Home Air Conditioners | Freon (R-22) is going away!

Freon (R-22) is going away!

The US government (specifically the EPA), is regulating freon out of existance.  In the year 2010, no new equipment may be manufactured that use R-22 refrigerant, which  suggests that Freon (and any equipment that uses it) will become obsolete.  Additionally, R-22 refrigerant will most likely increase in cost due to basic supply and demand.  The reason for all of this is because R-22 Freon is a Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) which eats away at the ozone layer…just like the ‘old-school’ spray cans.

The new de facto standard is call PURON.  Chemically, Puron refrigerant is an environmentally sound 50/50 blend of two separate refrigerants, R-32 and R-125 and has been given the designation of R-410A which is marketed under various names by differnt manufactueres. Consumer products featuring Puron refrigerant were first marketed in 1996.

Some of the reasons that home air conditioners manufacturers prefer Puron are:

  • Higher energy efficiency
  • Costs less over the life of the unit than continuing to use Freon
  • Safer for the environment
  • Considered Non-Toxic
  • Non-Flammable

Some of the negative points associated with using Puron are:

  • It is a relatively new product that can most likely be improved upon
  • Careful installation is required to keep out moisture
  • Requires a much higher operating pressure than Freon, so it can not be used in equipment designed for Freon

The bottom line is that we welcome the change, and with the proper planning a home owner can save substantially by chaning over to the new Puron-based systems.  Don’t get caught with your pants down by trying to stretch the life out of a Freon-based system after 2010.  Your maintenance costs will go up and your unit efficiency will go down.  Make the change, even if you have a few more good years left in your Freon unit.

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