Refrigerants
Refrigerant
The fluid that carries heat between indoor and outdoor coils in an AC or heat pump.
Refrigerant is the working fluid of every air conditioner and heat pump. It absorbs heat at the indoor coil (becoming a low-pressure vapour) and releases it at the outdoor coil (after being compressed to high pressure). The cycle repeats.
Common refrigerants by era:
- 1990s: R-22 (phased out in Canada 2020)
- 2010s: R-410A (current standard, being phased down)
- 2025+: R-454B, R-32 (low-GWP replacements)
If your AC needs refrigerant, you have a leak — refrigerant doesn't get "used up." Topping off without finding the leak is a short-term fix only.
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