HVAC Supplies: Refrigerant, Ductwork, Copper Tubing & Installation Materials

Beyond the equipment itself, most jobs need refrigerant line sets or copper tubing, insulation, duct and fittings, and a way to drain condensate, with dampers or heat kits added when the system design calls for them. Installation materials matter more than they look: our own guide notes that performance problems often start with the installation materials rather than the main HVAC part, such as weak sealants, thin insulation, or poor mounting hardware. Compare your list against the job before ordering so the crew is not waiting on a missing fitting, and use HVAC replacement parts for the components that wear out.

For stationary air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, EPA rules allow refrigerant to be sold only to Section 608 certified technicians, or to an employer who can show written evidence that it employs at least one certified technician. A small exception exists for containers of two pounds or less of motor vehicle refrigerant, but that does not cover home or commercial HVAC refrigerants. Venting refrigerant on purpose is also prohibited under Section 608, so recovery equipment is part of any service job. The refrigerant listings are sold as bulk cylinders with a stated minimum order, so check the quantity and terms on the product page before you order.

R-22 can still be used to service existing equipment, but it is no longer produced or imported in the United States. EPA banned new production and import of HCFC-22 starting in 2020, so servicing relies on reclaimed and recycled supply. R-410A is not a drop-in replacement for R-22: the two are different refrigerants with different pressures and oils, and R-410A is for equipment designed for it. If your system is old and expensive to keep running on R-22, it may be worth comparing the cost of repairs with a replacement system.

ACR tubing is made for refrigerant systems under ASTM B280 and arrives cleaned and capped so moisture and debris stay out of the circuit. It is sized by outside diameter, while plumbing copper such as Type L is sized by a nominal diameter, so a 1/2 inch ACR tube does not match a 1/2 inch Type L tube. Plumbing tube is not prepared for sealed refrigerant systems, so use ACR or a manufactured line set for refrigerant lines. Always confirm the tube type and size on the product page, and browse copper tubing by size and length.

UL 181 is the standard for factory-made air ducts, and Class 1 means the duct has a flame spread index of not over 25 and a smoke developed index of not over 50. The rating describes how the duct material behaves in a fire, not how well it seals or insulates. For insulation, check the R-value on the listing, since the ATCO line, for example, is offered in R-4.2, R-6.0, and R-8.0, and use closure products listed for flexible duct, which carry UL 181B markings. See the full range of flex duct by diameter.

Match the pump to the system size and to the lift and distance the water has to travel. Mini split pumps are generally low flow, while central air conditioner and furnace pumps move much more water, and commercial units move more still. The RectorSeal Aspen Universal Mini Kit, for example, is listed with 49 feet of maximum lift, 3.2 gallons per hour, and a 100 to 250 volt input. Plan the drain as well: the International Mechanical Code sets a minimum slope of 1/8 inch per foot and a 3/4 inch minimum drain line, and requires a secondary drain or an overflow switch. Check condensate pumps for flow rates and voltage.

Start with the air handler or packaged unit, because a heat kit has to be listed for that exact model. Then check the capacity, the voltage and phase, and whether a breaker is included. The Goodman HKTPD081 is an 8 kW kit for 208/240 volt, single phase, 60 Hz, and the MRCOOL MHK05B is a 5 kW kit with a breaker for MMBV modular blowers. As a rule of thumb, 1 kW of electric heat is about 3,412 BTU per hour, so an 8 kW kit adds roughly 27,000 BTU per hour. The air handler nameplate and installation manual list the kits and breaker sizes allowed. Compare options in electric heat kits and strips.

Select in-stock items ship the same day when ordered by 12 pm, while larger items such as trunk duct and refrigerant cylinders ship by LTL freight in 1 to 3 business days, with lift gate service included on those listings. Refrigerant cylinders are classified as hazardous material, and the listings are final sale with a minimum order shown on the page. Some other items, such as the Goodman heat kit, are also final sale with returns accepted only for damaged or defective items. Check the shipping and return terms on each listing, and contact us with the model number if you are unsure about a fit.