You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, since it contains chemicals.
Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Troy, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it likely has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by reaching us at 937-558-9478. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will include details on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It varies. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that removing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it might create an issue if you require air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, because only small levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the discontinuation of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it needs a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be phased out. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some manufacturers have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming potential—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy consumption by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be forwarded on to you through your utility costs.
Edington Heating & Cooling Inc Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we went over previously, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more expensive since there are the restricted levels on hand.
Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently breaks down at the worst time, often on the muggiest day when we’re experiencing many other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and could even decrease your utility costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Edington Heating & Cooling Inc offers many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 937-558-9478 to start today with a free estimate.
