The questions behind the switch to hydrocarbon refrigerants.

They are being regulated out on a schedule. US R-22 production and import ended in 2020. HFC phase-down steps began in 2022 under the AIM Act in the US, with the Kigali Amendment and EU F-gas rules driving the same direction internationally. Energy costs and AC demand are both climbing while the refrigerants those systems run on lose their supply.

Background: what low-GWP means.

Global Warming Potential is the warming effect of a gas relative to carbon dioxide over a 100-year window. CO₂ is the baseline at 1. The synthetic refrigerants in service today range from about 1,430 (R-134a) to 3,922 (R-404A). Every Eco Kold blend carries a GWP of less than 1.

See every refrigerant on one scale: performance comparison.

No. A 700-GWP refrigerant is a real improvement over a 2,088-GWP one, but "low" is doing a lot of work in that comparison: a kilogram leaked still carries hundreds of kilograms of CO₂-equivalent. Hydrocarbon blends sit at the floor of the scale, matching CO₂ itself.

Not with a drop-in blend. Hundreds of millions of refrigeration and AC systems are already installed in homes, restaurants, offices, vehicles, and industrial facilities. Eco Kold blends are engineered to match the pressure curve, temperature glide, and oil compatibility of a specific legacy refrigerant, so the transition is a recharge into the equipment you already own.

A refrigerant made from hydrocarbons rather than fluorinated synthetic gases. Eco Kold HCR is a line of five engineered hydrocarbon blends, each a direct drop-in replacement for a high-GWP synthetic refrigerant, with a GWP under 1 and zero Ozone Depletion Potential.

HCR 4040 replaces R-404 and R-513 (commercial refrigeration, low- and mid-temp). HCR 4141 replaces R-410A and R-32 (residential and commercial AC). HCR 4242 replaces R-22, R-407, R-507, R-438, R-448, and R-449 (legacy systems). HCR 4343 replaces R-134 (chillers, cold-chain, industrial). HCR 4343A replaces R-134A (chillers, transport, EV thermal management).

Not sure what is in the system? Use the blend finder.

Each blend is matched to the duty point of the gas it replaces: pressure curve, temperature glide, and oil compatibility. The blends run with mineral oil, POE, and alkylbenzene; HCR 4242 runs on the oil already in an R-22 system. Same compressor, same evaporator, same line set.

Field reference: temperatures and pressures.

Hydrocarbon blends carry about 65% less charge weight than the synthetic refrigerant they replace. A typical recharge is 25 to 30% of what came out. Less mass in the system means less to leak, less compressor strain, and a smaller inventory subject to F-gas reporting.

Yes, they are flammable. Every Eco Kold blend is classified A3 under ASHRAE 34, the same class as propane (R-290) and isobutane, which have been used safely in industrial cooling for decades. Charge limits follow IEC 60335-2-89 and local code, and installation is by certified hydrocarbon technicians only. A hydrocarbon leak is a local fire-safety consideration handled by code; an HFC leak is a multi-decade climate event.

Safety Data Sheets are on every blend page.

A certified hydrocarbon-refrigerant technician. The training is the same as for R-290 propane retrofits, and most modern HVAC technicians in the EU and Latin America already hold it, with a growing number in North America. Eco Kold maintains a directory of certified installers and matches one to your region with every quote.

Nothing exotic. A standard recovery machine, vacuum pump, scale, manifold gauges, and PPE. The one addition is a hydrocarbon leak detector, which has the same form factor as a halide detector and is calibrated for hydrocarbons.

Full procedure: installation guide.

Not yet. Status varies by blend: HCR 4141 is submitted and pending a final ruling; HCR 4040, HCR 4343, and HCR 4343A are submitted and under review; HCR 4242 is not submitted and is not available for sale in the United States. Approved end-uses and availability vary by country. Every order includes the current SNAP submission status.

No. Operation is identical to the current system and needs no new operator training. Only installation and service require a certified hydrocarbon technician. Keep retrofitted units away from strong direct heat and open flame, as standard hydrocarbon practice.

Inspect the system, recover the legacy refrigerant into a certified reclaim cylinder, evacuate to 500 microns or lower and hold the vacuum to confirm no leaks, recharge with the matching HCR blend by weight, sticker the unit, and verify pressures. It is the same procedure as any refrigerant service, with no compressor, evaporator, or expansion-valve change.

A typical commercial AC retrofit is a weekend job. Multi-unit cold-storage estates are staged across service windows so the site never goes off-line. Each quote includes the project schedule for your equipment list.

Commercial detail: how a commercial retrofit lands.

Never. Mixing damages performance. Recover the old refrigerant completely first, then charge with Eco Kold.

It is recovered by a certified technician and sent to an EPA-approved reclaim facility. It is never vented.

Refrigerant swaps do not void most manufacturer warranties, but confirm with your unit's manufacturer if it is still under warranty.

Centrifugal compressors. Eco Kold is not recommended for them. Everything else in the five-blend map is a candidate, subject to the certified installer's inspection.

A representative commercial AC retrofit costs less than 10% of equivalent equipment replacement, and the system stays on a GWP under 1 charge for the rest of its life. Quotes are single-line: cylinder pricing by weight plus a certified installer in your region.

Eco Kold publishes up to 50% lower energy use, with the largest gains on comfort-cooling retrofits such as HCR 4141 replacing R-410A. Independent field measurement is underway and verified results are published the day they clear. Site-specific projections are included with every quote.

How we measure: on the customer's electric bill.

Both ledgers move at once. Scope 1: refrigerant leaks, typically 3 to 8% of inventory per year on a commercial estate, drop from thousands of kg CO₂-equivalent per kg leaked to near zero. Scope 2: purchased electricity drops in line with the audited kWh reduction. Every order includes a project-specific carbon-equivalent reduction calculation.

Worked example: sustainable cooling programs.

The GHS-formatted Safety Data Sheet, the EPA SNAP submission status, the IEC 60335-2-89 compliance statement, the CE / UKCA certificate, and a project-specific carbon-equivalent reduction calculation. RFP packages are available on request.

Library: documents.

Facility type, the equipment make and model list, the refrigerant in the system today, total charge, the service window you can offer, and your region. A commercial quote comes back in one business day with blend fit, cylinder pricing by weight, a certified installer, and audit scope.

Request a quote.

BHCR Hq, which has engineered hydrocarbon refrigerants in Delaware and Panamá since 2009. Eco Kold is the line shipping today: five blends refined through a decade of Panamanian and Caribbean installations.

About Eco Kold.