Puron

Puron

An important change just around the corner is the phase out of R-22. By 2010, just 3 years from now, all new air conditioners and heat pumps will be required to use "environmentally sound" refrigerant, such as Puron®.

Freon® 22, an HCFC also known as R-22, is a harmful refrigerant according to the Clean Air Act of 1990. It will be phased out of use and homeowners will soon have to turn to Puron® refrigerant to maintain their indoor comfort. Puron®, also known as R-410A, is approved by the EPA to replace Freon® 22 and is the world's first, long-term solution to ozone depletion.

Freon® 22 Phase Out

Freon® 22 is the most commonly used refrigerant in residential homes today. However, per the Montreal Protocol, caps have been established to eliminate the production of Freon® 22. In 2004, there was a 35% reduction; in 2010 there will be a 65% reduction; in 2015 a 90% reduction; and finally in 2020 a 99.5 % reduction in the production of R-22. This means that during the time of these reductions with high demand, the price of each pound of refrigerant could potentially skyrocket.

We've seen this before. In the late 1980's, environmental concerns led to a total phase out of R-12 (a CFC) in automotive air conditioners. If you owned a vehicle during that time, you may have experienced first-hand the rapidly rising costs of R-12, or the expense of upgrading to new technology. In fact, during the years 1990 to 1997, our costs for R-12 increased 650%.

What does all this mean?

Well, the average age of an air conditioning system in Texas is around 12 years. This means that during the lifetime of an air conditioning system purchased today, R-22 will be completely obsolete and the manufacture of R-22 will be completely banned. That's why we strongly urge our clients to consider purchasing Puron®-based products rather than Freon®-based products. By choosing to purchase an air conditioner or heat pump with Puron® refrigerant, you begin saving money right away and avoid the potentially higher service costs later.

Who makes Puron® products?

Fortunately, there's been one manufacturer who has led the industry in designing and testing cooling equipment that uses Puron®. That manufacturer is Carrier. Since 1996, Carrier has had Puron®-based products installed all over the United States. These products have proven to be the most reliable in the marketplace and have gained recognition nationwide for dependable operation. Bottom Line: When considering a purchase of air conditioning equipment, it's best to choose a product that uses Puron.

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