Are the New Refrigerants Really a Safety Concern?
We are about a year into the new refrigerants, known as A2L refrigerants, and I get asked about them all the time. There is still some noise out there about flammability and safety, and I want to clear that up.
In my opinion, the concern is very overstated. If you go searching online, you might find videos or images that make these refrigerants look dangerous. I do not believe those reflect real-world conditions. There simply is not enough refrigerant in these systems, and they are not flammable enough, to cause the kind of damage some of those examples suggest.
When these systems are installed properly, they include built-in sensors designed to protect both you and your home. From what we have seen in the field, there is no reason for homeowners to be worried.
When it comes time to replace or upgrade your system, A2L refrigerants are what you will be using. They are safe, they are well regulated, and they are not something I believe homeowners need to be concerned about.
