Global warming potential varies enormously between refrigerants, and it multiplies with the charge to give CO2e, which sets your statutory leak check frequency. The phase-down is reducing availability of high-GWP refrigerants, which affects repair economics well before any ban.
Global warming potential, and why it matters to you
Every refrigerant has a global warming potential – a number expressing how much warming effect a given mass would have relative to the same mass of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is 1; refrigerants range from very low to very high.
This is not just an environmental abstraction. GWP multiplied by the refrigerant charge in kilograms gives the system’s CO2e, and CO2e is what determines:
- Whether you must have the system leak checked, and how often.
- Whether automatic leak detection is required.
- What records you must keep.
- How the refrigerant is priced and how readily it is available, as the phase-down progresses.
Two systems with the same physical charge can therefore have completely different legal obligations, purely because of which refrigerant is in them. See leak check frequency.
The common refrigerants
| Refrigerant | Relative GWP | Flammability | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|
| R410A | High | Non-flammable | Very widely installed in splits and VRF from the 2000s. Being phased out of new equipment |
| R32 | Substantially lower than R410A | Mildly flammable (A2L) | The current mainstream for splits and many VRF systems |
| R290 (propane) | Very low | Flammable (A3) | Monobloc heat pumps, some commercial refrigeration, small self-contained units |
| R134a | High | Non-flammable | Chillers, some refrigeration, older automotive |
| R407C | High | Non-flammable | Retrofit replacement for older systems |
| R454B and similar | Lower | Mildly flammable (A2L) | Emerging replacements for R410A |
R32 and similar refrigerants are classified mildly flammable. In practice this is well managed – the standards set minimum room areas for a given charge, and installation and handling procedures account for it. It is not a reason to avoid R32; it is a reason for the installation to be designed with the room sizes considered, which is part of the job.
The phase-down, and why it affects you before any ban
The regulatory mechanism is not a sudden prohibition. It is a quota on the total quantity of high-GWP refrigerant that may be placed on the market, reducing on a defined schedule.
The practical effects arrive well ahead of any restriction date and they are commercial rather than legal:
- Price. Reduced supply pushes the cost of high-GWP refrigerant up, sometimes sharply. A top-up that was routine becomes expensive.
- Availability. Lead times extend. Supply moves toward reclaimed rather than virgin refrigerant.
- Repair economics. A leak on a system using a scarce refrigerant becomes harder to justify repairing, because recharging is expensive and may not be repeatable.
- Asset life. Equipment on obsolescent refrigerant has a shorter economic life than its mechanical condition suggests. That is a capital planning fact rather than a maintenance one.
- Resale and valuation, for commercial property with substantial plant on obsolescent refrigerant.
The right response is to know what is in your systems and to plan replacement accordingly, rather than discovering it when a leak happens. See the refrigerant phase-down.
What this means for a domestic system
- A new split system will almost certainly be R32. Lower GWP, good efficiency, and the current mainstream.
- Charge is small, so a single domestic split is usually below the CO2e threshold for mandatory leak checking – though the handling and company certification requirements apply regardless of size.
- An existing R410A system is not a problem today. It will keep running, and repair economics will worsen over time. Worth knowing when planning replacement.
- Room size matters with A2L. There are minimum room areas for a given charge. A small room with a large indoor unit is a design consideration rather than an obstacle.
- You cannot swap refrigerants. Systems are designed for a specific refrigerant with matching oil, pressures and components. ‘Drop-in’ replacements are limited, specific, and not a general option.
What this means for a commercial operator
- Know what is in every system. Refrigerant type and charge, recorded. Without those two figures you cannot calculate CO2e and you cannot demonstrate compliance.
- Calculate CO2e per system and establish the resulting leak check schedule.
- Identify plant on high-GWP refrigerant and put it in the replacement plan on economic grounds, not just mechanical ones.
- Budget for refrigerant cost increases on anything remaining on high-GWP.
- Treat a significant leak on obsolescent refrigerant as a replacement trigger, not just a repair.
- Keep the records, because they are yours as the operator and you will need them.
See F-Gas compliance for the full obligation set.
Handling, in all cases
Regardless of refrigerant type or charge size:
- Only qualified people may handle refrigerant, and the business employing them must hold company certification. Both are required – employing qualified engineers is not sufficient on its own.
- Deliberate release is an offence.
- Topping up a leaking system without repairing the leak is not permitted. If a system is low, the leak must be found and fixed.
- Recovery at end of life is mandatory, with records.
- A system that needs topping up has a leak. There is no such thing as routine refrigerant consumption in a sealed system.
Not sure what is in your systems? Refrigerant type and charge are on the nameplate, and those two figures determine everything else.
Questions we get asked about this
What is GWP and why does it matter?
Global warming potential – how much warming effect a mass of refrigerant has relative to the same mass of carbon dioxide. Multiplied by the charge it gives CO2e, which determines your legal leak checking obligations.
Is R32 flammable?
It is classified mildly flammable (A2L). It is well managed through minimum room areas for a given charge and appropriate installation procedures. It is not a reason to avoid it.
Can I convert my R410A system to R32?
No. Systems are designed for a specific refrigerant with matching oil, operating pressures and components. There is no general drop-in conversion.
Will my R410A system stop working?
No. It will keep running. What changes is the cost and availability of refrigerant if it ever needs recharging, which makes a future leak much harder to justify repairing.
Why can I not just top it up when it gets low?
Because a sealed system that is low has a leak, and topping up a known leak without repairing it is not permitted. It is also money spent on refrigerant that will escape again.
How do I find out what refrigerant my system uses?
It is on the nameplate of the outdoor unit, along with the charge quantity. Those two figures are what you need for everything else.
Regulations and standards referenced on this page
- Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases, as retained and amended in GB law — UK Statute Law Database
- Fluorinated gases (F gases): guidance for operators and engineers — Environment Agency / Defra
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