United States.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is warning homeowners, HVAC contractors, and service technicians of the safety risks associated with recharging existing home air conditioning systems with a propane-based refrigerant.
The use of a propane-based refrigerant in an air conditioner that is not designed to use propane or flammable refrigerants poses a threat to homeowners as well as maintenance technicians, as systems that are recharged with an unapproved alternative called "22a" can catch fire or explode, resulting in injury or property damage. The EPA said it continues to investigate cases where propane-based refrigerants have been illegally marketed and used as substitutes for HCFC-22 (R-22) and will continue to take enforcement action where appropriate.
"The use of an unapproved, flammable refrigerant in a system that was not designed to address flammability can lead to serious consequences, including explosion or injury, in the worst-case scenario," said Janet McCabe, as EPA's deputy administrator of the Office of Air and Radiation. "As the summer hot season kicks off, we want to let consumers and equipment owners know that what's going on in their system is safe."
A number of refrigerants with "22a" or "R-22a" in the name contain highly flammable hydrocarbons, such as propane, and are being marketed to consumers and contractors looking to recharge existing air conditioning systems in homes and motor vehicles that were not designed to use propane or other flammable refrigerants. As a result, the EPA recently proposed that 22a and other highly flammable refrigerants be unacceptable for use in existing central air conditioning systems, as they pose a significantly greater risk to public health or the environment than acceptable substitutes.
Epa encourages HVAC technicians and contractors to check its website for more information and recommends owners confirm that air conditioning service providers follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Recharging a cooling system with the wrong refrigerant can void manufacturers' warranties.
For more information about R-22a and acceptable refrigerants for air conditioning, the visit www.epa.gov/snap/questions-and-answers-about-r-22a-safety.
