If you’ve started shopping for a new air conditioner recently, you may have noticed a term popping up that wasn’t part of the conversation a few years ago: R32. If your current system runs on R410A, and most units installed over the past decade or so do, you might be wondering whether this is just another marketing buzzword or something that genuinely affects your next purchase. It’s the latter. Australia’s refrigerant rules have shifted in a real, legally binding way, and understanding the difference between R32 and R410A will help you make a better decision on your next system, whether that’s this year or five years from now.
What Is a Refrigerant Phase-Down, and Why Is It Happening?
Refrigerants like R410A belong to a family of gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). They don’t damage the ozone layer the way older refrigerants once did, but they do have a high Global Warming Potential (GWP), meaning that if released into the atmosphere, they contribute significantly more to warming than an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. R410A, for example, carries a GWP of roughly 2,088, meaning a single kilogram released has a warming impact equivalent to over two tonnes of CO2.
Australia is a signatory to the Kigali Amendment, an international agreement to progressively reduce HFC use worldwide. In practice, this is managed through a shrinking import quota system: less high-GWP refrigerant gas is allowed into the country each year. The quota for 2026–27 sits at 4.25 million tonnes CO2-equivalent, roughly half the original baseline, and it will continue stepping down until an 85% reduction is reached by 2036. This isn’t a distant, hypothetical policy either, it’s actively reshaping refrigerant supply, pricing, and equipment design right now.
The Rules That Actually Affect What You Can Buy
Alongside the import quota, Australia introduced specific equipment rules that directly determine what refrigerant your next air conditioner will use. Since 1 July 2024, it has been illegal to import or manufacture small air conditioning equipment, systems with a refrigerant charge of 2.6kg or less used for stationary comfort cooling or heating, using an HFC refrigerant with a GWP above 750. That rule was extended on 1 July 2025 to cover outdoor units for small multi-head split and VRF systems within the same charge limit.
In plain terms: R410A, with its GWP of around 2,088, is well above that 750 threshold, so it can no longer be used in new small split systems of any configuration sold in Australia. R32, with a GWP of roughly 675, fits comfortably under the limit, which is exactly why it has become the default refrigerant in new residential and light commercial split systems.
There’s also a separate rule worth knowing about if you ever get creative with servicing: it’s an offence to charge an air conditioning system with a refrigerant of higher GWP than the refrigerant it was actually designed for. You can’t, for example, top up an R32 system with R410A. Equipment has to be serviced using its designed refrigerant, full stop.
R32 vs R410A: The Practical Differences
Beyond the regulatory side, there are a few genuine performance and handling differences worth understanding.
Environmental impact. This is the headline difference. R32’s GWP of around 675 is roughly a third of R410A’s, making it a meaningfully lower-impact choice if the system ever leaks or is decommissioned incorrectly.
Efficiency. R32 generally offers slightly better thermodynamic efficiency than R410A, which can translate into modest energy savings, though real-world performance depends heavily on system design, sizing, and installation quality rather than refrigerant type alone.
Charge quantity. Systems using R32 typically require a smaller refrigerant charge than an equivalent R410A system to achieve the same cooling or heating capacity, partly offsetting the flammability classification discussed below.
Flammability classification. This is the one genuine trade-off. R32 is classified A2L under international safety standards, meaning it’s mildly flammable, unlike R410A, which is non-flammable. This isn’t a reason for concern in a properly designed and installed system, manufacturers and installers work to Australian Standards (AS/NZS 5149) covering design, charge limits, and installation requirements specifically to manage this. It does mean installers need appropriate training and awareness around handling, storage, and installation locations, which is standard practice for any licensed technician working with modern systems.
What This Means If You Already Have an R410A System
If your current air conditioner runs on R410A, there’s no need to panic or rush out and replace it. Existing systems can continue to be serviced, topped up, and repaired using R410A refrigerant for the foreseeable future, the restrictions apply to new equipment sold and installed, not to systems already in operation. R410A equipment typically has a service life of 10 to 15 years or more, meaning plenty of systems installed in the early 2020s will still be running well into the 2030s.
That said, it’s worth being realistic about the trend. As the import quota continues to shrink, R410A is one of the refrigerants likely to see increasingly constrained supply and rising prices over the coming years, particularly for larger top-ups or leak repairs. This doesn’t mean immediate replacement is necessary, but it’s a reasonable factor to weigh up if your existing system is already ageing or has a history of refrigerant leaks requiring regular top-ups.
What This Means for Your Next System
If you’re installing a new air conditioner today, whether that’s a split system, a multi-head unit, or a larger VRV/VRF system, it will almost certainly be charged with R32 or another low-GWP alternative, simply because R410A is no longer permitted in new small-charge equipment. This isn’t something you need to actively choose or negotiate, it’s built into what manufacturers are now producing and what installers are legally able to supply.
If you’re upgrading from an older R410A system, it’s also worth checking whether your upgrade qualifies for incentives under Victoria’s rebate programs. Our heating and cooling rebates guide breaks down what’s currently available, and our reverse cycle air conditioning page covers how replacing older gas or electric heating with a modern reverse cycle system can qualify for VEU rebates, on top of the efficiency and refrigerant benefits of a newer unit.
Should You Replace Your R410A System Early?
For most households, the answer is no, not purely because of the refrigerant type. If your existing system is running well, hasn’t needed frequent refrigerant top-ups, and isn’t otherwise due for replacement, there’s little practical benefit in swapping it out early just to move to R32. The calculation changes if your system is already older, inefficient, or has needed repeat servicing for leaks, in which case the combination of rising R410A costs, improving efficiency in newer units, and available rebates can make replacement a genuinely sound financial decision, rather than one driven purely by regulation.
Getting Advice Specific to Your System
Refrigerant regulations are one of those areas where general information only gets you so far, the right decision depends on your system’s age, condition, and how it’s been performing. Our team factors refrigerant type and system condition into every service and repair job, so you get a clear picture of whether a repair, top-up, or replacement makes the most sense for your specific unit.
With over 13 years’ experience installing and servicing air conditioning systems across Melbourne, the team at Kelvinaire can talk you through exactly what the refrigerant phase down means for your home or business, and help you plan any upgrade around genuine need rather than guesswork.
Get in touch with Kelvinaire today for expert advice on refrigerant rules, servicing your existing system, or planning your next AC upgrade.
