The R-410A phase-out is the federal move of new home air conditioners off R-410A refrigerant and onto lower-impact refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32. It does not make you replace a working system. The EPA says homeowners can maintain and repair R-410A equipment for its useful life, including swapping a failed outdoor unit for a similar R-410A one.
What the rules do decide is what a new system may use, and that changed again in 2026.
What is the R-410A phase-out?
It is two federal rules working together under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020. R-410A, often written R410A, is an HFC blend, and the AIM Act phases HFCs down.
- 01A limit on new systems. New residential air conditioners and heat pumps must use a refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) below 700, with one exception covered below. The EPA lists R-410A at 2,088, R-454B at 465 and R-32 at 675. R-410A is over the line for new systems; the two replacements are under it.
- 02A cap on supply. The AIM Act cuts HFC production and consumption by 85 percent from a historic baseline by 2036. The cap is 60 percent of that baseline from 2024 to 2028, 30 percent from 2029, 20 percent from 2034, and 15 percent from 2036 on.
The first rule controls what gets installed; the second, how much new HFC enters the market. Neither tells you to stop running the system you have.
What changed in 2026?
The installation deadline went away for old stock.
Under the original rule, new systems above the limit could not be installed from January 1, 2025. In December 2023 the EPA gave equipment built or imported before 2025 one more year, to January 1, 2026. In May 2026 it finalized a rule that removes that deadline. The rule took effect on July 27, 2026.
Today a new R-410A system can still be installed if every specified component was manufactured in or imported into the United States before January 1, 2025. Specified components are the condensing unit, condenser, compressor, evaporator unit and evaporator, which is the indoor coil. The EPA describes this as letting pre-2025 inventory be installed until supply runs out. R-410A components built or imported after that date must be labeled "for servicing existing equipment only".
The EPA gave two main reasons: unsold pre-2025 equipment that would otherwise be stranded, and R-454B supply. In 2025 there was enough R-454B overall, but it was hard to get in service cylinders, and some contractors could not find it to charge new units.
Some articles written before May 2026 still say that installing any R-410A system after January 1, 2026 is a violation. For equipment built before 2025, that is no longer the rule.
Can you still repair an R-410A air conditioner?
Yes. The EPA says a homeowner can replace a faulty component, such as the condensing unit, the indoor coil or smaller parts, with a similar R-410A component. The 2026 rule left this alone, and the EPA wrote that a homeowner "can choose to replace their failed condensing unit rather than purchase a whole new system."
One trade-off: a new outdoor unit on an old indoor coil is an unmatched pair. The EPA notes that such a system may work but may not be as efficient as components designed for each other, though its efficiency would still be better than the old pair's SEER rating.
Refrigerant still has to be handled properly. Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act it is illegal to knowingly vent refrigerant while servicing, repairing or disposing of an air conditioner.
What counts as a new system?
For a split system, the EPA treats it as a new system when the condensing unit and the indoor coil are replaced together, even if the refrigerant lines stay. A new system has to stay under the 700 limit unless all of its specified components are pre-2025 stock.
Replacing one half now and the other half later is allowed. In the EPA's words, systems may be repaired over time.
Can R-454B or R-32 go into an R-410A system?
No. Both are classed A2L, or mildly flammable, and the EPA says its rules and industry standards prohibit flammable or mildly flammable refrigerants such as R-32 or R-454B in systems not designed for them. An R-410A system cannot simply be topped up with either one.
Should you repair or replace an R-410A system?
The EPA names the factors: availability of components, energy efficiency and total maintenance costs. We add one more, which is how hard the system works. The NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals for the New Braunfels station average about 117 days a year at 90°F or hotter. An air conditioner here runs long hours, so reliability and efficiency matter more than in a mild climate.
Repair is usually the sensible call when:
- one part has failed on a system that is otherwise sound, such as a capacitor, a fan motor or a leak that can be found and fixed
- only one half of the split system has failed and the other half is in good shape
Replacement deserves a serious look when:
- the system is more than 10 years old, the point at which ENERGY STAR suggests considering a new unit
- it needs frequent repairs and your energy bills keep going up, another ENERGY STAR warning sign
- both the outdoor unit and the indoor coil need replacing, because that is a new system under EPA rules anyway
If you replace, the choice is between a low-GWP system and pre-2025 R-410A stock, where it can still be found. The EPA notes that the older stock could be a lower cost option. If you consider it, ask for the manufacture dates, and remember that any future refrigerant work will need R-410A while the HFC cap tightens. Either way, the efficiency floor still applies; our SEER2 guide covers what Texas requires.
How do you know which refrigerant your AC uses?
Look at the nameplate. The EPA notes that most air conditioners carry a nameplate that identifies the refrigerant, and the owner's manual will say it too. If neither is at hand, ask the company that services the unit.
If the nameplate says R-22, the situation is different. U.S. production and import of R-22 ended on January 1, 2020. An R-22 indoor coil is not compatible with R-410A, so the EPA says that putting in an R-410A outdoor unit means replacing the whole system.
Common questions
Is R-410A banned?
No. The rules limit what new systems may use and how much new HFC is made. The EPA says you can keep using your current home air conditioning system.
Can R-410A equipment still be installed in 2026?
Only from old stock. Since July 27, 2026, a new R-410A system may be installed if all of its specified components were made or imported before January 1, 2025. Newer R-410A parts are for repairs only.
Is R-410A refrigerant still available for repairs?
The EPA expects so. It has said HFCs will continue to be available to service existing equipment, and that repair demand can be met with new and reclaimed refrigerant. It also says the price of legacy refrigerants such as R-410A may rise as the phasedown continues, with the next step down in 2029.
Do I have to replace my indoor coil when the outdoor unit fails?
No. You may replace the condensing unit alone with a similar R-410A unit. Replacing both together makes it a new system.
Talk it through
No web page can diagnose your system; that takes a technician on site. For AC repair we run a full diagnostic to find the cause, then repair or replace the faulty component, and we confirm the price with you before any work begins. If a new system makes more sense, AC installation covers sizing, removal of the old unit, installation and testing.
Vetter Air is family owned, licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as TACLA022794C, and has served New Braunfels for more than 20 years.
Call (830) 624-7079 or ask us for a quote. We serve New Braunfels, San Antonio, San Marcos, and the towns in between.