Environmentally Friendly Refrigerants For Air Conditioners Are Here

air conditioning refrigerant frionRefrigerants are what make air conditioning possible. Acting in accordance with an international treaty called the Montreal Protocol; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated the eventual phase out of R22 refrigerant through the Clean Air Act. By 2010, the manufacturing of heating and cooling equipment using R22 refrigerant will be prohibited, and by 2020 the production of R22 must cease. The reason for this regulatory action is that R22 is hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compound, which contains ozone-depleting chlorine.

What’s this mean to you? Today the most common refrigerant is R22. But as newly manufactured HVAC equipment is produced using alternative, EPA-recognized chlorine free R410A refrigerant, the need for R22 will diminish. After 2010, the cost of servicing the older R22 refrigerant based systems is expected to increase as supplies of R22 become scarcer.  However, homeowners have flexibility to switch to air conditioner and heat pump systems that use the more environmentally friendly R410A refrigerant now.   Most recognized air conditioning and heat pump brands have a wide range of models that currently utilize R410A refrigerant.

Over the next 10-20 years, innovations will continue to take place as manufacturers develop higher efficient and more environmentally friendly home comfort systems.

Posted: 8/11/2008 6:58:58 AM by Sam