Refrigerants are changing, and so is the technology that uses them. Thanks to technological advancements made by manufacturers, heat pumps and air conditioners are getting more powerful, more efficient, and more eco-friendly every year. However, this can sometimes take time to reach the customer.
Luckily, you’ve got us! The Carney team is dedicated to informing our customers about new breakthroughs and industry changes, and the refrigerant changes of 2025 are a big one. As new refrigerants become popular, you’ll likely see heat pumps and air conditioners utilize new refrigerants like R-410A that you might have never heard of before.
We’ll give you an update and let you know about everything having to do with refrigerant changes in 2025.
The Gist of a Refrigerant Update
Refrigerants in this industry are always changing. This isn’t for frivolous reasons, it’s mostly for better efficiency and climate-related goals. This has to do with the GWP, also known as the global warming potential of different refrigerants.
Every refrigerant has a specific weight or density. This means that when it is released into the atmosphere, it contributes to the atmospheric greenhouse effect where heat gets trapped, causing global temperatures to rise. The less dense a material is when released, the less impact it has on global temperature changes. So new refrigerants that are less dense and easily recycled are going to be more valuable to use for air conditioning than heavy refrigerants.
This is the baseline for why these materials are changing so frequently today. There’s a race to find the best, most efficient, and environmentally friendly refrigerant by some of the brightest minds in the HVAC manufacturing industry.
How Refrigerant Changes Will Affect You
So, what does this have to do with you? How does a changing refrigerant impact you, your family, your comfort, and your budget?
Well, as newer refrigerants replace old ones, the old materials will be phased out and won’t be manufactured anymore. This can increase the price of a refrigerant recharge for your leaking air conditioner since R-410A will be in short supply.
Also, there might be a scramble for homeowners to pick up the newest HVAC systems that run on better refrigerant, causing the prices of new replacements to jump up as well. This could impact your budget if you’re thinking of replacing your old AC unit.
However, the energy-consumption prices of these newer systems should drop off since newer refrigerants are more efficient and move heat more easily. This is another contributing factor to the increased demand for newer HVAC systems.
Is It Better to Upgrade Now?
That depends on your situation. If your air conditioner or heat pump is on its last legs, then yes, you’ll want to replace your system ASAP. The sooner you get it replaced, the less likely you are to be surprised by a breakdown in the middle of the heating or cooling season. A surprise replacement is always going to be more stressful and expensive than one that’s thought through ahead of time.
Plus, we can walk you through ways to save money and cut the costs of a new system down. It’s also a great time to switch to a new type of system such as a heat pump or mini split that might meet your heating and cooling needs better.
Contact Carney All Seasons for comprehensive AC and heat pump support when you need it.