The 2026 refrigerant change, in plain terms.
What actually changed, what it means for the system you already own, and when it should change your mind about a repair.
The short version
As of January 1, 2026, the EPA’s AIM Act Technology Transitions Rule prohibits installing new residential and light commercial systems that use R-410A. New equipment now uses lower global-warming-potential refrigerants, primarily R-454B and R-32. The manufacturing cutoff came a year earlier, on January 1, 2025.
Your existing system is fine. Nothing about this makes an R-410A system illegal to own, run, service, repair, or recharge. Nobody has to replace working equipment because of this rule.
Why it still affects you
R-410A production has been cut back substantially under the phase-down schedule. Less supply against steady demand from the enormous installed base means the refrigerant itself keeps getting more expensive. If your system develops a leak, the recharge is a bigger line item than it was two years ago, and that gap widens each year.
So the practical effect is not that you must replace anything. It is that a borderline repair on an aging R-410A system leans a little further toward replacement than the same repair would have in 2023.
| Refrigerant | GWP | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| R-22 | 1,810 | Phased out. No new production or import. Reclaimed only, expensive. |
| R-410A | 2,088 | Banned in new installs from Jan 2026. Existing systems still serviceable. |
| R-454B | 466 | Primary replacement for ducted systems. A2L, mildly flammable. |
| R-32 | 675 | Common in mini-splits. A2L, needs about 20% less charge than R-410A. |
If your system uses R-22
R-22 was phased out years ago. Only reclaimed supply exists and it is priced accordingly. A leak repair on an R-22 system can cost more in refrigerant alone than the rest of the job. Any R-22 system is also old enough that age is independently a factor. In practice, a significant refrigerant problem on R-22 equipment usually settles the replacement question by itself.
What A2L means for hiring
R-454B and R-32 are classified A2L, meaning mildly flammable, with a very low burning velocity compared with genuinely flammable gases. They are safe when handled correctly, but they require different equipment platforms, leak detection, and technician training than R-410A did. Ask any contractor quoting a new system whether their techs have completed A2L training. It is a fair question and a good one.
Questions worth asking on a 2026 quote
- What refrigerant does this equipment use?
- Is this new-generation stock, or leftover R-410A inventory?
- Have your technicians completed A2L handling training?
- What is the parts warranty, and separately, what is the labor warranty?
And one to be skeptical of: if a contractor tells you a federal tax credit will offset the cost, they are behind. The 25C credit expired December 31, 2025.