© kuchina / Adobe Stock Although freon leaks are rare, when they do occur, they can have a number of unpleasant consequences for your health.
If you have an older air conditioner or other appliance that uses Freon, it’s worth taking the time to learn how to keep your family safe in the event of a leak.
The Role of Freon in Your Home Photo: aibara Freon is the trademark of The Chemours Company, Dupont’s parent company, for several chemicals used in cooling devices such as air conditioners and freezers, and as a propellant in aerosol cans.
The most common type of Freon found in homes today is Freon 22, known by the generic name R-22 refrigerant.
Refrigerant is a gas used in air conditioners and heat pumps to transfer heat from indoors to outdoors (or vice versa in winter).
Since then, equipment manufacturers have gradually abandoned Freon in favor of the more environmentally friendly refrigerant R-410A.
How Freon Leaks Can Hurt You © 9dreamstudio / Adobe Stock The only time Freon can get outside the appliance is through accidental damage or vandalism.
When this happens, the gas quickly escapes from the system, so you don’t have to worry about a slow, low-level Freon leaking into your home.
If you are sitting near a leaking refrigerant line and don’t notice it, you may experience some symptoms of exposure.
No known long-term health effects.
Children and small pets are more vulnerable to Freon exposure, partly because of their smaller body size and partly because Freon is heavier than air, so it forms higher concentrations closer to the ground.
This means that children and pets will experience health symptoms before any adult in the household.
The Risk of Refrigerant Poisoning If you’ve heard that Freon causes serious health problems, you may be thinking about a condition known as refrigerant poisoning.
This can happen when someone intentionally inhales Freon to get “high”. Early symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, and irritated eyes, nose, and throat.
A leak in your home does not expose you to the high concentrations of Freon needed to cause these symptoms.
Act fast to protect your health © adrian_ilie825 / Adobe Stock An air conditioner needs a refrigerant to cool the air, so a Freon leak will quickly become apparent when you use the system.
Try cooling your home with a leaky air conditioner and you’ll notice: your air isn’t getting as cool as it should be.
If you notice these symptoms, check both the outdoor condenser unit and the indoor air supply for a hissing sound caused by refrigerant leakage.
This sound is a sure sign that the air conditioner’s copper refrigerant lines are leaking.
Other times, after an earthquake or severe storm, you’ll want to check your refrigerant lines for damage, even if you haven’t noticed any signs of damage.
If you discover a Freon leak in your home, get all children and pets out of the house first.
Call a technician to stop the leak and charge the system with refrigerant.
Leaks are more likely to occur near the outdoor condenser unit, so signs of refrigerant loss do not necessarily mean your home has a Freon leak.
Vandalism is a common cause of outdoor leaks.
Leaks can also occur underground, so if your air conditioner shows signs of a leak, contact a technician.
Although an outdoor leak poses little danger to you, leaked Freon can harm plants and animals and contribute to ozone depletion.
In addition, low refrigerant levels stress your air conditioner’s compressor, causing damage to it and other components.
Reminder A Freon leak in your home can cause mild symptoms such as dizziness and shortness of breath, but these usually only appear if you are around the leak for a long time.
It is also possible for the air conditioner to release all the refrigerant without causing you any harm.
However, if you notice signs of a refrigerant leak, whether it’s from an old or new air conditioner, contact a technician immediately to protect your health, the environment, and your air conditioning system.