Stevenson Ranch: Air Conditioning And The Ozone

Like many residences in Stevenson Ranch, air conditioning users are concerned about the effects on the environment for using their systems. There is no doubt that some older makes and models of air conditioners are anything but healthy choices for the environment. Yet, the good news is that there are plenty of options that are. As a good environmental protector, you should know as much as you can about the dangers having to do with air conditioning.

The Problem

The problem with air conditioners is that many of them use a refrigerant to generate the cool air. This refrigerant has been shown to cause ozone depletion. As the substance is used it can be harmful to the environment as a whole. The problem happens when older systems that are aged and perhaps not as well taken care of as they should be, develop leaks in them. These leaks allow a lot of the refrigerants to escape, which in turn causes a number of them to get into the atmosphere and therefore become pollutants, depleting the ozone layer.

The substance in question is a refrigerant called CFC 12 or R 12. These substances were also found in refrigerators, older cards and in some air conditioners, though most were for commercial use. This substance was no longer used in systems made and installed after December 31, 1995. All new systems you may be considering putting into your home do not have this type of refrigerant in them now, but older systems already installed in your home may.

What About Now?

Does this mean that Stevenson Ranch air conditioning users are safe? While it is a good indication that a newer system will be more protective, there are still some risks. The new refrigerant used in central home air conditioners is a product called R 22. This is a hydro chlorofluorocarbon or HCFC. This product is safer as it does not have the ability to do as much damage as previous ones. Yet, if the substance does get into the stratosphere, it could be potentially damaging there.

Over time, these products will be removed from use, as newer and safer products become available. You may notice this if you have a new car purchased in Stevenson Ranch. Air conditioning systems in these new cars have a product called R 134a in them which is an HFC or hydro fluorocarbon. These newer products no longer contain any environmental risk factors in terms of the ozone. You may find these popping into new air conditioning systems, too.

If you are installing a new air conditioner into your home, you may want to take a look at what companies are doing to protect the ozone. For example, Carrier has introduced a residential central air conditioning system that uses a safe refrigerant in their WeatherMaker 134a. Other manufacturers are sure to follow suit. As a resident of Stevenson Ranch, air conditioning isn't something you can give up easily. Yet, you will find new systems coming onto the market that do provide environmental protection.