Refrigerant R-454B due to its excellent performance for ducted systems and zero ozone depletion potential. For mini-splits, we selected R-32, designed to optimize efficiency and reliability in ductless systems.
Exposure hazards: Flammable. In combustion emits toxic fumes. Forms explosive air-vapour mixture. Advice for fire-fighters: Wear self-contained breathing apparatus.
Trane is phasing in the transition to R-454B in 2024, starting with the adoption of R-454B refrigerant in its residential products, beginning with the XR15 SEER2 heat pump.
With R 454b, the suction pressure will be 113.3 psig . If we have a saturated condensing temperature of 110 degree Fahrenheit, the pressure of R 410a will be 366.4 psig.
R-454B/R-32 Implications: because R-454B and R-32 have a mildly flammable characteristic, a non-sparking vacuum pump is required.
Right now the globally accepted direct GWP threshold by HVAC system designers and building consultants is 750. R32's direct GWP exceeds this threshold, and is 45% higher than R454B's, making R454B the more sustainable choice. The lower the GWP, the better.
Current Pricing Trends
As of December 2021, the cost of R454B refrigerant is approximately $8 per pound (GitHub).
Nothing in it allows for the use of A2L (mildly flammable) refrigerants to be used in residential cooling systems. Mildly flammable refrigerants can't be used in existing R-410a and R-22 systems.
In new chiller production, HFC refrigerants like R-404A and R-410A are prohibited from 1st January 2024. The production of new equipment using R-22 ceased entirely in 2022, and the HCFC phaseout will be completed in 2030.
R-22 was a commonly used refrigerant that is being phased out because of its harmful impact on the ozone layer.
As R-410A is phased out, A2L refrigerants are emerging as the primary alternatives due to their lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) and reduced environmental impact. Refrigerants like R-32 and R-454B are leading the charge, offering a GWP that is significantly lower than R-410A.