There is a TON of misinformation being put out there by dishonest or uneducated sales people about freon at the moment. We have been hearing it more and more from customers. We want to set the record straight about how some people are being scammed into replacing their air conditioners unnecessarily.
If you read nothing else, just know that it is not illegal to continue using an older air conditioner that uses R-22 Freon refrigerant!
Refrigerant – This is the stuff that allows an air conditioner to cool your home, that’s the simple answer. Over the years there have been different versions, such as Freon (R-22) and Puron (R410A). Any new air conditioner is required by federal law to utilize R-410a refrigerant, which is the latest and most environmentally friendly refrigerant being used. R-22 Freon is the older refrigerant that was used in air conditioners for decades.
This is where the sales scam comes in…
R-22 and the sales SCAM – New federal regulations have banned the production of any new R-22 refrigerant, and new air conditioners must utilize R-410a Puron. Current stock of R-22 is allowed to be sold and used for maintenance / repairs of existing R-22 air conditioning units. R-22 AIR CONDITIONERS ARE NOT ILLEGAL TO SERVICE OR USE!
Unfortunately, we hear nearly every day now that dishonest sales people from other companies are telling people that they MUST replace their air conditioner immediately because it is R-22 and illegal to use… even if all they need is a new furnace or a simple repair on their existing air conditioner. This is not true! Do not fall for this. If this is what a sales person is telling you, they are likely not working for a company that you should be doing business with.
If you have any questions at all about this information, or have heard something different from another contractor, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We are happy to explain these regulations and the truth about this information.