What is the secret of keeping your food cold even in the hottest of months in your refrigerator? A refrigerant keeps things cold in the fridge. Various refrigerants have been used in domestic and commercial refrigerators until now. One of the most popular was “Freon,” introduced in the refrigeration industry in 1950. Even though Freon has been discontinued as a refrigerant since 2010, the question is, do refrigerators still use Freon today?
Yes, home refrigerators still use Freon, from the mini ones to the huge double door ones, but only the appliances manufactured before 2010. Although the refrigerant is not readily available now, and today’s Freon is a lot different than the one used decades ago- efforts are being made to phase out the gas entirely in favor of more environmentally-friendly materials.
The production of Freon was declared illegal from January 1, 2020. After that, the gas could no longer be obtained, and safer alternatives were considered.
What is Freon, and why is it banned?
Also known as R22, Freon is a refrigerant substance used in many appliances to create a cooling effect by evaporation. It was mainly used in refrigerators as a coolant, along with air conditioners and even vehicles. Because Freon is a CFC (Chlorofluorocarbon), it could impact the depletion of the ozone layer, which protects the earth from global warming. The compound contains chemicals that cannot break down, thus reaching into the stratosphere where they can exist for up to 120 years.
As a result, most European countries have banned it since 1994, and the United States and Canada also prohibited it from selling on January 1, 2020.
How did Freon Become Illegal?
If Freon is not appropriately handled by a licensed HVAC contractor, the compound will make its way to the ozone layer. All HVAC contractors were requested to follow proper guidelines and standards to handle Freon to stop this from happening. If failed, both the seller and the buyer would be held accountable and pay hefty fines with their HVAC license also being canceled.
To know more about why Freon became illegal, please watch the video.
The Ultimate Replacement For Freon
Puron, also known as R-410A, is available as a safer Freon refrigerant alternative. Over 20 years ago, Puron was introduced to the market as a cooling agent for appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators. Still, until 2020, Freon had been the most popular refrigerant used all over the world.
However, unlike Freon, the R410A refrigerant does not contribute to the depletion of the Ozone layer by releasing harmful chemicals. Today, more than half of the HVAC industry and homeowners have moved to Puron refrigerant to use as a safer replacement for Freon in their cooling appliances.
Can you replace your Freon Refrigeration System?
Puron and Freon are not interchangeable compounds within the same refrigerator. Therefore the ideal time to replace your cooling system was when Freon was declared illegal in 2020. However, if you still haven’t replaced your fridge, then invest in a Puron system as soon as possible. This is because most of the HVAC systems using Freon have already been phased out or ceasing their production.
Parting Ways
If you are worried about how much the Puron HVAC system costs, then the good news is that the price for Puron systems is similar to the Freon HVAC systems. They are more energy-efficient and more affordable to refill. A licensed HVAC contractor can help you find your desired Puron HVAC system.
