by Czar » Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:16 am
Something that not a lot of people are aware of. Beginning January 1st, 2020, sales of the current formulation of Freon refrigerant will be banned in the US. I don't even think that retailers will be able to sell their existing stock after that date, unless they have special permit from EPA. I don't think the new refrigerant is compatible with the old, so they cannot be mixed. That also means that if you have an older unit (sometimes not even that old, as it is still being used) and you have trouble involving the refrigerant, you will have to replace your entire unit. This will affect cars too. The current formulation of Freon is terrible for the ozone, so it is being phased out. The number designations are a little confusing, but It is important to note that HFC refrigerant such as R134a, R410A, and R404A are being slowly phased out due to their high global warming potential. They will most likely all be replaced by new HFO refrigerant 1234YF or equivalents.