Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2026

HVACR NewsMagazine September 2026

State National Chapter News

4. Within 15 seconds to 5 minutes of a detector signal, the detection system must energize fans, open dampers, activate mechanical ventilation and safety shutoff valves, and de-energize electrical equipment and potential ignition sources. These actions must be maintained for at least 5 minutes after the output signal has reset. Please note that these safety measures are designed due to the flammability issues of the refrigerant— not PFAS. EPA did not consider the PFAS issue sufficient to even mention it in the safety regulations and procedures; however, the leak detection will also prevent the escape of A2L PFAS which seems to be the concern of the insurance companies relative to general liability. …If the EPA did not include the presence of PFAS in refrigerants as part of their safety regulations, the danger and risk is minimal at best and pragmatically non-existent. It is therefore unfair to the HVACR industry to have this innocuous product used as the justification for insurance companies to exclude it from our general liability coverage. It is a red herring that is not germane to the question of risk and liability. In fact in 2024, 73% of the residential air conditioning systems used a refrigerant that already contained PFAS. For over 20 years PFAS have been contained in refrigerants so this is not new and, please note, there is no litigation related to the health and safety of the product. So why this present interest and exclusion endorsement? Perhaps unintentional, perhaps uninformed; regardless, it places Arkansas HVACR contractors in an undesirable position to be required by federal regulation to sell a product that contains PFAS and by insurance companies to exclude that product from general liability coverage. This is an immediate problem that our industry is presently compelled to sell systems containing PFAS without general liability protection.

We are asking that you give advice on regulation or legislation that would mitigate our problem and require insurance companies to • Rescind the PFAS exclusion from general liability insurance, or • Limit the point of exclusion based on amount of refrigerant in a single system, or • Limit the point of exclusion based on amount of refrigerant in a mechanical room I want to thank you again for your kind consideration of our request and look forward to discussing this further. You now have much of the communication between interested parties and the Association. We have been treated with concern and respect. They understand our predicament. But, this “ain’t” no big thing until someone decides it is a big thing and you have to be prepared with how ridiculous it is or with an insurance policy. I hate to say it but there are those that will capitalize on the PFA kerfuffle. Get the facts, get ready, and use the situation to show that you are prepared and professional. By the way, I am told that there is little hope for our legislature to help us since this is “sort of an interstate commerce situation.” Don’t know if that is true; but, if we have a chance to make a difference, we’ll call on you to appeal to your state legislator for help. Kindest regards,

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