Contractors
Starting January 1, 2010, a new EPA mandate will change the way you service and repair air conditioners. At that time, manufacturing HVAC equipment that utilizes R-22 (also known as HCFC-22 and Freon) will be banned, and the nation will begin using R-410A (also known as Puron) as the standard refrigerant for air conditioners. Read all about the changes—and how they'll affect you—here.
Question
What impact will the EPA mandate have on my customers?
Answer
The EPA-mandated changes may have a variety of impacts. Your customers may:
- Not understand why service and repair costs have increased.
- Want you to search far and wide for replacement parts before they decide to replace an entire air conditioning unit.
- Want to know the cost of all of their options before they decide on a course of action.
Question
How will this affect my relationship with home service contract/ warranty companies that hire me to perform repairs?
Answer
Each home service contract/ warranty company may address the situation differently, but:
- Current contract language typically excludes coverage for the replacement of the entire system when a repair cannot be made to an R-22 system.
- There will probably be a large number of R-410A covered/not covered home service contracts/ warranties available through 2010-11.
Question
Do I need additional training to repair or install R-410A systems?
Answer
While the EPA has not yet mandated new Section 608 certification for R-410A systems, your technicians must be adequately trained to ensure quality service and repairs for your customers. Most manufacturers recommend that all technicians have specific R-410A training due to the differences in the systems.
Question
What additional information does the EPA provide?
Answer
The EPA provides information for technicians on its website. You may also download the EPA's technical brochure, which should be especially helpful.
Question
Will I need to purchase new tools to work on R-410A systems?
Answer
At a minimum, you may need new gauges, manifolds, reclaim machines, and flaring and swaging tools.
Question
Will I need to keep additional parts in my inventory?
Answer
To be able to service R-410A systems, you'll only need to add a few parts to your inventory. They include driers, contactors and an adequate supply of R-410A refrigerant.
Question
Will the refrigerant line-set need to be changed when converting a system from R-22 to R-410A?
Answer
In most cases, the diameter of the Liquid and Suction line-sets will be adequate for an R-410A system and will not need to be changed. However, when you convert a system to a different refrigerant using the existing line-set, you must perform a line-set flush before introducing the new refrigerant into the system.
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