You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your house cool. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, because of the chemicals it contains.
Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Elk River, in addition to how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably has Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 763-276-0617. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will contain information on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its creation and import in January 2020.
I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?
It varies. If your air conditioning is operating properly, you can continue to run it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that removing 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 can lead to difficulties if you have to have air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, since only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the discontinuation of R-22, most new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer in good shape. As it requires an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. Because of that, it might also sometime be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming possibility—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy expenditure by approximately 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 energy costs.
Home Comfort Heating & Air Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you need repairs. But as we went over beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more costly since there are the low levels available.
In addition to that, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re getting lots of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and may even lower your cooling costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Home Comfort Heating & Air provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 763-276-0617 to start right away with a free estimate.
