8 Myths About R-410A Refrigerant - Part Two

Last week, we brought you four of the top eight misconceptions about R-410A Refrigerant. Here are Myths 5-8!

Myth 5: R-410A costs too much.

It’s true that non-ozone depleting refrigerants are more expensive to manufacture. They use more expensive raw materials, are more difficult to make, and aren’t yet produced in the large quantities in which R-22 is produced. Over the long-term though, manufacturing costs are likely to decline as R-410A becomes more popular and is produced on a larger scale.

Also, in order to properly install and service air conditioners containing R-410A, your air-conditioner equipment dealer had to invest in new tools and new training, and part of this cost is passed along to you in your price for a new R-410A system.

There are usually costs associated with new technology as well as with protecting our environment. Air-conditioners that contain R-410A refrigerant are likely to be slightly more expensive than air conditioners charged with R-22 for at least the next few years.

Because of design differences between manufacturers, the cost to upgrade from an R-22 system to R-410A can vary. There are at least 12 different brands of R-410A air conditioners and heat pumps are available in the U.S. and Canada today, so you have many choices as a consumer. We recommend you research both the equipment brand and the dealer you select to make sure that your choice is appropriate for the quality of equipment and installation you want. Remember, you do get what you pay for!

Myth 6: R-410A technology is too new and risky.

Air conditioners using R-410A have been available in the U.S. since 1995, so they’re not at all new. They’re just new to people who haven’t heard about them!

Honeywell invented the refrigerant 410A over a decade ago, and it’s taken several years for some air conditioner dealers to learn about these products and for some air conditioner manufacturers to design and offer their own R-410A systems. Most manufacturers have had their R-410A air conditioners and heat pumps on the market for several years.

Some contractors and AC dealers are rightfully concerned about selling consumers on a refrigerant that might be discontinued. But this fear just doesn’t apply to R-410A systems anymore. Every major manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada now offers a R-410A brand, and because of the terrific track record of the reliability of R-410A air conditioners, it has quickly become the new industry standard.

Myth 7: R-410A is new and may not be available to service your new air conditioner if it breaks down.

We’ve heard this line several times. As the inventor of R-410A, Honeywell is committed to having ample supplies of this refrigerant available, and started up a new $100 million manufacturing plant to make sure that there is plenty of R-410A available. There are at least 2 other refrigerant companies in the U.S. besides Honeywell who offer their own brands of R-410A, providing both ample supply and competitive pricing to air conditioning manufacturers and to service technicians.

Myth 8: The lubricating oil used in R-410A systems absorbs water and makes systems break down.

Many air-conditioning contractors who haven’t learned about R-410A often hear this myth and repeat it to others.

Air conditioners and heat pumps that use R-22 use a mineral oil that circulates through the system to keep the compressor and other parts lubricated. Systems containing R-410A usually use a synthetic oil . Some of these synthetic oils do absorb moisture more readily than mineral oils, but there are several reasons why this is not an issue for home owners.

First, equipment manufacturers train their technicians to keep these oils from getting exposed to the air where they could absorb moisture. As long as technicians follow the manufacturers’ directions in installing and servicing R-410A systems, then the oil will remain clean and dry. These procedures may also be required to make sure your warranty stays valid during the life of your R-410A system.

Second, nearly all air conditioners and heat pumps that use R-410A have a device called a “filter drier." This important part does exactly what the name implies - it filters, cleans, and dries the refrigerant and oil as it circulates through your system just like the oil filter in your car. This device has been an important reason why air conditioners with 410A are considered by some manufacturers to be the most reliable product they make.


So, there you have it! The most common misconceptions about R-410A Refrigerant: debunked! Let us know if you hear any other confusion surrounding R-410A, and we'll help clear it up for you!

8 Myths About R-410A Refrigerant - Part One

There are a lot of misconceptions about R-410A Refrigerant. We're here to dispel the confusion!

We'll be breaking this information into two posts. Here are Myths 1-4!

Myth 1: The higher pressures of R-410A are unsafe.

Actually, air-conditioners that use R-410A are specially designed for the higher pressures of R-410A. These systems have typically been rigorously tested by their manufacturers, as well as by independent safety testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories.

Many dealers of air-conditioning equipment are not educated on the benefits of this new refrigerant, and some use the “high pressure” argument to convince consumers not to buy a product which the dealer isn’t properly trained to install or service anyway.

With over a million R-410A based air conditioners operating worldwide, and nearly a decade of field testing and product history, there is no evidence to suggest that R-22 systems are any safer than systems that contain R-410A.

Myth 2: The higher pressures of R-410A cause air conditioners to break down more often.

Evidence shows this is not only untrue, but that R-410A air conditioners can be remarkably more reliable than air-conditioners that use R-22.

First, air-conditioners that use R-410A are designed to be heavier-duty, with a thicker compressor shell. Usually this results in smaller, sturdier pieces of equipment that vibrate less, putting less strain on the piping connections that are the source of most leaks.

Second, most air-conditioner manufacturers require their technicians to be fully trained on R-410A before they can sell or service that manufacturer’s R-410A equipment. As a result, the dealers and technicians that offer and install R-410A are often better trained and have the right tools to give you a more reliable installation.

One major air conditioner manufacturer who has been selling air conditioners for over 50 years tells us that their R-410A air conditioners and heat pumps are the most reliable systems they’ve ever introduced!

Myth 3: R-22 will remain cheap and available.

This is wishful thinking on the part of many service technicians. R-22 is being phased out globally, and the manufacturing plants that make R-22 in Europe, North America and other regions will eventually be shut down or converted to make other chemicals.

In 2003, the U.S. EPA implemented an allocation program which limits both the companies who can make and import R-22, and the amounts that they each can make or import. This essentially “capped” the supply of R-22 in the U.S.

The EPA has laid out the below schedule for phasing out HCFCs including R-22:

• January 1, 2004: The Montreal Protocol required the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 35% below the U.S. baseline cap.
• As of January 1, 2003, EPA banned production and import of HCFC-141b, the most ozone-destructive HCFC. This action allowed the United States to meet its obligations under the Montreal Protocol. EPA was able to issue 100% of company baseline allowances for production and import of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b.
• January 1, 2010: The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 75% below the U.S. baseline. Allowance holders may only produce or import HCFC-22 to service existing equipment. Virgin R-22 may not be used in new equipment. As a result, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system manufacturers may not produce new air conditioners and heat pumps containing R-22.
• January 1, 2015: The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 90% below the U.S. baseline.
• January 1, 2020: The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 99.5% below the U.S. baseline. Refrigerant that has been recovered and recycled/reclaimed will be allowed beyond 2020 to service existing systems, but chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce R-22 to service existing air conditioners and heat pumps. 

(The above phase out schedule was taken from the EPA's website. Visit http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html for more information!)

Myth 4: R-410A isn't the final refrigerant, and other new refrigerants are coming.

Every major air conditioner manufacturer in the United States has selected R-410A as its choice to replace R-22 in new equipment, and there are at least a dozen brands of R-410A air conditioners or heat pumps available today, with more coming soon.

Why? In less than 3 years the U.S. Department of Energy will require a 20% increase in the minimum efficiency of new home central air conditioners. This means that air conditioner manufacturers will have to find ways to increase the efficiency of their air conditioners. One easy way is to use a more efficient refrigerant, and because the refrigerant 410A is at least 5% more efficient than R-22, manufacturers can use R-410A to help them meet these energy efficiency goals.

In other countries like Japan where the phase-out of R-22 is further along than in the U.S. and Canada, the refrigerant R-410A is used extensively. The United States is expected to follow their lead, allowing R-410A to become the global standard. Honeywell is the world leader in developing and manufacturing non-ozone depleting refrigerants, and we’ve never seen anything like R-410A, and neither have our customers!


So, there you have it! Four of the top eight myths about R-410A refrigerant! Check back next week for Myths 5-8!