Environmental upgrades are coming to air conditioners in 2025. What to expect
Beginning in 2025, air conditioning units will be built to be more environmentally friendly following an Environmental Protection Agency mandate aiming to reduce the production of greenhouse gases and protect the climate.
The HVAC refrigerant mandate is one part of the EPA’s Technology Transitions Program, which limits the use of high global warming potential chemicals called hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs.
On top of regulating air conditioning units, the mandate addresses aerosols, foams, refrigeration systems and heat pumps.
Here's what you need to know about the upcoming changes to HVAC systems.
What is changing in air conditioners?
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, manufacturers will be required to change the refrigerant used in their air conditioners. Refrigerants are the fluids used in AC units that absorb heat and produce cold air.
The EPA will require residential air conditioning units to use refrigerants with a global warming potential, or GWP, below 700. Current air conditioners use R-410A, a refrigerant with a GWP of 2,800.
Moving forward, R-410A will be phased out and replaced by R-454B, with a GWP of 465, or R-32, with a GWP of 675. Manufacturers will be building a new type of unit to support the new refrigerants.
What does this mean for consumers?
While the refrigerant change will benefit the planet, local HVAC contractor Parker and Sons Senior Vice President of Sales Bob Cannon said there doesn’t seem to be an individual benefit for consumers.
So far, industry testing of the new refrigerants have not shown an increase in energy efficiency, Cannon said, meaning residents can expect to pay similar energy rates as with current units.
However, according to the EPA, the new refrigerants are expected to be cheaper for manufacturers and more energy efficient, potentially lowering monthly bills for consumers.
Air conditioning units that support the new refrigerants are expected to be significantly more expensive, Cannon said, but homeowners will not be required to upgrade by the 2025 deadline and can continue to get current units serviced as long as equipment is available.
Parker and Sons Senior Vice President of HVAC and Solar Greg Cobb said fully phasing out all current equipment will be a long process. A unit bought today could be expected to be serviced for its entire life, about 15 years, Cobb said.
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When deciding whether to buy a new R-410A unit or wait to buy a unit in 2025, Cobb said consumers should consider the age of their current unit and its level of energy efficiency.
While manufacturers continue to test the new refrigerants' abilities to operate in Arizona’s extreme conditions, the monetary benefits of future units are unknown, Cobb said, and consumers may save the most by upgrading now.
Particularly in the Arizona summer heat, older units can take significantly more energy to stay the same temperature and end up costing consumers more money per month.
Upgrading with a current air conditioner could save homeowners money, while waiting likely would mean higher bills for the summer months.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AC units are going green in 2025. What to know
