Alternatives to Freon for Air Conditioners

The name "Freon" is synonymous with refrigerant products used for air conditioner systems. Some people think Freon is a chemical, but it is actually a trademarked brand name owned by the DuPont Corp. One popular Freon-based refrigerant used for residential air conditioners is called R-22, which is a hydrofluorocarbon (HCFC). In January 2010, the EPA began a phase-out program for R-22. Consequently, everyone from homeowners to business owners is seeking Freon alternatives.

The goal of the EPA, which regulates the Clean Air Act, is to slowly "retire" all HCFC Freons until they are nonexistent, because they are believed to deplete the ozone layer and have global-warming potential. Air conditioners manufactured after Jan.1, 2010, no longer use R-22 or HCFC-142. She just cut her electricity bill to 60%, click here to read. Air conditioners manufactured prior to Jan. 1, 2010 can be recharged with R-22 or HCFC-142, as long as they are recharged by licensed professionals who adhere to EPA guidelines for proper charging and disposal of R-22 waste. HCFC refrigerants are only sold to licensed members of the heating and air-conditioning trade. By 2015, the EPA goal is to have 90 percent of all R-22 and HCFC-142 products phased out from use. By 2020, manufacturing and production of all HCFCs will be banned.

One of the new alternatives to R-22 is R-410A. It is a blend of R-125 and R-32. Like R-22, it is an HFC; however, it has not been proven to deplete the ozone layer like R-22. This alternative is sold under various brand names, including Genetron AZ-20, Suva 410a, Forane 410A, Ischeon and Puron.

This alternative is composed of tetrafluoroethane and its chemical name is dichlorotetrafluoroethane. Like R-410A, it is not known to endanger the ozone or contribute to global warming. It is noncorrosive, nonflammable and nontoxic. It has a boiling point of minus-15 degrees Fahrenheit under atmospheric pressure, making it suitable for medium-temperature applications such as air conditioning, commercial refrigeration and for air conditioners in automobiles. Brand names include HFC 134a, Freon 134a, Suva-134a, Genetron-134a, Forane 134a, and KLEA 134a.

R-125 is another alternative for low and medium applications such as air conditioning and commercial refrigeration. Its chemical name is pentafluoroethane. It has a boiling point of minus-55 degrees F, and like R-134a, it is nontoxic, nonflammable and noncorrosive. It is often used as a replacement for those who formerly used R-502. R-125 is blended with R-32 to make R-410a. Much of the supply of R-125 is imported from China.

Ammonia is used for industrial purposes more than residential applications. It is a colorless gas that does emit an odor and has a boiling point of minus-28 degrees F. Unlike the other alternatives, ammonia is flammable. Under the right (or wrong) conditions, ammonia can explode. Like R-125, much of the supply of R-717 refrigerant is imported from China.

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