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Refrigerant changes, explained plainly.
R-22, R-410A and the new A2L refrigerants: what's in your building's or your home's equipment, what the changes mean for a repair, and what they mean when it's time to replace.
What this page is — and isn't
A plain summary of US rules as they apply to typical residential and light-commercial equipment, written for owners and managers. It isn't legal or compliance advice. Larger commercial systems follow their own timelines, Washington has its own HFC rules, and details change — we'll tell you what applies to your equipment specifically.
R-22: still running, no longer made.
Equipment built before about 2010 usually uses R-22. New R-22 hasn't been produced or imported in the US since the start of 2020; what's left for servicing is recovered and recycled, and it's expensive.
- If it isn't leaking
- It can keep running. There's no rule that says it must be replaced.
- If it leaks
- Finding and fixing the leak, then recharging, may cost more than it's worth. We'll show you the numbers for your unit.
- Don't "convert" blindly
- Replacement refrigerants marketed for R-22 systems exist, but they change how the system performs. It's a decision to make with eyes open, not a default.
R-410A: still serviced, no longer the default for new.
R-410A has been the standard refrigerant in new residential and light-commercial equipment for years, and most systems on the Eastside use it. Those systems are repaired and recharged as normal.
What changed is new equipment. Under EPA rules, new residential and light-commercial air conditioners and heat pumps have moved to lower-GWP refrigerants. Replacing an R-410A system therefore usually means a system designed for an A2L refrigerant — not a like-for-like swap.
A2L: R-454B and R-32.
"A2L" is a safety classification: lower toxicity, lower flammability. The refrigerants are safe in properly designed equipment, but they come with their own requirements.
- Technicians trained specifically for A2L refrigerants.
- Recovery machines, gauges and leak detectors rated for them.
- Installations that follow the updated mechanical code — including room size and leak detection rules for some equipment.
- No mixing: A2L equipment is designed for its refrigerant, and R-410A equipment for its own.
Buildings and homes face the same question differently.
Plan the roof, not one unit at a time
Most buildings have units from more than one generation. We list every unit with its refrigerant and age, so replacements can be planned and budgeted over several years rather than decided in an emergency.
Repair or replace?
For an older R-22 system with a leak, replacement usually wins. For a healthy R-410A system, repair usually wins. The grey area in between — an ageing R-410A system with a major failure — is where a written comparison helps most, and that's what we give you.
We'll never tell you a working system "must" be replaced because of a refrigerant rule. None of the current rules require that.
Not sure which refrigerant you have?
We'll read the data plate and tell you what it means.