• April, 07 2025

Don’t touch that refrigerant!

If you think your AC’s refrigerant level is low, don’t tinker with it yourself. Call an HVAC contractor; federal law requires that only certified technicians deal with a refrigerant.

Air-conditioning refrigerants are toxic – and clear and almost odorless, too, which increases the danger to unsuspecting people and pets.

Its chemicals can damage the environment as well. Older AC refrigerants, which are being phased out, deplete the ozone layer. Modern refrigerants are toxic, although they don’t hurt the environment as much as their predecessors.

Before handling refrigeration problems, an AC technician must pass tests and be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Health problems

People can come down with acute refrigerant poisoning if they touch it or inhale it. Another form, chronic refrigerant poisoning, tends to occur in workplaces where employees are constantly exposed to refrigerant.

Symptoms range from coughs and dizziness to seizures and loss of consciousness, depending on the amount of exposure.

Not just Freon

Not all refrigerants are Freon, although some people use Freon as an interchangeable name for all refrigerants. Freon is a trade name for a once-common brand of R-22 refrigerant; the United States banned its production and import in 2020 on environmental grounds.

Refrigerant problems? Elite HVAC effectively solves HVAC issues in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Long Island.