After 2020 any air conditioning or heat pump system using r 22 that requires servicing will have to depend on potentially expensive r 22 stockpiles or reclaimed refrigerant.
New air conditioner freon.
R 22 is an extremely effective coolant which made it popular among hvac manufacturers for many years.
When the evaporator coil freezes cold liquid refrigerant flows through the refrigerant line causing the surrounding moisture in the air to freeze.
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It runs in a closed loop through the system absorbing heat from the air and distributing cool air in its place.
R 22 is a hydro chlorofluorocarbon hcfc which contributes to ozone depletion.
To help protect the ozone layer the epa has mandated that the production of freon be stopped by january 2020.
Epa regulations require a ban on the production and import of r 22 refrigerant by january 1 2020.
For decades freon also known as hcfc 22 and r 22 was the main refrigerant chemical used in residential air conditioning units and heat pumps.
While it s not the only chemical that can do the job it s been the industry standard for decades.
In this blog we will go over the epa s r22 phase out and other ozone depleting substances drop in refrigerants aka r22 replacements the theft of hcfc.
The good news is that new air conditioning systems made since 2010 no longer rely on freon.
Freon based air conditioning systems will not have to be replaced by 2020 but over time it will become more and more difficult to obtain the hcfc 22 necessary to run them.
As of 2012 the heating ventilating and air conditioning hvac industry is in the process of changing over from ozone depleting r 22 refrigerant to environmentally friendlier r 410a refrigerant.
R 22 is one of a number of gases marketed under the brand name freon and has been commonly used as a coolant in air conditioners heat pumps and other appliances.
Often referred to by a brand name like freon as of 2010 r 22 was discontinued for use in new air conditioning systems.
Often referred to by a brand name like puron has been approved for use in new residential air conditioners.
The epa has enacted legislation which will go into effect on january 1 2020 officially outright banning the production of r 22 refrigerant or freon as it s more commonly known.
Low refrigerant means low pressure and low pressure means low temperatures that will eventually freeze something called an evaporator coil.
The refrigerant would soon replace r 22 in the new hvac equipment.