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Is R134a recharge kits available in Canada?

Author

Andrew Vasquez

Updated on February 22, 2026

Is R134a recharge kits available in Canada?

Since R134a is not available for sale in Canada, a void was filled by companies making HC-12a DIY kits.

Correspondingly, is R-134a banned in Canada?

The Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is continuing its work with Environmental and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to secure an essential-purpose permit to allow automatic commercial ice maker manufacturers to continue importing products with R-134A and R-404A after the refrigerants are phased

Additionally, can you still buy R-134a? R-134a is an HFC refrigerant. HFC refrigerants are known for their extremely high Global Warming Potential, or GWP. You can no longer buy cylinders but you are still able to purchase cans of refrigerant without a license. Single or multi-use cans can be found at most retailers or on Amazon.com as well.

Thereof, what replaces R-134a Canada?

There are three refrigerants that can be used to replace R-134a: R-1234yf, R-152a and R-744. More on these replacements later.

Is r134 being discontinued?

USA: The US EPA is to ban a host of high GWP refrigerants including R404A, R134a, R407C and R410A in certain new products from as early as January 1, 2021. R134a is one of a number of common refrigerants that will be banned from use in new centrifugal and positive displacement chillers as of January 1, 2024.

Can I use 12a instead of 134a?

HC-12a, also called ES-12a, OZ-12a, DURACOOL 12a and Hydrocarbon Blend B, is a "drop-in" replacement refrigerant for Freon-12 and to a lesser extent, R-134a. Unlike R-134a, HC-12a is completely compatible with the hoses and oils used in R-12 systems, making the conversion much easier to accomplish.

Why was R134a banned?

In 1928, ChloroFluoroCarbon (CFC) refrigerants were created.

R-22 / Freon® : On January 1, 2020 Freon was banned by The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because it damaged the ozone layer. R-22 was used in nearly all cooling devices at the time of the ban, so it was eliminated with a step-by-step phase-out.

Can you buy Freon in Canada?

Starting January 1, 2020, it will no longer be legal to import or produce R-22 in Canada or the United States. The only remaining source of R-22 will be that which is recycled, reclaimed or recovered from existing units. In other words, R-22 refrigerant is being phased out of use.

When was R134a banned?

In 2012, automobile manufacturers began the transition to new, climate-friendly alternative refrigerants. As a result of a July 2015 rulemaking, by model year 2021, the MVAC systems in newly manufactured light-duty vehicles in the United States will no longer use HFC-134a.

Is it illegal to release R134a into the air?

R134a is not an ozone-destroying agent, but it is a greenhouse gas, and is illegal to vent as well.

Can you mix 134a with 1234yf?

People assume that R-1234yf and R-134a can be interchangeable. Yes, the pressures between the two refrigerants are very close to each other, but they are NOT exact. Contaminating your system with a foreign refrigerant will at best case shorten the life of your compressor and other components.

Can you replace Freon with R134a?

Using R134a in Systems Designed for R22

If you have a home or auto air conditioner designed to work with R22 refrigerant, and the system needs a recharge, a number of issues prevent the direct substitution of R134a. R134a corrodes copper, so the system must include an additive to prevent it.

Is R134a toxic?

R134a is very low toxic, non-flammable in the air, safety class A1, is a very safe refrigerant.

Do you need to be certified to buy R134a?

Individuals do not need to have certification in order to purchase small cans (under two pounds) of R-134a. However, all cans produced after Jan. 1, must come equipped with a self-sealing valve capable of preventing the container from venting refrigerant after it is removed from the charging valves.

Is R134 and R134a the same?

R134a.. R134 and R134a have same chemical formula and atomic weight but different chemical structures. R134 has NBP of about -19 C whereas R134a has a NBP of about -26C.

Can I buy R22 freon?

R22 refrigerant is illegal to import and manufacturer in the U.S. But it's not illegal for anyone to buy R22 freon. And it's not illegal to sell it IF you have a license. As long as the stocks last, you will be able to continue purchasing R22 from specialized dealers and form your air conditioning company.

Can you buy Freon for your car?

If you've confirmed that your vehicle uses R-134 or R-1234yf, or has been converted from R-12, you can purchase a recharge kit which will include the recommended refrigerant, dispensable from a pressurized can of approximately 12 ounces to 22 ounces and in most cases will contain a reusable recharge hose outfitted with

What is a 608 and 609 certification?

Section 608 technician certification is required to purchase ozone depleting or non-exempt substitute refrigerants, such as HFC refrigerants. Section 609 technician certification is required to purchase CFC-12 or EPA-approved substitutes for MVACs containing an ODS.

Can I buy Freon for my home AC?

A common air conditioning refrigerant, Freon will no longer be legal to make, sell, or buy in 2020 and will be phased out of use completely as part of new regulations.

What certification do I need to buy Freon?

Refrigerant can only be sold to technicians certified under the Section 608 or Section 609 technician certification programs, where individuals may only purchase refrigerant consistent with the appliances covered by their certification.

How do I get certified to buy refrigerant?

You must complete a government-approved environmental awareness training course in order to purchase and handle refrigerants in Ontario. The course takes one day to complete. Approved training courses are offered by: Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada ( HRAI ) in Toronto.

Can you replace R404A with R134a?

Can you mix 404A and 134a? Re: Accidentally mixed R404A with R134a Vacuum is not necessary because R404a consists of R134a. It will never work and your TEV or capillary is not designed for this refrigerant. If you want to destroy your compressor, let it run this way.

What refrigerants are not being phased out?

Under this new agreement, HCFCs will no longer be manufactured or used as of January 1, 2020. R-22 and R-123 are likely the most popular HCFCs still in use today; R-22 is typically used in existing air conditioners and refrigeration equipment and R-123 in chillers. Most other HCFCs were phased out earlier.

Which refrigerant is being phased out by 2030?

Two HCFC refrigerants are widely used in commercial cooling: R-123 and R-22. R-123 will be phased out for new HVAC equipment on Jan. 1, 2020; it will continue to be produced for servicing equipment until 2030.

How cold can r134 get?

That fact explains why compressor manufacturers limit the condensing temperature for R407C to around 145–150°F (60°C–65°C) whereas for R134a compressors, the top limit for condensing temperature is 158–175°F (70–80°C) for air condi- tioning applications.

Can I put R134a in a R410A system?

The United States explicitly prohibit the use of R410A and R134a refrigerant.

Is R134a banned in Europe?

The currently used Refrigerant R134a, with a GWP of 1300, is de facto banned in newly type-approved vehicles (new models) since 1 January 2011. This means that all motor vehicles to be registered and marketed in the EU have to conform to the new legislation as stipulated by Framework Directive 2007/46/EC.