Regulations

Facts and Regulations

  • 14 SEER is the new minimum efficiency standards for the northern United States.
  • New M1 2023 testing standards are in effect. The consumer might start to hear terms such as SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2. Nothing to worry about; just slightly different testing conditions for each rating system.
  • All furnaces come with an ECM or Variable speed blower motor as of July 3rd, 2019. As a consumer this translates into higher initial cost, but also higher savings and overall comfort. Motor replacement costs are also higher.

Refrigerants

  • R22 is no longer produced or imported into the United States as of 2020. Some HVAC technicians may still have access to R-22 and can service your equipment as normal.
  • R410A was slated for phase out in new equipment for January 1st, 2023, but has since been prolonged to January 1st, 2025 or longer. Note that R410A will still be produced even after the initial phase out.
  • R32, R454B and R466A are all poised to be the new refrigerants used on newly manufactured equipment starting in 2025.
  • R32 is a pure organic hydrofluorocarbon compound. It has an ODP of zero and a GWP of 675 and is mildly flammable.
  • R454B is a blend of 68.9% R32 and 31.1% R1234YF ‘a hydrofluoroolefin’. It has an ODP of zero and a GWP of 467 and is mildly flammable.
  • R466A is a blend of R32, R125 and CF31 fire suppressant. It has an ODP of zero and a GWP of 733 and is nonflammable.