The Department of Energy wants to ensure that heat pumps comprise 90% of space and water heating sales by 2050. However, properties considering heat pumps need to be mindful of a potential health hazard: PFAS or forever chemicals. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
Heat pumps are here to stay, and they are only going to get more ubiquitous. They present a solid pathway for buildings to decarbonize various functions like water heating. However, not all heat pumps are created equally and some of them can be harmful to our health. Some refrigerants used in heat pumps have been found to contain PFAS or forever chemicals. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
PFAS stand for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. These chemicals have been used in non-stick cookware, certain clothing items, and other products. They tend to be extremely resistant to heat, water, and oil, making them attractive for various functions (source).
However, they do not break down easily and persist in the body and the environment for thousands of years. Every American tested has PFAS in their blood, according to Clean Water Action. PFAS can cause some seriously negative effects on our health such as:
Refrigerants are an integral component of heat pumps. Refrigerants are substances that are highly sensitive to heat. This heat sensitivity allows heat pumps to absorb heat from one source (such as air, for example) and transfer it to another (water, for example). There are numerous kinds of refrigerants. Various synthetic refrigerants used in some heat pumps have been found to contain PFAS or forever chemicals.
For instance, the refrigerant R513a used by a Maine-based commercial heat pump water heater manufacturer contains PFAS. Here’s a list of commonly used refrigerants, their PFAS presence, and their real GWP from ATMOsphere:
Due to the inclusion of PFAs in these refrigerants, they also face a higher risk of being phased out by regulation. Some of them have already been deregulated in places like the European Union.
In the best interest of health safety as well as safety from deregulation, it is wise to know which refrigerant a heat pump water heater uses, and whether it contains PFAS. In most cases, choosing a heat pump with a natural refrigerant would be a safe bet.
For instance, Intellihot’s commercial tankless heat pump water heaters, the Electron Series use the CO₂-based R744 refrigerant. This refrigerant is completely free from PFAS and safe for human health. It also has the lowest Global Warming Potential of 1, making it the most sustainable choice as well.
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