Air Conditioning Repair Marietta | Switching over from Freon R-22 to R-410A
Freon R-22, The Choice for Forty Years in Residential Air Conditioning Units
Before buying or repairing a residential A/C system or heat pump, it is important to know certain things about refrigerants. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the term “refrigerant” is used to describe all those Class II substances that are used for heat transfer in a refrigerating system.
Refrigerant therefore is the gas used in heat pumps and air conditioners that cools or heats the air in these appliances without which they would be function as mere fans. Hydrochloroflurocarbons, or HCFCs are used for this purpose in residential air conditioners and heat pumps, the most commonly used HCFC being HCFC-22, or R-22. Also known as Freon, R-22 has been in use in the American homes for over four decades.
R-22 to be Banned in Marietta and U.S.
The use of R-22 in residential air conditioning units and heat pumps in Marietta Georgia and through out the United States, has been looked upon as a major threat to the environment. R-22 when released due to system leaks can contribute to ozone depletion and the manufacture of this HCFC also leads to a by-product that adds to global warming. The federal Clean Air Act was therefore amended to bring about a mandatory phase out of the production as well as usage of various ozone-depleting substances that are hazardous to the environment. These include R-22 as well along with R-12 that is commonly used in air conditioning units of vehicles. As per the Act, products relying on R-22 would be phased out by January 01, 2010 while a total ban on production and importation of R-22 would take effect in 2020.