DO AIR CONDITIONING UNITS STILL USE FREON?

Modern air conditioning units no longer use Freon to help keep homes comfortable during the warm summer months. That transition came relatively recently, ending a decades-long reliance.

SO... WHAT EXACTLY IS FREON?

The earliest air conditioning units and refrigerators sprouted up in the late 1800s and relied on a combination of methyl chloride, sulfur dioxide, and ammonia. Each of these gases alone is toxic, but combined, leaks were commonly lethal. They weren’t the sort of appliances families might have welcomed into their homes, even if they had electricity. Freon became one of the most commonly used gas in both air conditioners and refrigerators.