From time to time, major advances occur in various fields, whether it’s psychology, paleontology, or HVAC manufacturing. When new information becomes available, new things become possible! And the HVAC industry has seen some major improvements in recent years. A lot of these improvements are making air conditioners and heat pumps more efficient and environmentally-friendly.
One such change is the types of refrigerants that can be made. Now that we don’t have to use less-efficient and environmentally-harmful types of refrigerant, a mandate is taking effect which will require HVAC manufacturers to use these newer, better refrigerants. While the 2025 refrigerant mandate has positive impacts, it does pose some challenges. Here’s how you and your air conditioner might be affected.
The Law Regarding AC Refrigerant
The law in question is a piece of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, which was signed into law in December of 2020 by President Trump. This legislation includes a variety of changes and a timeline for them to occur. What’s changing about your air conditioner is that newly-manufactured AC units will not be allowed to run on the older refrigerant called R-410A.
Instead, manufacturers will be using either R-454B or R-32. These will have a profound effect on how much air conditioning impacts the environment. R-410A can still be manufactured. It just won’t be what new AC units are built for. That means much less of it will be needed, so much less of it will be produced.
Repair Difficulties
If your old AC unit is using R-410A, and you develop a refrigerant leak, it may be difficult for your HVAC contractor to get their hands on the appropriate refrigerant for refilling your coils. Eventually, R-410A will be phased out completely, and it will no longer be possible to use it for repairing old AC units.
Replacement Recommendations
Anytime that manufacturing takes on a big challenge and changes the way things are done, there are impacts down the line which customers may end up feeling. The most common ones are increased costs and supply chain delays. Now, your air conditioner isn’t about to become an outlaw when the calendar ticks over to January. But replacement is definitely something you should consider.
Air conditioners, if they’re meticulously maintained every year by qualified technicians, can last ten years or so. If you think you might need a new AC unit in the next few years, you could save some money and hassle by choosing to do that now, before manufacturing cost increases and supply challenges affect prices and availability.
Our team of experts can help you find the system that best meets requirements and suits your needs. There are even major tax rebates available for people who purchase high-efficiency AC systems or heat pumps! If you’d like to have a conversation about your options, or you need to schedule repair or air conditioning maintenance in Lubbock, TX, reach out to us anytime.
JD’s Prompt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning serves the Lubbock area. Contact us for all your HVAC needs.