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Phase-out of 134a for cars

October 9, 2014 by HVAC Expert

Phase-out of R134A Refrigerant for Cars
By Betty Stephens

134a

Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a pair of decisions that begin a changeover of the refrigerants that do the cooling in car air conditioners. Over the next few years, it will be out with the old (HFC-134a) and in with the new (HFO-1234yf). Cars will be cooled with less global warming.
Both chemicals are hydro fluorocarbons, but the 134a in a car today is a “super greenhouse gas” with 1,430 times the global warming kick, pound for pound, of carbon dioxide. The new refrigerant, 1234yf, has just 4 times the global warming potency of CO2 and cuts the climate damage from car air conditioning by more than 300-fold. Changing over to 1234yf is a big step forward, because car air conditioning is one of the biggest, leakiest, and fastest growing uses of HFCs worldwide. And if HFC growth is left unchecked, these chemicals are responsible for a major share of future climate change.
1234yf Alternative
The other new alternative to R134A is HFO-1234YF, which has similar properties to R134A but meets the new European global warming standards. Refrigerant HFO-1234YF has a global warming potential rating as well as an ozone depletion rating, and as of yet, the HCO-1234YF is the only refrigerant that meets both EPA and European standards. HFO-1234YF is also a Class 2 flammable gas although slightly less flammable than the R152A.
Other Class 2 refrigerants found on the market, but not recommended for automotive use include R1143A, R142B and R143A. In February, after a long review, EPA approved 1234yf as an acceptable alternative for use in new cars. That action was supported by DuPont and Honeywell (who are ready to make the chemical), by most domestic and import automakers, and by NRDC. Two other compounds have also been approved, but car makers appear to favor 1234yf because it requires the smallest design changes to the air conditioning equipment.
Reaction among the car makers appears mostly positive. General Motors started using 1234yf in some 2013 models. Many other car companies are quietly making arrangements with chemical suppliers.
Car makers actually have incentives to act quickly, because switching refrigerants earns them significant credit towards meeting the global warming standards set under the Obama administration’s landmark Clean Car Peace Treaty. Those standards, applicable to 2012-2016 model cars, cover four greenhouse gases – CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and HFCs. Switching from 134a to 1234yf yields twice as much credit towards the “CO2-equivalent grams per mile” standard as merely cutting leakage of 134a.

134a

Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: 134a, ac repair, car A/C, car refrigerant, DuPont, EPA, freon, phase-out of 134a, refrigerant, replacement refrigerant

EPA Bans Additional Refrigerants

July 22, 2014 by HVAC Expert

EPA to Ban More ‘Unacceptable’ Refrigerants
By Betty Stephens

freon

EPA Action
A list of refrigerants unacceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grew by leaps and bounds on July 10, when EPA proposed to prohibit the use of certain chemicals that significantly contributes to climate change.
The EPA’s action is to reduce emissions of hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of “potent greenhouse gases,” under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. EPA says it estimates the ban reduces greenhouse gases by up to 42 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2020, equal to the carbon dioxide emissions from the annual electricity use of more than five million homes.
Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program evaluates substitute chemicals and technologies that are safe for the ozone layer. The proposed action would change the status of certain so-called “high-global warming potential (GWP) HFCs” that were previously listed as acceptable under the SNAP Program to be unacceptable in specific end-uses based on information showing that other alternatives are available for the same uses that pose lower risk overall to human health or the climate.
List of New Unacceptable Refrigerants

• HFC-125 as unacceptable
• HFC-134a as unacceptable
• R-507A and R-404A as unacceptable
• HCFC Blend Delta (also known as Free Zone), Freeze 12, GHG-X5, and HCFC Blend Lambda (also known as GHG-HP) as unacceptable
• HFC-227ea, R-407B, R-421B, R-422A, R-422C, R-422D, R-428A, and R-434A as unacceptable.
• HFC-134a and certain other HFC refrigerant blends as unacceptable.
• HFC-134a and blends thereof as unacceptable

In addition to automotive refrigerants and aerosol propellants, the new EPA list includes:
For A. New and retrofit retail food refrigeration (including stand-alone equipment, condensing units, direct supermarket systems, and indirect supermarket systems) and for new and retrofit vending machines, as of January 1, 2016: the HFC blends R-507A and R-404A are unacceptable.
• B. For new and retrofit retail food refrigeration (including direct supermarket systems and indirect supermarket systems), as of January 1, 2016: HFC-227ea, R-407B, R-421B, R-422A, R-422C, R-422D, R-428A, and R-434A are unacceptable.
•
• C. For new, stand-alone retail food refrigeration and new vending machines, as of January 1, 2016: HFC-134a and certain other HFC refrigerant blends are unacceptable.
•
• D. For all foam blowing end-uses, as of January 1, 2017, except where allowed under a narrowed use limit: HFC-134a and blends thereof are unacceptable; HFC-143a, HFC-245fa and HFC-365mfc and blends thereof, and the HFC blends Formacel B, and Formacel Z-6 are unacceptable in all foam blowing end-uses where they are currently listed as acceptable, except for spray foam applications.
•
• E. HFC blend Formacel TI is unacceptable in all foam blowing end-uses where it is currently listed as acceptable.
Summary
This rule also proposes to list as unacceptable certain hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) being phased out under the Montreal Protocol where substitutes are available that pose overall lower risk to human health and/or the environment. This proposal responds to the President’s Climate Action Plan by prohibiting certain uses of high global warming potential HFCs where alternatives are available that are safer for human health and the environment. The emissions reductions from this proposed rule are estimated to be 31 to 42 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020.

charging

Filed Under: Commercial, Cooling, Product Reviews, Residential, Tools of the Trade Explained Tagged With: Air conditioning, Banned refrigerants, Clean Air Act, climate change, EPA, freon, freon leaks, global warming, SNAP

Air Duct Cleaning

May 5, 2014 by HVAC Expert

Air Duct Cleaning    By Betty Stephens

duct

Top Benefits of HVAC Cleaning

The reason for consumers is that “if the ducts look dirty, they probably are,” and that dirty HVAC systems should be inspected by a reputable, certified HVAC professional. The most important reasons homeowners choose to have their air ducts cleaned are:

  1. Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is one concern that homeowners have when they decide to invest in air duct cleaning. In a typical six-room home, up to 40 pounds of dust is created annually through everyday living. A heating and cooling system is the lungs of a home. The system taken air in and breathes air out.

Through normal occupation in a home, we generate a great deal of contaminants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These contaminants are pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated five to seven times per day. Over time, this re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the duct work.

  1. Energy Savings

When an HVAC system is clean, it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you desire. As a result, less energy is used, leading to improved cost-effectiveness.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 to 40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted. Contaminants in the heating and cooling system cause it to work harder and shorten the life of your system. Although filters are used, the heating and cooling system still gets dirty through normal use.

Preventive Maintenance

Decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination. To prevent dirt from entering the system:

  • Change filters regularly.
  • Change them more frequently if your filters become clogged,
  • Ask service providers to clean coils when having system maintained.
  • Remove dust and vacuum your home regularly.
  • Prevent ducts from becoming wet.

Cleaning with Chemical Biocides inside Air Ducts

No products are currently registered by EPA as biocides for use on fiberglass duct board or fiberglass lined ducts so it is important to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of any biocide.

Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts to kill germs, and fungi_mold and prevent future biological growth. Some duct cleaning service providers may propose to introduce ozone to kill biological contaminants.

Very little research has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of most biocides and ozone when used inside ducts. Simply spraying or otherwise introducing these materials into the operating duct system may cause much of the material to be transported through the system and released into other areas of your home.

Chemical biocides are regulated by EPA under Federal pesticide law. A product must be registered by EPA for a specific use before it can be legally used for that purpose.

A small number of products are currently registered by EPA specifically for use on the inside of bare sheet metal air ducts. A number of products are also registered for use as sanitizers on hard surfaces, which could include the interior of bare sheet metal ducts. While many such products may be used legally inside of unlined ducts if all label directions are followed, some of the directions on the label may be inappropriate for use in ducts

Most organizations concerned with duct cleaning, including EPA, NADCA, NAIMA, and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) do not currently recommend the routine use of sealants in any type of duct.

See EPA Publication Reference: Residential Air Cleaners: A Summary of Available Information

To Learn More Contact:   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Indoor Environments Division (6609J)

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460

www.epa.gov/iaq

 

National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) Website: www.nadca.com

ducts

 

Filed Under: Cooling, Heating, Product Reviews, Residential, Residential, Tools of the Trade Explained Tagged With: air duct cleaning, duct cleaning, dust mites, EPA

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

March 24, 2014 by HVAC Expert

Carbon monoxide an Odorless, Tasteless Killer
By Betty Stephens

CO

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect. Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion of organic matter due to insufficient oxygen supply to enable complete oxidation to carbon dioxide (CO2). It is often produced in domestic or industrial settings by older motor vehicles and other gasoline-powered tools, heaters, and cooking equipment. Exposures at 100 ppm or greater can be dangerous to human health.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sources of carbon monoxide could include unvented gas space heaters, leaking furnaces or automobile exhaust in garages.

Symptoms of mild acute poisoning include lightheadedness, confusion, headaches, vertigo, and flu-like effects; larger exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system and heart, and even death. Following acute poisoning, long-term sequelae often occur. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. Chronic exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can lead to depression, confusion, and memory loss. Carbon monoxide mainly causes adverse effects in humans by combining with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) in the blood. This prevents hemoglobin from releasing oxygen in tissues, effectively reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, leading to hypoxia.

More than 400 Americans die every year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it is responsible for more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room annually.

New York Restaurant Poisoning

Carbon monoxide, a silent killer, is being blamed in the weekend death of a restaurant manager at a Long Island Mall. In this incident, the manager, Steven Nelson, 55, was found in the restaurant basement and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Twenty-seven people, including seven first responders, were taken to the hospital. In the Long Island case, investigators found a leak in the flue pipe of the water heater at Legal Sea Foods, a spokesman for the town of Huntington said. The pipe is supposed to carry gas from the water heater to the outside. Instead, the leak in the pipe caused the gas to build up in the basement of the restaurant.

The Legal Seafood restaurant didn’t have a carbon monoxide detector — because New York law doesn’t require them in restaurants; only in places where people sleep, said Huntington town officials.

CO detector

Detection

There are several precautions to take to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Chief among them is installing a carbon monoxide alarm in the hallway near every area of your home that is used for sleeping.

A carbon monoxide detector or CO detector is a device that detects the presence of the carbon monoxide (CO) gas in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. In the late 1990s Underwriters Laboratories (UL) changed their definition of a single station CO detector with a sound device in it to a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. This applies to all CO safety alarms that meet UL 2034; however for passive indicators and system devices that meet UL 2075, UL refers to these as carbon monoxide detectors.
CO detectors are designed to measure CO levels over time and sound an alarm before dangerous levels of CO accumulate in an environment, giving people adequate warning to safely ventilate the area or evacuate. Some system-connected detectors also alert a monitoring service that can dispatch emergency services if necessary.
While CO detectors do not serve as smoke detectors and vice versa, dual smoke/CO detectors are also sold. Smoke detectors detect the smoke generated by flaming or smoldering fires, whereas CO detectors detect and warn people about dangerous CO buildup caused. In the home, some common sources of CO include open flames, space heaters, water heaters, blocked chimneys or running a car inside a garage.

Filed Under: Heating, Product Reviews, Residential, Tools of the Trade Explained Tagged With: carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide poisoning, EPA, Legal Seafood. Carbon Monoxide Detectors, NightHawk

R22 Phase-Out

August 21, 2013 by HVAC Expert

Phase Out of R22 in 2020
By Betty Stephens

R22 phase out

Chlorodifluoromethane, better known as HCFC-22 or R-22 is a common refrigerant that is currently being phased out in the U.S. due to its very high potential to exacerbate ozone-depletion (R-22 is also a global warming gas). U.S. EPA has tried to reduce use of this material by imposing strict quotas on its production. Since 2010, the agency has also banned sale of new air-conditioning units containing the compound, and has promoted recycling of the gas from old machines so it will not be released. However,  R-22 will still be produced in decreasing quantities until 2020.
With the phase out of the R22 now becoming eminent in the coming years, the US companies are now not investing in the R22 production. As the deadline is getting closer the availability of R22 is becoming difficult, which is making the operation and maintenance of the existing equipment quite expensive. Even the raw material used for the manufacture of R22 gas, mainly chlorine, fluorspar, and natural gas, have become highly expensive.
What does all this mean to the typical homeowner?
The choice is dependent upon several factors:
• How old is your indoor evaporator coil?
• How old is your condenser?
• Do you want the highest efficiency available?
• Do you want a unit that is environmentally friendly?
• What will be the cost of R-22 as supply goes down?
When you are replacing equipment with R410A the condenser and the coil must be matched. You can’t have a coil that uses R-22 and a condenser that uses R410A. If one piece of your cooling equipment fails you have to look at the age of the other component to make a choice. R-22 equipment is still available, but as time goes on the selection and efficiency range that is available will go down. In fact all manufacturers today are choosing to make their high efficiency equipment with only R410A.
Because of this R22 phase out you may have to replace both the condenser and the coil, even if one of those components is still working. Another factor to consider is the cost of R22 Freon as the supply decreases. R12 (which was phased out several years ago) went as high as $72 per pound. When you consider that an average system uses about 12 lbs that could get expensive in a hurry.
Large Businesses
By law, owners of large equipment (e.g., supermarket systems, commercial air conditioning units) have to ensure that the equipment is maintained and leaks are repaired by certified technicians.
Homeowners
Homeowners of smaller central A/C units are not legally responsible for refrigerant leaks, but anyone servicing the smaller equipment is still prohibited from knowingly venting R-22. While the choice to recharge leaky equipment may come down to economics (recharge vs. new unit) this choice may be short-sighted. The unit would likely continue to require routine servicing, with increasingly more expensive recharges.
Some of the things related to R-22 that are legal and some are not legal:
Legal:
• Production for servicing existing equipment installed prior to January 1, 2010
• Production and import by businesses that have prescribed allowances from U.S. EPA through 2020
Not Legal:
• Intentional venting.
• Leaks from large systems above specified leak rates that go unreported and unrepaired.
• Imports or production by businesses that are not authorized by EPA.
• Sale to non EPA-certified technicians.
What Happens to Old Refrigerators?
Of the 9.4 million fridges reaching end of life in the U.S., about 25 percent are resold into the aftermarket, resulting in increased energy demand from continued use of the older, less-efficient models. That leaves 7.1 million fridges to be de-manufactured. Of these fridges, the vast majority end up in landfills or metal scrap yards, where their coolant refrigerants and other hazardous materials may not be dealt with properly. EPA’s RAD program encourages voluntary, responsible recycling but less than 10 percent of the discarded fridges in the U.S. are managed under RAD programs.
While Federal law requires recovery of refrigerants and other hazardous waste prior to disposal or recycling properly recovering refrigerants adds time and labor to an already labor-intensive process. “Cutting the line, or venting the refrigerant before the refrigerator arrives at the recycling facility, unfortunately, may be a common practice before the old fridge is crushed for scrap metal.
Summary
Refrigerants with zero or very low global warming potential (GWP) are gaining more market acceptance, in lots of applications. This year, EPA added three hydrocarbons as acceptable alternatives in household and small commercial refrigerators and freezers through the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. The newly-listed hydrocarbon refrigerants already widely in use in Europe can be used to replace CFC-12 and HCFC-22 in household refrigerators, freezers, combination refrigerator-freezers, and commercial stand-alone units.
U.S. EPA regulations related to fluorochemical refrigerants have resulted in a safe and smooth transition from CFCs to alternatives that are far better for the environment. However, it is challenging to ensure compliance with regulations that involve tens of thousands of certified technicians servicing millions of air conditioning and refrigeration units and systems across the U.S.
The EPA is expecting that allowance cuts for R-22 production will encourage greater recovery, and that refrigerant reclaimers will, in fact, be offering higher “bounties” for the gas.

HCFC 22 Phase out chart

Filed Under: Commercial, Cooling, Residential, Tools of the Trade Explained Tagged With: 410A, air conditioning systems, EPA, freon, R22, R22 phase-out, refrigerant

EPA Regulations on R22 / SEER Ratings

June 15, 2013 by HVAC Expert

EPA Regulations on R-22 / SEER Ratings
By Betty Stephens of Quest Media

EPA

The EPA has begun phasing out the production of R-22 and has banned the production of HVAC equipment that uses R-22 in compliance with Title VI of the Clean Air Act. The refrigerant that replaces R-22 is R-410A. R-410A is an HFC refrigerant blend with common trade names such as GENETRON AZ-20®, SUVA 410A®, Forane® 410A, and Puron®.
R-22 will be manufactured on a limited basis after this year and after 2020 will not be manufactured after… The EPA suggests that contractors to recycle and rescue as much R-22 to be used to continue to service existing units…
R-410A requires more pressure to cool, so therefore it requires new compressor and piping. Both the outside and inside unit must be replaced and current piping would need to be flushed with a special chemical.
The use of R-410A, as opposed to R-22, does not affect the HVAC unit’s energy efficiency. The energy efficiency is determined by a system’s SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). As of 2006, the minimum SEER rating allowed to be manufactured in the U.S. is a 13 which is 30% more efficient than a 10 rating. To receive the ENERGY STAR, a system must have a minimum 14 SEER rating. Currently, you can find a residential split-system with a SEER rating of 20 or more, but at a substantial cost over the standard SEER 13 units.
Systems with R-22 may find as the manufacturing of the product is reduced, the supply becoming difficult to find. “Also the price of R-22 is rising. Although the continued use of existing appliances with R-22 is not banned nor is the EPA mandating all R-22 equipment be converted, that is a factor that a homeowner should take into consideration when faced with repairing or replacing their system. More factors to take into consideration are the cost, energy efficiency, reliability, and performance. The life span of the outside condensing unit is usually around 15 years and the furnace around 20 years.
To learn more click the following link for EPA’s phase out of R-22 and R142b:

http://http://www.epa.gov/Ozone/title6/downloads/homeownerbrochure.pdf

R22

Filed Under: Commercial, Cooling, Residential Tagged With: air conditioner unit, air conditioning companies, central ac units, EPA, freon, heat pumps, heating & air conditioning, heatinh and cooling systems, home heating, home heating systems, hvac companies, R22, refrigerant

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