In 2019, the most common refrigerants people referred to as Freon included R-410A for new HVAC equipment, R-22 still circulating in older systems, and automotive refrigerants R-134a and the increasingly common R-1234yf. Regulations and industry shifts were driving a move toward lower global-warming-potential options.
This article explains the refrigerant landscape in 2019 across home HVAC systems and vehicle air conditioning, highlighting what each type was used for, why changes were happening, and what that meant for homeowners and car owners.
Residential and commercial HVAC refrigerants in 2019
Below is a snapshot of the refrigerants most commonly associated with Freon in 2019 for home and commercial cooling, including their typical use and regulatory considerations.
- R-410A — The dominant refrigerant in new residential and commercial air conditioning equipment since the late 1990s. It is an HFC blend (roughly R-32 + R-125) with no ozone depletion potential but a high global warming potential. Systems must be designed for higher pressures and different lubricants; it does not work in equipment designed for R-22.
- R-22 — Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) historically used in many older systems. It depletes the ozone layer and was phased out for new equipment in many regions well before 2019. In 2019, R-22 was largely restricted to service/recovery for existing systems, with production tightly limited and replaced by alternatives for new installations.
- R-32 — A single-component HFC used in some newer units as a lower-GWP option relative to R-410A. It is more flammable (A2L) than older refrigerants, and its adoption varies by manufacturer and region. Some manufacturers began offering R-32-based systems around this period.
- R-407C — A blend of R-32, R-125, and R-134a used as an alternative in many retrofit or new equipment designed to replace R-22. It has a moderate-to-high GWP and is compatible with many existing system designs.
- R-134a — Widely used in automotive air conditioning and in some older HVAC equipment before it was largely superseded in new residential systems by R-410A. It has a high GWP and was gradually phased down for new equipment in favor of lower-GWP alternatives.
Concluding note: By 2019, the HVAC refrigerant landscape was defined by the ongoing phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (like R-22) and a transition toward low-GWP options such as R-410A and, in some cases, R-32, while ensuring compatibility with existing equipment and service practices.
Automotive air conditioning refrigerants in 2019
Here is how refrigerants used in car air conditioning looked in 2019, including the shift from older to newer technologies and what that meant for vehicle owners and technicians.
- R-134a — The long-time standard automotive A/C refrigerant, used in many vehicles built through the 2000s and early 2010s. It has a high global warming potential and is being replaced in new cars by lower-GWP options in many regions.
- R-1234yf — The low-GWP replacement for R-134a in most new cars starting in the mid-2010s. It has a much lower GWP and is mildly flammable (classified as A2L). By 2019, most new vehicles featured 1234yf rather than 134a, though older models may still use 134a.
- R-12 — Historically used in older vehicles, but largely banned for new production and heavily restricted for service. By 2019, it was mostly found only in vintage or historically preserved automobiles with special retrofit considerations.
Concluding note: In 2019, the automotive sector was transitioning toward R-1234yf for new vehicles due to environmental regulations, with R-134a still present in many older models and R-12 largely out of circulation except in specialized cases.
Summary
The 2019 Freon-like refrigerant landscape reflected two major regulatory trends: eliminating ozone-depleting substances and reducing global warming potential. For new home and commercial equipment, R-410A was the prevailing standard, with R-22 continuing to be serviced only in older systems and replaced where possible. In automotive A/C, R-1234yf was increasingly common in new cars, while R-134a remained in use in older models. Homeowners and vehicle owners should follow regional disposal and handling rules and ensure servicing uses proper recovery equipment and correct refrigerants for the system.