What Refrigerant Does Your AC Use, And Why You Should Care?

What Is Refrigerant?

A refrigerant is a substance with a low boiling point that's simple to change from liquid to vapor. It also needs to be just as easy to change back to a liquid. And it needs to be able to do this again and again. Each time it changes, refrigerant is either absorbing or releasing heat in the air.

Most systems use refrigerants that have much lower boiling points than water. The refrigerant in your AC might have a boiling point of -50 or -60 degrees Fahrenheit. That means a room sitting at 80 degrees Fahrenheit is more than enough to boil the refrigerant.

How An Air Conditioner Works

Your AC uses that low boiling point to do its job. When your AC’s fan blows hot air through the evaporator coil, the cold refrigerant in the pipes absorbs the heat. That heat boils the refrigerant, changing it to vapor as it travels through the coil. The air loses its heat in the process, so it's cold once the fan blows it into your vents.

After that happens the boiling refrigerant travels through the system to a condenser. There it’s cooled and changed back into a liquid. Then it cycles back to the evaporator coil so the cycle can begin again. And the air in your home cools to a comfortable temperature.

Why Your Refrigerant Type Matters

One of the biggest reasons to pay attention to your type of refrigerant is the cost. Many of these refrigerants are a combination of different molecules. That means one company owns the formula and can charge others for access to it, driving up prices. These types often need specialists to clean up any spills as well.

On top of that, the type of refrigerant your AC uses can make a huge impact on the environment. Many refrigerants were a big part of cutting a hole in the ozone layer. Later varieties added large amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Most of the newest options have much less of a negative effect.

What A Good Refrigerant Needs

A good refrigerant should also have a low impact on the environment first. Refrigerants can make a huge difference for the better with how many cooling units there are. Along with that, a good refrigerant shouldn’t be flammable or toxic. They should boil at a consistent temperature and liquefy the same way. That’s so your air conditioner can be efficient and less expensive.

A few modern refrigerants meet these standards and more. R32 refrigerant is one example because it’s made of a single molecule instead of a blend. That means it’s simple to use, works at consistent temperatures, and recycling it is a simple process. It’s not easy to light it on fire, and it’s not highly toxic. Finally, because it’s made of a single molecule, there aren’t any patents attached to it. That makes it cheaper and more available than other options.