If you have an old air conditioner or heat pump that uses freon, it’s time to think about making a change. Freon is a chemical coolant, or refrigerant, that facilitates the transfer of heat from one place to another. Known as R-22 in the heating, cooling, and refrigeration industry, Freon has been used for several decades, but not anymore. This is because chemical refrigerants are harmful to the environment, including the O-zone layer. And as soon as this scientific evidence was confirmed, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with several other environmental agencies around the world world, came together to ratify the phase out of freon. If you own an older air conditioner, read on for information on freon phasing out and how it affects the heating and cooling of your property.
Freon phase-out
Environmental protection agencies around the world enacted a freon phase-out several years ago to eliminate the threat of chemical refrigerants to our surrounding environment, namely our ozone zone layer. With years of hard work, chemical engineers and HVAC specialists were able to create an environmentally friendly replacement for R-22 called R-410A, better known as puren. So, in 2010, HVAC manufacturers stopped producing freon-dependent appliances altogether and started producing only systems designed to use Puron. Under this phase-out, Freon can only be used to recharge HVAC systems until January 1, 2020. After this date, Freon will be phased out entirely and will no longer be available.
get rid of freon
If you own an air conditioning system that uses Freon as a refrigerant, you can expect some difficulties until this coming date in 2020. Since Freon is being phased out, the market supply has shrunk drastically. This means that Freon is hard to find and very expensive. Recharging your HVAC system will be tedious and expensive for the next four years. And in 2020, you will have no choice but to replace your system with a new one, as Freon will be gone forever. For these reasons and more, it’s important to consider replacing your air conditioner with a newer model as soon as possible. Not only will it reduce energy bills and maintenance costs, but it will be much safer for the environment!
Don’t waste your time fixing refrigerant leaks or mechanical problems on an air conditioner that still uses freon. It’s more cost effective to replace your air conditioning system entirely and avoid the looming hassle of using freon. Eventually you’ll have to invest in a freon-free system anyway, so it’s best to start now!
How to safely dispose of an old air conditioner
When it’s time to replace your old air conditioner with a new one, don’t throw your old air conditioner in the trash. Not only is this highly dangerous and illegal, but it’s a perfectly good waste of money. This is because you can sell your old appliances to a scrap buyer and make a quick cash profit. You can then use this money to purchase your new air conditioner. Before you sell your air conditioner to a junkyard, it is important that you first learn how to safely and legally dispose of R-22 and R-410A refrigerants.
To do this, you must hire a certified professional to remove the refrigerants from your old air conditioning unit. Some junkyards have professionals they work with who perform this service for them, while others require the coolants to be removed before they can accept them. Check with your local scrap buyer to see what their requirements are for disposing of an old air conditioner. You can also search for responsible appliance disposal organizations (RADs) in your area if you want to dispose of your appliance without selling it to a scrap buyer.