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Most manufacturers identify which refrigerant your AC unit uses on a large sticker or plate located either on its compressor or evaporator. It may read “R-410A,” “R22,” Puron, Freon, or similar combinations of letters and numbers depending on the cooling agent. Due to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, cooling agents known as hydrochlorofluorocarbons will soon be a thing of the past. HCFCs contain chlorine and each molecule is much more destructive to ozone than those of HFCs. The phase out period provides time to switch to ozone-friendly refrigerants when you normally would replace your air conditioner. This indicates that either HCFCs or HFCs is used in the modern refrigerators and air conditioners.
Even so, you’re neither a chemist nor an economist nor an environmental expert – you’re just a business owner or domestic consumer trying to get the best product that you can. Traveling through the indoor portion of the AC system, absorbing heat from the surrounding air, this liquid or gas component acts as one of the main cooling agents for the system. Then, it releases the heat as it moves to the outdoor unit. The HVAC system repeats this process, constantly cooling the air inside your home. This means it contributes to global climate changes which the world is suffering today.
Types of Refrigerants
The FIFA world cup 2022 is held in Qatar's air-conditioned stadiums. The air conditioning system in the eight football stadiums is one of the most discussed topics of the world cup ever since Qatar... However, the efficiency of R513A refrigerant is slightly lower than R134a refrigerant. When all design variables are held constant, R513A refrigerant is about 3% less efficient than R134a refrigerant.

The United States environmental protection agency ban HCFCs and they are replaced with HFCs due to its chlorine content, which causes harm to the ozone layers. As of January 1st, the production of R22 ceased in the United States. In most cases, you can find the refrigerant in use on the system’s nameplate, which is usually on your central air conditioner’s outdoor condenser element. Otherwise, you could contact the sales company or manufacturer for the information. As the fans cool the gas, the molecules condense back into a liquid state. Once it’s removed enough heat, the liquid begins to travel to the next area.
What is Refrigerant?
But if you don’t understand the underhood working principles of your car, contact an expert HVAC technician to recharge the refrigerant. Many motorists and homeowners overlook them when shopping or recharging AC systems. You’ll agree, it is easy to forget the refrigerant pumping the cool.

Since the EPA banned the production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the United States of America, we’ve hydrofluorocarbons . Most AC compressors and evaporators have plates or stickers on them that state the refrigerant to use. So, if you want to know your AC unit refrigerant type, look at the large sticker or plate on your evaporator and compressor.
DELLA 12,000 BTU 15.5 SEER Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner Review
At first, the countries agreed to halve their CFC production and use. Over the years, participating countries strengthened the protocol, mandating a worldwide CFC phaseout. Since 1987, 197 countries have signed the Montreal Protocol, making it the most successful environmental action to date. All CFCs share specific properties — they are non-reactive and have practical heat-absorbing abilities. Because they’re so useful, CFCs quickly became mass-produced worldwide. People have used CFCs as refrigerants for many applications, including food storage and indoor climate control.
In this case, you’ll have to switch to a new AC and replace the R22 with the R-410A. HCFC has harmful Freon R22 that increases the greenhouse gas in the environment. However, it may not be as harmful as the CFC to the ozone layer, but still, we should not use R22 refrigerant as an AC refrigerant. Considering the greenhouse gas effect, EPA has ordered a phase-out of R22 by 2020. After 2020, R22 refrigerant is now completely banned, and it’s illegal to use R22 as an AC refrigerant.
Can I Use R-410A in My Old Cooling System?
As a result of this heat absorption, the surrounding temperature drops. At that point, the fans blow the chilled air into the house for maximum cooling. The refrigerant, now a low-pressure gas again, restarts the cycle in the compressor. Refrigerants play a crucial role in any cooling system cycle.

Furthermore, R32 refrigerant does not harm the ozone and it has a GWP of 675, much lower than both R22 refrigerant and R410A refrigerant. However, R410A refrigerant is about 6% less efficient than R22 refrigerant when all design variables are held constant. R410A refrigerant has a GWP of 2088 but its ODP is zero, meaning R410A refrigerant does not cause any harm to the ozone. Bromotrifluoromethane, often known on the market Halon 1301, is another form of Freon that was used for decades. As with R-12, newer forms of Freon is currently replacing it.
There are many benefits of paying attention to CFC production, carbon dioxide production, and minimizing the ozone depletion impact on the ozone layer. Older air conditioning systems can’t switch to using environment-friendly Puron, meaning that they will have to be replaced. For a long time, R-22 was the most common refrigerant, and it was used in every residential system. This refrigerant has served as central air for air conditioners for decades. It causes harmful damages to the environment, such as ozone depletion. Chlorofluorocarbons like R12 are one type of refrigerant used in air conditioners.
The phase down is expected to begin sometime in the 2020’s. The leading replacement for R-410A refrigerant is a pure, single component refrigerant called R-32, which has one-third the global warming potential of R‑410A. Some products with this next generation refrigerant have already been introduced in the United States. Due to some properties of these lower global warming refrigerants, codes and standards are being updated before their mainstream use, which is expected in the early 2020’s. The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for implementing the R-22 refrigerant phase out for the United States.