EPA Proposes Ban on R-404A and Other Refrigerants

You may have heard that the EPA is proposing to ban the use of some common refrigerants  I would like to give a brief overview of things you should know about this proposed ruling. First – at this stage it is still a proposal – not a ruling. Typically the way this works they publish a proposed ruling, allow us to comment on it, revise the ruling based on the comments (if they choose to), and publish the final ruling.  Since this is still a proposed ruling, you have a little time before it will take effect. Second, not all industries are affected by this ruling. Air conditioning caught a break – air conditioning systems are not covered . However, motor vehicle air conditioning IS covered. For motor vehicle air conditioning the big news is that 134a will no longer be acceptable in NEW VEHICLES beginning January 2016. A large number of zeotropes are also banned from use in new vehicles, but most of those are mainly used today as an R12 substitute. That should not have a great effect because they are only banned in NEW vehicles.

Retail refrigeration appliances and vending machines are also covered. The big news here is that R507 and R404A will be considered unacceptable for both new AND retrofit applications in retail refrigeration beginning January 2016. Retail refrigeration would include things such as display cases in grocery stores.

Four areas that are NOT covered by this proposed rule (yet) include cold storage warehouses, ice machines, refrigerated transport, and industrial process  refrigeration. However, the EPA is specifically asking for comments about the possibility of using low GWP refrigerants in these areas as well.
 “EPA requests comment on the use and viability of both low-GWP refrigerants (e.g., R-744, R-717, and HCs) and other HFC-blends (e.g., R-407A and R-407F) and the possibility of listing R-404A, R-507A, and other high-GWP blends unacceptable in any or all of these four end-uses.” I encourage you to do some of your own research into this. Here is a link to the proposed RULING. Here is a link to a FACT SHEET about the ruling. Here is a table summarizing the proposed changes to the auto air conditioning and retail refrigeration refrigerants.

Refrigerant Uses Deemed Unacceptable as of January 1, 2016
End-use	Substitute	Further Information
Retail food refrigeration (new and retrofit)	R-404A	R-404A is a blend, by weight, of 44% HFC-125, 4% HFC-134a, and 52% HFC-143a. It has a high GWP of approximately 3,920. Other substitutes are available for this endues with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Retail food refrigeration (new and retrofit)	R-507A	R-507A is a blend, by weight, of 50% HFC-125 and 50% HFC-143a. It has a high GWP of approximately 3,990. Other substitutes are available for this end-use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Retail food refrigeration (condensing units and supermarket systems) (new)	HFC-227ea, R-407B, R-421B, R-422A, R-422C, R-422D, R-428A, R-434A	These refrigerants have GWPs ranging from 2,729 to 3,607. Other substitutes are available for this end use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Retail food refrigeration (condensing units and supermarket systems) (retrofit)	R-407B, R-421B, R-422A, R-422C, R-422D, R-428A, R-434A	These refrigerants have GWPs ranging from 2,729 to 3,607. Other substitutes are available for this end use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Retail food refrigeration (stand alone units only) (new only)	HFC-134a	HFC-134a has a Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number (CAS Reg. No.) of 811-97-2 and it is also known by the name 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane. HFC-134a has a relatively high GWP of 1,430. Other substitutes are available for this end use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment
Retail food refrigeration (stand alone units only) (new only)	FOR12A, FOR12B, HFC-227ea, IKON B, KDD6, R- 125/290/134a/600a (55.0/1.0/42.5/1.5), R-407A, R-407B, R-407C, R-407F, R-410A, R-410B, R-417A, R-421A, R-421B, R-422A, R-422B, R-422C, R-422D, R-424A, R-426A, R-428A, R-434A, R-437A, R-438A, RS-24 (2002 formulation), RS-44 (2003 formulation), SP34E, THR-03.	These refrigerants have GWPs ranging from approximately 550 to 3,607. Other substitutes are available for this end-use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Vending machines (new and retrofit)	R-404A	R-404A is a blend, by weight, of 44% HFC-125, 4% HFC-134a, and 52% HFC-143a. It has a high GWP of approximately 3,920. Other substitutes are available for this endues with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Vending machines (new and retrofit)	R-507A	R-507A is a blend, by weight, of 50% HFC-125 and 50% HFC-143a. It has a high GWP of approximately 3,990. Other substitutes are available for this end-use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.
Vending machines (new only)	HFC-134a	HFC-134a has a Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number (CAS Reg. No.) of 811-97-2 and it is also known by the name 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane. HFC-134a has a relatively high GWP of 1,430. Other substitutes are available for this end use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment
Vending machines (new only)	FOR12A, FOR12B, IKON B, KDD6, R- 125/290/134a/600a (55.0/1.0/42.5/1.5), R-407C, R-410A, R-410B, R-417A, R-421A, R-422B, R-422C, R-422D, R-426A, R-437A, R-438A, RS-24 (2002 formulation), SP34E.	These refrigerants have GWPs ranging from approximately 550 to 3,085. Other substitutes are available for this end-use with lower overall risk to human health and the environment.

Dryer Sheets In The Coil

Recently, two different techs have told me stories about finding dryer sheets used creatively in customers air conditioning systems.  When they asked their customer why there were bunches of dryer sheets stuck to the air filter, the customer said they liked the “clean, fresh scent.” Another story involved customers removing supply registers and stuffing  dryer sheets across the outlet of the register to “filter and freshen” the air. Naturally, some of these found their way to the coil where they clogged the coil and caused enough air flow restriction to freeze the system up. In all cases, dryer sheets stuffed into clever places only serve to restrict the airflow. Even if they did not, all you are accomplishing is introducing whatever chemical is on them into your system. They don’t remove odors – they just add more. Honeywell used to sell a system to do that called the “Scentrol.” Scentrols used little gel cans that looked like sterno. They system controlled how much air circulated over the can to regulate the scent. It even had a wall control. My father sold one to a customer who also bought an electronic air cleaner with an activated charcoal filter to remove smells. The customer insisted on having the Scentrol installed, even after dad explained that they were buying one machine to put smells in the air and another to take them out. Here is a link to an online forum that has a picture http://www.hvacproforums.com/threads/honeywell-scentrol.1148/

So what do you suggest to customers who want the air conditioner to improve their home’s odor? I don’t think you can buy a Scentrol anymore. First, try to find out if there are specific odors they are trying to get rid of. Finding and eliminating the source is really the best option. My brother once discovered that the kitchen sink drain leaving the disposal had never been connected on a new house in which the customers were complaining about dirty sock syndrome. If the odors are system related, look at the condition of the indoor coil and make sure there are not problems such as a leaky return in a crawl space. If they just like the idea of having a “fresh scent” system there are a number of filters that use activated charcoal to absorb odor. Just check that the pressure drop across the filter is not too high. Like the famous 1” pleated filters, some of the charcoal filters can add enough restriction to cause an airflow problem even when they are clean. Another option would be an air cleaner that uses titanium dioxide and UV light to eat up compounds that cause odors. Both Field Controls and Lennox make air cleaners that use this technology.  Now you are on the high end of the cost spectrum, but you are dealing with solid, reputable companies who sell things that work.

Check System External Static BEFORE Sealing Ducts

I recently read a thought provoking article by David Richardson in the July 7 Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration News. In it he argues that sealing an undersized duct system can cause problems. The system cooled BEFORE you sealed the ducts, and now that you have worked on it, the system cannot move enough air to stay operating. I know I have seen many systems with marginal ductwork that still managed to operate, even if inefficiently. The duct leaks could be allowing just enough extra air flow to keep the system operating. The combination of leaks on both the return and supply sides of the system serve to reduce the static pressure difference against which the fan must move the air. If the static pressure difference between the return and supply is already at or past the limit the manufacturer publishes for their system, sealing the ducts will increase the already high static pressure difference and push the system over the edge. This is why Mr. Richardson advises taking a reading of the total external static pressure difference BEFORE sealing the duct to avoid this trap. If it is too high, the duct system will need more attention than just sealing – it will need some duct modifications as well. Better to know before you do the job. What is too high? I don’t like to see anything higher than 0.8” wc – that is usually the top end on most residential systems. Most residential systems will operate comfortably around 0.5” wc. Some will go all the way to 1” wc, but at a cost. With ECM fan motors you are burning electricity to shove air through restrictive ductwork. With PSC blowers you lose airflow at high external static pressures. This costs electricity in another way. The suction pressure drops, the compression ratio increases, and system capacity decreases – causing extended run times and inefficient operation.