AC Refrigerant: Basics, History and Types Used

There are several important elements that make up a quality air conditioning system, and at or near the top of any such list is refrigerant. Referring to the actual substance that helps with the cooling function of your AC, refrigerant is a necessary element to any air conditioning system, and it pays to know a thing or two about it as a home or building owner.

At Airtime Heating & Cooling, we're proud to offer a wide range of air conditioner repairs, installations, tune-ups and related services. We're also happy to keep clients informed on basic elements of their system and how they work, including refrigerant. What is this substance, why is it so important for your AC system, and what else do you need to know about it? This two-part blog series will go over several basic elements.

AC Refrigerant Basics and History

As its name indicates, AC refrigerant is responsible for the cooling function in your system. In short, it helps to draw heat out of the air inside your home or building, making for a cooler and more comfortable environment. It does this by evaporating at a low temperature and condensing at a high temperature.

This refrigerant travels through your AC system in what's known as a closed loop. It begins as a low-pressure vapor and is drawn into the compressor. The compressor than pressurizes the refrigerant, turning it into a high-pressure, high-temperature vapor. This vapor moves through the system's coils, where heat is transferred from your indoor air to the refrigerant. The refrigerant then returns to its low-pressure state as it evaporates, and the cycle begins anew.

While this refrigerant is odorless and non-toxic, it can be damaging to the environment if it's released into the atmosphere. That's why it's important to make sure your AC system is properly maintained and that any leaks are immediately addressed.

AC refrigerant dates back nearly 100 years to 1928, when certain scientists with General Motors discovered the compounds that are used to create it. Freon, for instance, was one of the earliest AC refrigerants and became widely used in the 1930s. It's since been phased out, however, due to its harmful effects on the environment.

Refrigerant Types

Here are the general refrigerant types out there:

• CFCs: Short for chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs include Freon, which we just went over above. These types were phased out of common use in 1995 due to their poor impact on the environment.
• R22: This type is slightly newer than CFCs, but also utilizes some level of chlorofluorocarbon usage. These were used as the primary form of refrigerant for many years, but in 2010 they were also mostly phased out due to poor impact on the environment. However, many ACs installed before this time likely still use R22.
• R410A: Also known as Puron, R-410A refrigerant is free of chlorine, making it much better for the environment. This is the primary type of refrigerant used in new AC systems today, and it's also becoming more common in older systems as well.

In part two of our series, we'll go over some other basics to be aware of here, including updating your refrigerant type and what to do if your refrigerant appears to be leaking.

For more on AC refrigerant, or to learn about any of our heating or air conditioning services, speak to the pros at Airtime Heating & Cooling today.