Economic and regulatory factors alongside a focus on integration and infrastructure are going to shape the year ahead, according to Service Experts, one of America's premiere home comfort companies. From its position serving 2,500 homes and businesses daily for everything from heating and air conditioning to plumbing and solar, Service Experts says the EPAs new refrigerant regulations that took effect on Jan. 1 will have dramatic effects on the year and future of the industry.

“We have 85 locations across the country, so we have a broad view of consumer behavior in the home comfort space,” said Burton Malcom, vice president of field and sales for Service Experts. “The Home of the Future that we’ve all been talking about is slowly becoming the Home of Now as consumers not only adjust to these new regulations, but also to new opportunities in terms of the connected home. People today are more comfortable with smart technology and paying for things like HVAC as a monthly home service, which is helping drive adoption of better home and commercial infrastructure in the space.”

Jan. 1 Refrigerant Changes
All whole HVAC systems installed after Jan. 1, 2025 are required to use one of the new A2L refrigerants per the Clean Air Act, which have a much lower Global Warming Potential (GWP). Most popular of the new refrigerants, R-454B has a GWP of 466 and R-32 has one of 675, dramatically lower than R-410A, the one in the widest use today at 2088 GWP. This applies to whole systems, but with diminished production through the same act, the cost of 410A will rise so consumers will be looking to upgrade to the new and most efficient systems.

Home Comfort as a Service
The costs of current refrigerants, as well as HVAC and plumbing equipment have already seen dramatic increases due to economic pressures. In response, Service Experts is seeing more homeowners embrace the idea of home comfort as a service, opting for ongoing HVAC equipment, maintenance and service plans, similar to how they pay for other home comforts like utilities. Besides being inflation proof with fixed rates, these plans like Service Experts’ Advantage Program allow customers to enjoy the most efficient and intelligent equipment without ever having to make a large investment to purchase, before or when a system fails. Customers are increasingly comfortable with paying for services in monthly payments – electricity, phone, cable, internet, entertainment – and the paradigm shift to HVAC and similar products being purchased in the same way is swelling.

“Take internet, where you pay for the service, but are using your provider’s router in your home,” said Nicole Celiscar, director of financial products for Service Experts. “You don’t get wrapped up in who owns that piece of equipment. You pay for what it gives you, access to their product. Home comfort is no different, and these options make it so any home can be a Home of the Future with the best, safest and most energy efficient equipment throughout the home – HVAC, water heaters, smart home, indoor air quality, water purification, generators, EV chargers, and even solar. A single monthly cost for everything, which also covers all-inclusive maintenance and proactive repairs, is more comfortable than multiple lifetime-level outlays and the constant worry of outright ownership, especially in a blistering heatwave.”

Homes Getting Smarter and More Renewable
Consumers are also going to continue the move to more smart control in their homes as they embrace Wi-Fi thermostats and HVAC systems that can be controlled via smartphone apps or voice assistants. These smart devices allow users to adjust their home’s temperature or humidity from anywhere, and have the ability to learn preferences over time, making small adjustments to optimize energy.

Smart in its own way, renewable energy will also continue to make headway in 2025 with solar-powered HVAC systems and units that integrate with home solar panels. Reducing reliance on traditional energy sources, they offer an eco-friendly alternative, and if a system remains grid-tied, homeowners may be able to sell excess energy back to their utility company. These systems are becoming more affordable and accessible, especially through home comfort service plans that help make them attractive to eco-conscious homeowners.

“Sustainability, decarbonization and ESG have long been hot topics, and now we’re seeing consumer behavior help drive it forward,” Malcom added. “Our view into markets across geographies and seasons suggests that the one constant, the desire to be comfortable, is helping upgrade residential and commercial infrastructure, and we’re excited to be here to help meet that moment.”