July 31, 2012
Are you concerned about someone you love huffing refrigerant? This can be a well-known, or hardly mentioned but regularly occurring, problem in many homes around North America. And it poses a significant health hazard to the individuals who inhale the refrigerant that makes cooling homes possible. However, there is a low-cost, simple solution to the problem that homeowners can easily access.
Dangers of refrigerant huffing Air-conditioning refrigerant generally is utilized in the form of the R-22, also known by its trade name Freon. It is harmful enough to the environment that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with a global initiative, has mandated the phase-out of its use by 2020. As harmful as it is to the environment, it can be just as dangerous if you inhale it. In fact, permanent health issues can be a result of its intentional (or unintentional) inhalation, including:
- Heart attacks
- High blood pressure
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Swollen throat and throat pains
- Loss of vision
- Burning in the nose, eyes and lips
- Vomiting of blood
- Blood in the stool
- Sudden death
Effects on HVAC equipment While the effects on humans is highly detrimental and can lead to death, refrigerant huffing also is harmful to your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) equipment. When your system does not have the necessary amount of refrigerant to operate at peak efficiency, this puts unnecessary stress on an air conditioner’s internal components, such as the compressor. This can lead to damage on the other air-conditioning components, and will cause a decrease in its efficiency. If you’ve noticed an unexplainable rise in energy costs, refrigerant huffing could be to blame. A minimal loss of 10 percent of your system's refrigerant can raise your energy costs by a whopping 20 percent. The solution During your next HVAC maintenance visit, ask your technician to install a safety cap on the air conditioner’s external unit. This locking cap prevents anyone from accessing the system’s refrigerant lines unless they have the key, and are similar to the locking gas caps that you can purchase for your car. These locking caps won’t cost you much in terms of dollars, but they could save lives -- and untold energy dollars. Even if you've already had annual maintenance performed, you can ask to have the safety cap installed as a separate service. Contact Russell's Heating & Cooling today to find out more information about how refrigerant huffing could be impacting your air conditioner. Serving homeowners in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia since 1977. Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about refrigerant huffing and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Russell’s Heating & Cooling services the Chesapeake, Virginia and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
