AC
Explaining the refrigerant change to homeowners
Keep it short and accurate.
Homeowners may have heard that their refrigerant is being banned. Your team needs one simple, accurate answer.
A plain explanation
New systems are moving to lower-impact refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32. Existing R-410A systems can keep running and can still be serviced. In 2026, EPA removed the installation deadline for qualifying R-410A equipment, so some of it may still be available.
On the call
- Don't use the change to scare anyone.
- Have a tech review the options for that home.
- Check your distributor for availability and pricing before you quote.
Why a clear answer matters
Homeowners hear pieces of this story from neighbors, news stories and competing contractors. One tech says the old refrigerant is banned. Another says it's fine. A salesperson says the price is about to double. When your team gives three different answers, customers stop trusting all of them.
Agree on one honest explanation and make sure the office, the techs and the advisors all use it.
What's happening, in plain terms
HFCs like R-410A have high global warming potential. Under the federal AIM Act, their production is being phased down, and new residential systems have been moving to lower-impact refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32. These are classified as A2L, which means lower toxicity and mildly flammable. That's why they need different handling and, in some cases, different equipment.
EPA removed the January 1, 2026 installation deadline for qualifying R-410A equipment manufactured or imported before 2025. Some of that equipment may still be available. Availability and price depend on your distributor, and these rules can change, so check what's changing before giving a homeowner specifics.
What a homeowner actually wants to know
"Is my system illegal now?" No. Existing systems can keep running and be serviced.
"Will I be able to get refrigerant?" R-410A is still available for service. As supply tightens, the price may change. It's fair to say that you can't predict exactly what will happen with prices.
"Do I have to replace my system?" Not because of this rule alone. The decision depends on the system's age, condition, repair cost and how well it's working for the home.
"Is the new refrigerant safe?" A2L refrigerants are approved for these uses and have required safety features built into the equipment and the installation practices. Installers need to follow manufacturer instructions.
"Can you just put the new refrigerant in my old system?" No. Refrigerants aren't interchangeable, and a system has to be designed for the one it uses.
How to handle a leaking older system
This is where the question becomes real. Give the homeowner the facts: the leak's location if known, the cost to repair, the refrigerant cost, the system's age and its likely remaining life. Then show the options. Let the customer see the math. Never use the refrigerant change as a reason to condemn a system that can reasonably be repaired.
Prepare your people
- Make sure anyone handling refrigerant has the right EPA Section 608 certification.
- Provide A2L training, and follow manufacturer instructions for tools and procedures.
- Review refrigerant recovery and record-keeping requirements with your team.
- Keep equipment and pricing information up to date, and date it.
- Check state rules, as some have their own timelines.
A short script
"Your system can keep running, and it can still be serviced. New systems use a different refrigerant, which is part of a national change. So this only becomes a decision for you if the system needs a major repair or is near the end of its life. If that happens, I'll show you exactly what the repair and replacement options cost, and you can decide."
What to avoid
- Claiming a ban where there isn't one
- Predicting future refrigerant prices with certainty
- Quoting rebates or tax credits you haven't confirmed; federal 25C and 25D credits ended for work after 2025
- Telling homeowners that one refrigerant is simply "better" without context
Review this explanation with your team at the start of every season, and role-play the hardest questions.
Sources: ACCA and ACHR News coverage, see What is changing.
Published by Service ProCall. Last reviewed November 2026.
Best practices: customers who never hear from you again
Make it a habit
What good looks like
- A clean list with a working phone number and the equipment age for most customers.
- Every customer contacted at least once or twice a year.
- Aging equipment flagged before it fails, not after.
The habits
- Clean the list first: remove duplicates, fix phone numbers and mark do-not-call customers.
- Sort by what predicts a sale: equipment age, last visit and open repairs.
- Start with the warmest groups: lapsed members, recent repairs on old equipment and unsold estimates.
- Lead with a reason to visit, such as a safety check or no-charge inspection, not a sales pitch.
- Call during your slow weeks, so the work lands when you have room on the board.
- Track every campaign from call to sold job, so you know what to run again.