Quick one this week. Prices, what moved, one rule to watch, one tip. Every number links to its source on therefrigerantindex.com.
This week's prices (online single-cylinder list prices)
| Refrigerant | Median $/lb | Range $/lb | Per cylinder | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-410A (25 lb) | $8.68 | $7.00–$11.16 | $175–$279 | 5 |
| R-454B (20 lb) | $23.99 | $20.45–$25.00 | $409–$500 | 8 |
| R-32 (20 lb) | $9.95 | $9.95–$10.95 | $199–$219 | 3 |
| R-22 (30 lb) | $10.98 | $9.30–$14.97 | $279–$449 | 4 |
| R-134a (30 lb) | $10.48 | $10.00–$10.97 | $300–$329 | 2 |
| R-404A (24 lb) | $11.44 | $10.42–$12.46 | $250–$299 | 2 |
Prices before shipping, tax and deposits.
What moved
- Delta Refrigerants cut four prices. R-22 30 lb went from $325 to $310, R-134a from $310 to $300, R-404A from $275 to $250, and R-454B from $420 to $410.
- Cheapest R-410A on our list: $175 for 25 lb ($7.00/lb) at Freonwell, back in stock after being sold out last week.
- R-454B median went up (from $23.35 to $23.99/lb). Prices didn't rise; we added Royal Refrigerants' Chemours XL41 listing at $500 and dropped a cheaper one.
- We dropped Twisted Refrigerant's listings. Their pages now show a 20-cylinder minimum, so those are pallet prices, not single-cylinder prices. Their per-cylinder prices didn't change.
The quick read: R-454B is still about 2.8x R-410A per pound. Everything else was flat to down.
One rule to watch
EPA is moving to loosen some HFC leak-repair rules. A draft final rule went to the White House budget office (OMB) for review on October 14. Per InsideEPA, it would exempt road and intermodal transport refrigeration units (TRUs) from the Biden-era HFC leak-repair requirements. Nothing changes for stationary AC and refrigeration yet. We'll post the details when the final rule is published.
Source: InsideEPA, Oct 23
Tip: check the minimum order before you compare prices
A lot of "wholesale" refrigerant pages show a great per-cylinder number that only applies to a half or full pallet (20 or 40 cylinders). If you only need a cylinder or two, look for the 1-cylinder price on the page before you compare. And on A2L gas like R-454B, budget for the reverse-thread A2L adapter if your gauges and recovery gear don't already have one; some sellers sell it separately.
Property managers: if you're getting quotes for a whole building, ask the contractor whether their per-pound price assumes a single cylinder or bulk. On a big job, it matters.
The Refrigerant Index is independent. Listing a seller isn't an endorsement, and sponsors never touch the numbers. Not legal or technical advice. — Richard
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