Refrigerant gas for air conditioning and heat pumps

Choosing a refrigerant for AC and heat pumps

The gas you charge is set by the equipment. Split systems, VRF units and heat pumps are designed and rated for one refrigerant, shown on the nameplate and in the installation manual. Use that gas for top-ups and repairs, and treat any change of refrigerant as an engineering decision backed by the manufacturer.

R32 and R454B for equipment designed for A2L

R32 is a single-component HFC with a GWP of 675 and is widely used in residential splits and air-to-water heat pumps. R454B blends R32 with R1234yf and brings the GWP down to 466; it appears in residential AC, heat pumps and light commercial chillers. Both are classed A2L, meaning mildly flammable. They may only go into units designed for A2L gas, with the charge limits, ventilation and tools that design assumes. Never put either gas into an R410A system that was not rated for it.

R410A and R407C for the installed base

R410A (GWP 2,088) and R407C (GWP 1,774) are non-flammable A1 blends. Both sit below the 2,500 GWP limit that has applied to AC and heat-pump servicing since 1 January 2026, so they can still be used to maintain existing systems. New single-split systems under 3 kg with a GWP of 750 or more can no longer be placed on the EU market, which affects new R410A splits. R407C was the usual R22 replacement in air conditioning and has a temperature glide, so charge it as liquid.

CO2e per cylinder

The equipment record and leak-check schedule follow the system charge in tonnes CO2e, so these numbers help when you plan a job.

Chillers and larger heat pumps

R1234ze (A2L, GWP 6) is used in chillers and heat pumps built for it and is supplied by quotation. For mixed orders of cylinders across several projects, ask through wholesale; standard packs ship under the terms on delivery and payments.