You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.

Depending on when your air conditioner was installed, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Elk River, plus how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 763-276-0617. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will have details on what kind of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It varies. If your air conditioning is operating fine, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling costs!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it might lead to a problem if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be higher-priced, since only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

With the end of R-22, most new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for an incompatible 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 result, it might also eventually be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?

In preparation of the end, some brands have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming potential—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy expenditure by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be sent on to you through your cooling costs.

Home Comfort Heating & Air Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you require repairs. But as we talked about previously, refrigerant repairs can be pricier since there are the restricted amounts on hand.

Aside from that, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re receiving lots of other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a discontinued refrigerant or is aging, we advise installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a trouble-free summer and can even decrease your electrical bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Home Comfort Heating & Air has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 763-276-0617 to begin now with a free estimate.