Refrigerant Selector

Find the right refrigerant for your HVAC application. Filter by equipment type, regional legislation (EU F-Gas, US EPA SNAP, Japan), system charge size, and what matters most - low GWP, performance, safety, cost, or drop-in retrofit.

Used to estimate CO2e if the full charge leaks.
Affects sort order and the top pick highlight.
GWP < 150 GWP < 750 GWP < 2500 GWP ≥ 2500 Safety A1 A2L B2L A3 / B3

How Refrigerant Selection Works: F-Gas, GWP, and Safety Classes

Refrigerant choice is no longer just a thermodynamics question. Modern HVAC design has to balance performance, safety, cost, and an increasingly strict web of environmental regulation. The two numbers that drive most regulatory decisions are GWP (Global Warming Potential) and the ASHRAE safety classification (the A/B and 1/2L/2/3 grid).

What is GWP?

GWP measures how much heat a kilogram of a gas traps over 100 years, relative to CO2 (GWP = 1). R-410A has a GWP of 2088, meaning 1 kg of R-410A released to the atmosphere warms the planet as much as 2088 kg of CO2. Lower is better. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and the EU F-Gas Regulation both use GWP thresholds to phase down HFCs.

EU F-Gas Regulation (517/2014) - key thresholds

USA - EPA SNAP (Significant New Alternatives Policy)

EPA SNAP lists which substitutes are acceptable, acceptable subject to use conditions, or unacceptable for each end-use. R-404A and R-507A are listed unacceptable for new retail food refrigeration. R-410A remains acceptable for new AC but is under AIM Act phase-down (HFC production cut 85% by 2036). State-level rules (notably California CARB) often go further than federal SNAP.

Japan - Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Act

Japan regulates HFCs through manufacturer production caps and a low-GWP designation (product-specific). Specified products must use designated refrigerants; GWP > 150 is restricted in new household refrigerators and mobile AC. Recovery of spent refrigerant is mandatory.

ASHRAE Safety Classification (Standard 34)

The two-letter/two-number code tells you the toxicity and flammability of a refrigerant:

A2L refrigerants (R-32, R-454B, R-452B, R-1234yf, R-1234ze) are the new mainstream for low-GWP AC and chillers. They are mildly flammable and require updated installation, ventilation, and leak-detection practices per EN 378 / UL 60335-2-40.

CO2-equivalent of a leak

If a system holds C kg of refrigerant with GWP G, a total leak is equivalent to (C × G) / 1000 tonnes of CO2. A 5 kg R-410A charge fully vented = 5 × 2088 / 1000 = 10.4 t CO2e, roughly equal to driving a car 40,000 km. The selector computes this for every candidate so you can see the climate stakes at a glance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best replacement for R-410A in residential AC?
For new equipment the two leading low-GWP alternatives are R-32 (GWP 675, A2L) and R-454B (GWP 466, A2L). R-454B is closer to R-410A in operating pressure and capacity, so it is popular with manufacturers reusing R-410A compressor platforms. R-32 offers higher efficiency and lower charge but needs design attention to discharge temperature. Both are A2L (mildly flammable) and require updated safety practices.
What replaces R-404A in commercial refrigeration?
For retrofit of existing R-404A systems, R-448A (GWP 1273) and R-449A (GWP 1397) are the most common HFO drop-ins - they cut GWP by roughly two-thirds. For new systems the long-term choices are natural refrigerants: CO2 (R-744) transcritical for supermarkets, propane (R-290) for small self-contained units (charge limited to ~150 g per IEC 60335-2-89), and ammonia (R-717) for industrial cold.
What does the A2L safety class mean and is it dangerous?
A2L means lower toxicity (A) and lower flammability (2L) per ASHRAE Standard 34. The "L" indicates a low burning velocity (≤ 10 cm/s). A2L refrigerants like R-32 and R-1234yf can ignite, but only under a narrow range of concentration and with a strong ignition source. They are widely considered safe for residential and commercial use when installed to EN 378 / UL 60335-2-40, which add requirements for ventilation, leak detection, and spark-source control.
Is R-32 allowed in the EU and USA?
Yes. R-32 (GWP 675, A2L) is allowed in new equipment in both regions. It is well under the EU F-Gas GWP ≥ 750 ban that took effect for new single-split AC under 3 kg on 1 Jan 2025. In the USA R-32 is EPA SNAP-approved for residential and commercial AC with use conditions. R-32 is now the dominant refrigerant in new residential splits in Europe and Japan.
Why is R-1234yf mandatory in new cars?
R-1234yf has a GWP of less than 1 and is classified A2L. EU Mobile Air Conditioning Directive 2006/40/EC requires new vehicle types to use a refrigerant with GWP below 150, which forced the phase-out of R-134a (GWP 1430) from new car AC. R-1234yf became the industry standard; CO2 (R-744) AC is an alternative used by some manufacturers.
Can I use propane (R-290) in a large system?
R-290 (GWP 3, A3) is an excellent refrigerant thermodynamically but is highly flammable. Charge is limited by safety standards: IEC 60335-2-89 raised the limit to ~1.2 kg per circuit for commercial self-contained units (enough for many supermarket plug-in cases). For larger charges, the system must be placed in a ventilated machinery room or outdoors with strict ignition-source control, following EN 378 / ASHRAE 15 charge limits tied to room volume.
How is CO2-equivalent of a leak calculated?
CO2e = charge (kg) × GWP ÷ 1000, giving tonnes of CO2-equivalent. For example, 5 kg of R-404A (GWP 3922) = 5 × 3922 / 1000 = 19.61 t CO2e if fully vented. This is why regulators target high-GWP refrigerants even though the charge per unit may look small. The selector shows this number for every candidate so you can compare climate risk.