US AC companies move to ease R454B shortage
19th May 2025
USA: A number of US air conditioning manufacturers, including Carrier and Trane, have taken steps to help alleviate R454B refrigerant supply shortages in the USA.
A lower GWP A2L refrigerant replacement for R410A, adopted by many US manufacturers in new systems, R454B has been suffering shortages and subsequent rising costs in recent months. The shortage appears to be driven by supply chain bottlenecks and a shortage of cylinders.
Under the US AIM Act, R410A with its GWP of over 750 was banned from use in new stationary residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps from January 1.
While Japanese air conditioning manufacturers plumped for R32 as the lower GWP of choice for split systems, multi spilts and small VRF, R454B was widely adopted by US air conditioning equipment manufacturers as their refrigerant of choice to replace R410A.
Commercially produced by Chemours, R454B is a blend of 68.9% R32 and 31.1% 1234yf and a GWP of 466.
The shortage is driven by a surge in R454B system installations as a result of the US AIM act. It is said to have been exacerbated by a lack of cylinders equipped with pressure relief valves with the left-handed threads required for A2L refrigerants, raw material shortages and limited production capacity. There are also claims of hoarding by contractors.
Last month, refrigerant manufacturer Honeywell announced a surcharge of 42% on R454B orders due to unprecedented demand and the imposition of trade tariffs.
Honeywell claimed that it could not meet the demand with domestic production alone, and was being forced to source a significant portion of the supply through international markets.
To increase availability of R454B and reduce delays, Carrier has announced it is securing additional volume to improve lead times, redirecting product shipments from internal use to distribution, and partnering with its distributors to prioritise Carrier’s needs and manage allocations.
It will also begin increasing the amount of refrigerant pre-charged in residential ducted splits from its standard 15ft line set to 30ft on most units. Light commercial splits and ductless units are not impacted.
Carrier has also said that it will not apply incremental surcharges for the increased refrigerant.
Trane Technologies previously said it would increase the pre-charge of residential R454B systems to help reduce the need for additional field refrigerant.
Suppliers have emphasised that R454B and R32 are not interchangeable and only the refrigerant listed on the unit nameplate should be used.
Related stories:
Honeywell adds 42% tariff surcharge on R454B – 20 April 2025
USA: Honeywell has announced a surcharge of 42% on orders for its lower GWP refrigerant R454B due to what it claims are unprecedented demand and the imposition of trade tariffs. Read more…
