On May 21, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule reversing a refrigerant installation deadline that many San Diego homeowners and even some contractors still believe is in effect. The rule, effective July 27, 2026, removes the January 1, 2026 cutoff for installing residential air conditioning and heat pump equipment using R-410A refrigerant, so long as that equipment was manufactured or imported before January 1, 2025. Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc., a San Diego HVAC company, says the reversal has caused real confusion among homeowners trying to plan an AC repair or replacement.
What Actually Changed
Under the EPA's 2023 Technology Transitions Rule, refrigerants with a global warming potential above 700, including R-410A, could no longer be manufactured for new residential air conditioners and heat pumps starting January 1, 2025. The rule originally set a follow-up deadline of January 1, 2026, after which existing pre-2025 R-410A equipment could no longer be installed, even if it was still sitting in a distributor's warehouse. In response to industry petitions warning that this would strand hundreds of millions of dollars in usable equipment, the EPA's May 2026 final rule eliminated that installation deadline entirely for qualifying pre-2025 inventory. Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc., a San Diego HVAC company, has been tracking the rule change closely on behalf of its customers.
"We had customers calling us in a bit of a panic earlier this year, worried they had to replace a perfectly good system before January 1," said Ken Morey owner of Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc., an AC repair company serving San Diego County, CA. "Now the opposite is true. Existing R-410A equipment can still be installed, and systems already in a home can be serviced indefinitely. We want our customers making that decision based on their system's actual condition, not a deadline that no longer exists."
What This Means for San Diego Homeowners
An existing R-410A air conditioner does not need to be replaced because of this rule. Routine AC maintenance and AC repair on current systems remain fully legal and supported indefinitely, regardless of refrigerant type. For homeowners who do need a new system, air conditioning installation options now include both remaining R-410A inventory and newer equipment using low-GWP refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32, which are becoming standard across most major manufacturers.
Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc. recommends that homeowners base a repair-versus-replace decision on their system's age, repair history, and efficiency rather than on refrigerant regulations, since those regulations no longer impose the urgency many people were told to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to replace my R-410A air conditioner right now?
No. The EPA's May 2026 rule removed the installation deadline for qualifying pre-2025 R-410A equipment, and existing systems already installed in a home can continue to be serviced and repaired with no expiration date.
Can an AC repair company still service or recharge an older R-410A system?
Yes. Servicing, recharging, and repairing existing R-410A systems remains fully legal indefinitely. The EPA's refrigerant phase-down rules apply to newly manufactured equipment, not to maintaining systems already in use.
What refrigerant do new air conditioners use now?
Most new residential systems use R-454B or R-32, both classified as A2L refrigerants under ASHRAE Standard 34. They carry a mild flammability rating and require systems to include features such as integrated leak detection.
About Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc.
Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc. is a family-owned, BBB-accredited contractor that has served San Diego County since 2000, providing plumbing, heating installation, heating repair, heating maintenance, air conditioning repair, AC maintenance, and air conditioning installation. Licensed and insured under Contractor's License #967435, the company backs its work with warranties of up to 10 years and offers free, no-obligation estimates. San Diego homeowners searching for AC repair are encouraged to contact Morey Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, Inc. at (858) 505-4500.