Refrigerants are essential to keep people cool, as well as to preserve food and other perishable items. However, refrigerants do pose a risk to the planet, and some types are more damaging to the environment than others. That’s what’s behind the HFC refrigerant phase down you have heard about in the news recently. And it’s not happening only in the US — it’s a global effort to shift to more environmentally-friendly refrigerants.
This type of phase down has happened before, and very recently. As of January 2020, an older group of refrigerants called HCFCs (including R-22, also known as Freon) were completely phased out after a long phase down period.
It’s something we will be dealing with in our industry in the years to come, so it’s smart for technicians entering the field to get up to speed on the HFC refrigerant phase down. In this article, we’ll answer some common questions and help you understand what’s coming, how it will affect you and your company, and how it may impact your customers.
FAQ about the HFC refrigerant phase down
What are HFC refrigerants and which ones are being phased down?
“HFC” stands for “hydrofluorocarbons” and they were the first class of refrigerants that were developed in response to the phase down of an older group of refrigerants (HCFCs). As we mentioned above, decades ago HCFCs were found to be damaging to the ozone layer in Earth’s atmosphere, and were phased out over a long period that ended in 2020.
HFCs seemed to be a good alternative at the time, because they had no ozone depletion potential. And, they were deemed to be safe, efficient, and reliable for use in HVAC and Refrigeration equipment. However, since then it has been discovered that they pose different risks to the environment (see the following question to learn more about that).
HFC refrigerants (including HFC blends) that are being phased down starting this year include some that have been commonly used over the past decade, such as R-410A, R-407C, R-134A, and R-404A.
Why are HFC refrigerants being phased down?
The problem with HFC refrigerants is that they are what’s known as “greenhouse gases” with very high global warming potential (or GWPs to use the scientific term). In layman’s terms, that means they build up in the atmosphere and stay there for a long time (up to 270 years, according to the U.S. EPA). During that time, these gases absorb energy, which raises atmospheric temperatures and contributes to global warming.
That’s why the EPA (as directed by the AIM Act of 2020), has mandated the HFC refrigerant phase down. Not only is this action necessary to protect our health and environment, but the EPA says that developing safer and more efficient refrigerants and cooling technologies is expected to save billions of dollars.
What does “phase down” mean exactly?
The HFC refrigerant phase down means that there will be a gradual reduction in the production and use of HFC refrigerants in the US. Starting this year, the EPA’s Final Rule mandates an incremental decrease in production and consumption of HFCs in the United States by 85 percent over the next 15 years.
An incremental phase down period allows for enough availability of HFC refrigerants to service existing systems over the expected life span of the equipment, while alternative refrigerants are being developed that are safer for the environment. Production limits have been established in the form of “allowances” that gradually reduce the amounts of HFC refrigerants that organizations can manufacture or import into the U.S.
The HFC refrigerant phase down plan also includes deadlines for manufacturing new equipment that uses the phased-down refrigerants.
What does this change mean for technicians and for the HVACR industry?
Obviously, you won’t stop using HFC refrigerants quite yet as the decrease in production in this first year of the phase down is still small. However, one of the first impacts you may experience is the need to monitor refrigerant use when you’re doing a leak repair or any type of maintenance that requires using refrigerant.
Next (if you’re not already doing this) you will likely be instructed to reclaim and recycle HFC refrigerants for reuse. As the supply decreases over the coming years, it’s also likely that prices for these refrigerants will increase, which makes recycling even more important.
Another impact for HVACR companies and technicians is the new refrigerants that will be replacing HFCs, including HFO blends and A2L refrigerants. These are more environmentally friendly, yet some are more dangerous to handle. So expect to take part in training on the properties and handling requirements of new refrigerants.
While the switch will certainly come with some challenges for the industry, it also will bring some new opportunities. For example, HVACR service companies may find themselves with a new income stream by retrofitting existing systems to use newer refrigerants, or becoming experts on installation and maintenance of new energy-efficient cooling technologies.
How will the HFC refrigerant phase down affect our customers?
There won’t be a big impact on customers right away. But as the availability of HFC refrigerants declines significantly, you may find yourself having to explain the following impacts to customers:
- Higher prices for repairs if HFC refrigerants become very expensive due to short supply.
- The need to consider refrigerant use when replacing HVAC or Refrigeration equipment (if 10 years it may not make sense to purchase a system that uses R-410A, even if the cost is lower.)
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