Are there new refrigerants available that are safer for the environment?
Yes, and the most promising one is R-410A, also referred to as AZ-20. Comfortmaker offers a new air conditioner with R-410A because it provides high-efficiency cooling along with other substantial benefits for the environment.

Be friendly to your ozone.

New refrigerants are being developed for air conditioners because traditional refrigerants, if they accidentally escape from an aging system, can cause damage to the ozone layer of the earth’s atmosphere. Scientists have associated ozone depletion with potential health risks, and many countries, including the United States, are taking steps to reverse the trend.

The culprit in traditional refrigerants (R-12 and R-22) is a chlorine atom, which reacts with ozone in the upper atmosphere and destroys it. R-410A, chemically known as an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), contains no chlorine and will not damage the ozone layer.

Being earth-wise can make you cool.

You may already know about alternative refrigerants if you’ve purchased a new car since 1994. Today, cars keep you cool with a non-chlorine refrigerant known as R-134A. Comfortmaker has decided to use R-410A as the alternative refrigerant for its residential cooling products because if helps your system perform better.

Comfortmaker’s R-410A air conditioner offers the same performance as R-22 units in terms of noise levels, the temperature of air coming out of the registers, and the time it takes to cool your home. In fact, the refrigerant has been on the market for several years and has undergone many hours of testing before being used in cooling equipment.

Is R-410A for you?

How do you know if R-410A is for you? If you’re thinking about replacing your central air conditioner, there are several factors to keep in mind.

The production of R-22 (the refrigerant used in most central air conditioners) began to be phased out in 1996, so less will be available each year, meaning the cost for repairs and recharges for R-22 units is likely to escalate. So, while the cost of an R-410A unit is slightly higher than it is for a traditional R-22 unit, you’ll be insuring yourself against escalating refrigerant costs. Plus, if your current air conditioner was manufactured before 1990, you could dramatically reduce the amount of energy you use (and your electric bills), thanks to the high efficiency (18 SEER) of this new unit. That adds up to a substantial payback to your wallet and to the environment.