Water Heating Systems in Gresham City – What is Freon?

Freon™ is a family of products developed by the DuPont company in 1928. Through the 1980s, Freon™ was used in a wide variety of applications, until growing evidence suggested that it was contributing to damage in the ozone layer which protects the Earth. In response, alternatives to the products were developed, and several governments have launched initiatives to help people replace products which contain Freon™ so that the products can be safely sequestered.

These products were originally developed for use in refrigeration. They are part of a family of chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Prior to the production of Freon™, a variety of toxic substances including ammonia were used in refrigeration, causing illness when leaks occurred. Freon™ was viewed as a safe refrigerant because it is nontoxic, noncorrosive, nonflammable, and nonreactive. In the 1930s, use of the chemical in refrigeration systems began to rise dramatically, with manufacturers viewing the products as safer and easier to work with.

In addition to being used as a refrigerant in refrigerators and freezers, Freon™ was also used in air conditioning systems, firefighting systems, and as an aerosol propellant. The widespread production and use of Freon™ led to an accumulation of the chemical in the environment. Eventually, people began to realize that the ozone layer above the Earth was starting to degrade, and CFCs were suspected of being involved, leading to calls to ban the use and additional production of these chemicals.