2025 Air Conditioning Refrigerant Changes: What Northern California Homeowners Need to Know

The EPA has introduced important new regulations for HVAC systems this year that significantly impact homeowners and potential buyers in California. Choice Home Warranty, Lisa, and I want to help you understand these changes and how they might affect your real estate transactions.

Understanding the New EPA Refrigerant Regulations

Beginning January 1, 2025, the EPA implemented new mandates designed to reduce environmental impact from air conditioning systems. These regulations aim to decrease hydrofluorocarbon emissions from refrigerants, which contribute to climate change. For anyone buying or selling property, these changes have real implications for home maintenance and potential costs.

What's Actually Changing?

As you probably already know, the EPA is phasing out older refrigerants including R-22 (which has already been largely discontinued) and R-410A in favor of newer, more environmentally friendly options. The replacement refrigerants—R-32 and R-454-B—have substantially lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) ratings, making them better for our environment.

Important Considerations for Homeowners

These changes bring several practical considerations for Northern California homeowners:

● The new refrigerants cannot be used in older systems due to safety risks—they can actually create explosion hazards when used improperly

● When parts become unavailable for older systems, complete system replacement may be the only option

● New refrigerant types are flammable, requiring additional safety sensors and specialized installation procedures

● Homeowners should anticipate a 15-30% cost increase compared to previous equipment

● While R-410A systems can still be installed throughout 2025, they will be completely phased out starting in 2026.

What This Means for You and Your Real Estate Transaction

I recommend:

● Having the HVAC system inspected during the home buying process to identify the refrigerant type. Most Buyers and Sellers have no idea what kind of refrigerant their systems use. This could cause an unwanted surprise for them in the future.

● Discussing Inform the parties of the potential future replacement costs during the inspection period, especially in properties with older systems

● Considering home warranty options that cover refrigerant costs, which can provide significant savings during this transition period

Protecting Your Investment

Home warranty plans that include coverage for refrigerant can be valuable during this transition. When purchasing a home with an older system, a comprehensive home warranty might save you thousands in potential replacement costs!

If you have questions about how these EPA regulations might affect your home purchase or sale in Northern California, please reach out to Hayley Dozier of Choice Home Warranty.