It is never about fighting climate change, only making your life miserable in more ways than one.

The new year will ring in new “green” requirements from the Environmental Protection Agency for heating and air conditioning units that threaten to raise prices and, for the first time, require flammable refrigerants in residential and commercial HVAC units.

The rule has triggered special training requirements for technicians and fire departments as they grapple with the possibility of HVAC systems catching fire, although testing shows the risk is low under most circumstances.

“It’s certainly a unique challenge. We’re trying to balance environmental considerations with fire safety in this particular instance,” said Robin Zevotek, an engineer at the National Fire Protection Association.

The National Fire Prevention Administration (NFPA) actually has a course to teach firefighters how to handle the new refrigerants, known as hydrofluoroolefins, despite their being considered less flammable in most cases. Worst of all, The Washington Times points out the new refrigerants, are considered more flammable than the hydrofluorocarbon R-419A the EPA seeks to replace.

Consequently, TWT reveals consumers will face price increases of up to 30% on HVAC systems. The heightened price tags will not only be due to inflation and supply chain issues, but also due to the cost of new equipment, more training, installation and servicing, including the cost of hydrofluoroolefins themselves. Customers with older model HVACs will eventually feel the pinch not only due to the hydrofluorocarbon phase out but also due to parts being unavailable.

Unfortunately, the HFC phase out was championed by both Democrats and Republicans and was signed into law by President Trump toward the end of his first term. Hopefully, the law and new rules can be somehow undone since President Trump seeks to undo the regulatory schemes of the Biden White House.

Not surprisingly, the National Resource Defense Council was gleeful when the law enabling this new rule was enacted too. Perhaps with the Chevron Deference being overturned that the progress to implement these new regulations can be overturned via litigation.

The fact that the NFPA has a class to train firefighters on handling the new refrigerants is all the more reason to get rid of the new rules. Hydrofluoroolefins are obviously more of a risk to consumers than hydrofluorocarbons. But, then again, that is probably the whole point, since it is another sneaky way to kill people off brought to you by groups like the National Resource Defense Council.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay