The refrigerant transition is the recent switch to lower-emission refrigerants in new air conditioners and heat pumps. Refrigerant is the fluid that carries heat through the system. New federal rules limit how much a refrigerant can add to global warming, so manufacturers moved from R-410A to newer blends like R-454B and R-32.
The change came from an EPA rule under the AIM Act. It caps the global warming potential (GWP) of the refrigerant in new equipment at 700. R-410A has a GWP of 2,088 — far over the limit — while R-454B (466) and R-32 (675) come in under it. Since January 1, 2025, factories can no longer build AC equipment that uses R-410A. A one-year grace period let contractors install remaining R-410A stock through the end of 2025, so since January 1, 2026, new systems are installed with the newer refrigerants.
If you already own an R-410A system, nothing forces you to replace it. R-410A is still legal to buy and use to service and recharge existing equipment, with no shutoff date. The catch is cost: as production winds down, R-410A has grown expensive, running roughly $50 to $90 per pound installed in 2026, so a leak repair on an older system costs more than it used to.
For a buyer, two things matter. A new system today comes with R-454B or R-32 by default; these are rated mildly flammable (an A2L safety class) and need a technician trained on the updated handling rules. And you cannot convert an R-410A system to the new refrigerant — the equipment is designed around one type — so on an older unit the refrigerant question is really a repair-or-replace decision.