Rheem, a leader in the HVAC/R and water heating industry, announced it will temporarily increase the factory pre-charge of R-454B refrigerant in all 13.4 and 14.3 SEER2 air conditioners and 14.3 SEER2 heat pumps across all brands. The temporary increased refrigerant charge will not raise the price of units.

This announcement comes on the heels of the current industry shortage of R-454B cylinders. Rheem is increasing the factory charge to minimize the need for its customers to acquire additional refrigerant for installation. Due to the increased factory charge, the system now supports matches with a 30-foot line set and a 3/8-inch liquid line, resulting in an increase from the previous 15-foot standard.

“At Rheem, our partners play a central role in every decision we make. In light of current R-454B refrigerant cylinder supply challenges, we are temporarily increasing the factory pre-charge in our units — without any price increase — to ensure continued performance, reliability, and minimal disruption for our contractors and distribution partners,” said Kevin Ruppelt, senior vice president and general manager, US Air Division, Rheem.

Rheem is fully committed to providing reliable support during this period of industry transition and maintaining the highest standards of safety, performance, and compliance of its products.