In January 2025, most HVAC manufacturers, including Daikin, Lennox, and Carrier, began their transition to the new form of refrigerant. As opposed to the transition from R22 to R410A around 2010, there is less of a grace period when it comes to this change.
Some of the largest manufacturers of HVAC equipment have stopped producing units and even parts that support the 410A systems cold turkey. As always, there are tons of outlets covering this news with differing statistics and updates, but you’re probably wondering:
What does a change in HVAC refrigerant mean for me?
Rostron Premium Home Services is here to break it down for you. Get to know the facts before you come face-to-face with them this AC season.
Lead Times Will Be Longer for R410A HVAC Repairs
It may seem obvious, but when there are less parts available, demand will spike. When more people are looking for the same parts, it will take longer to get them. The best thing you as a Jersey Shore homeowner can do is be proactive.
Take the initiative if you believe your system isn’t working properly or gave you trouble last season. Don’t wait until your system is fully broken down to have the frustrating experience of no AC in your home. If you do find yourself in the case of an unexpected breakdown, make an appointment with a reputable service company like Rostron Premium Home Services and speak with all decision makers to come up with a gameplan before the technician arrives.
If your system is older and you are thinking about upgrading, now is the best time. There are plenty of incentives, including tax breaks, rebates, and special financing available for those looking to upgrade.
HVAC Warranties May Be Affected
When a new system is installed, you generally get a labor warranty from the installing company like Rostron Premium Home Services, standing behind their work. You’ll also get a parts warranty directly from the manufacturer, like Daikin, Lennox, or Carrier. In the case of a breakdown, our technicians will always take the steps to check on these warranties, regardless of whether or not our company installed it.
If the part is covered by the warranty, the manufacturer will ship the part directly to us and we will replace it for only the cost of the labor. The issue that we are anticipating for this coming season revolves around these companies halting their production of R410A refrigerant products. The question on everyone’s mind is:
If the manufacturer covers the parts, but the parts are no longer being produced, how will they honor the warranties?
Overall, it is somewhat uncharted territory and could throw a wrench in this season’s repairs. Only time will tell how things will play out.
HVAC Repairs Will Be More Expensive
Focus has shifted away from refrigerant 410A almost entirely. Most manufacturers have either picked up R32 or R454B as their primary refrigerant. With limited parts available and factories having to choose between old refrigerant or one of the two newer refrigerants, things will be tight.
The gap between repair versus replacement of a system will be lopsided, at least for the few couple of seasons the new refrigerant is introduced. What may have made sense as a borderline repair before might now be firmly within the realm of replacement. To put it simply, spending money on repairs of a system that utilizes outdated refrigerant will make less and less sense, leading to some difficult choices you may not have anticipated.
HVAC Contractor Expertise May Be Limited
We want to be clear about something. It’s always very important to use a properly trained, licensed HVAC company. However, it’s even more important now.
Established, local HVAC companies like Rostron Premium Home Services take pride in training our team. Every week, service technicians and installers get together for a meeting to review what’s going on. Selecting a company that will take the time to properly evaluate your system and communicate their own opinions based on experience is imperative.
With the introduction of multiple new refrigerants to the market, it’s more important than ever to have a suitable technician who will order the proper parts based on your system. Using wrong parts or incorrect refrigerant can result in far worse outcomes than a broken AC unit.
The Bottom Line
The majority of Monmouth and Ocean County homeowners will not feel the effects of the refrigerant change this season. Most will not require repairs on their AC system whatsoever, while others may find required repairs on parts that are not refrigerant-specific.
Scheduling an AC Maintenance can be the best way to ensure your system is working properly and catch any issues before they become a more prominent issue. Rostron Premium Home Services, a HVAC Company in NJ, offers heating, cooling, plumbing, and electric repairs for Monmouth County and Ocean County, New Jersey.
