The sky is falling! I mean on fire!
Flammable Freon is Here
Quick, everyone run for shelter and cover your head, flammable freon is coming to an A/C near you.
Actually, there is no need to run or duct and cover. Yes, flammable freon really is a thing, and yes we are now switching all newly installed a/c systems over to it.
First let's start with why. Some of you may recall we switched freons just a short 22 years ago from R22 Freon to R410a Puron, so why the change again? It's all about the environment and global warming. R22 contains chlorine, which is claimed to eat a hole in the atmosphere. R410a, while better because it does not contain chlorine, still has a high global warming potential and contributes to greenhouse gases. The solution, continue to research and innovate new refrigerants that have lower or no global warming potential. Which brings us to what I like to call flammable freon. The newest line of refrigerants have a much lower global warming potential when released in the air, which lead the industry to adopt them.
If you are a little concerned about having an a/c system with flammable freon in it, please don’t be. If you have bought a fridge or freezer in the past few years, it has a flammable freon in it that contains butane (think lighters), and they have proven very safe.
One of the most important things to understand is the level of flammability of these new flammable freons. They are considered mildly flammable, but trust me, that is giving them a lot of credit they actually don't deserve. Look up any video of properly trained facilities attempting to light these new refrigerants on fire. It is not entertaining in the least bit. When a lighter is held to them, the refrigerant does light on fire, but the moment the lighter is pulled away, the flame self extinguishes.
In addition to their low flammability, manufacturers are loading the equipment with special sensors and control boards that take action if a leak is detected. Because these refrigerants are considered mildly flammable, and there is some concern for safety, manufacturers are required to install leak detecting sensors on all these new units. If a leak is detected, the system a/c will shut down immediately, and the inside system fan will turn on to dilute the concentrations down to microscopic levels.
Am I concerned?
Not at all! In fact I think a lot of the hysteria going around from companies and techs is completely blown out of proportion, and mildly funny (no pun intended). I have customers with hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel (technically fuel oil) in their basements, and we purposely pipe it a few feet away and light it on fire. Most of the Dayton region uses natural gas for heating, and last time I checked natural gas is highly explosive. The most comical (in my opinion) part about those two examples is the safety requirements for them is not near the level of these new flammable freons. So no, I am not concerned for my safety when working on these units, or your safety having them in your home.
Should you be concerned?
Only if your technician showing up to work on your a/c has burnt eyebrows. Okay I’m half kidding about that. But seriously, if he is missing eyebrows from freon burning them off, it tells me he was never using industry standard best practices anyways.
The scariest part of these new systems is the price tag. Just like everything else these days, the price is going up. To the tune of 12-25% depending on the brand. The main driving factor is the new safety features that are required. The cost of the sensors, the new control boards they are tied to, ect, are driving the cost of the equipment up. Additionally, many of our tools are going to be required to be rated for these new flammable freons. So a new investment of rated tools is required, which also slightly contributes to the increased cost of installs and repairs.
As much as most of us want to kick and scream about this change, there is nothing we can do at this time, other than educate and adapt. And that is exactly what we plan on doing at JBH Heating and Air. First, educate the team though manufacture sponsored classes, then educate our customers, and finally, adapt to the changes that are here to stay.
