You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house cool. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, it may use 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 added before 2010, it possibly has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by reaching us at 763-276-0617. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will contain details on what kind of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon 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, barred its creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It varies. If your air conditioning is operating properly, you can continue to run it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it can create a problem if you need air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, because only reduced amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the discontinuation of R-22, many new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer in good shape. As 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 contribute to global warming. Because of that, it could also sometime be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have begun 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 decreases energy expenditure by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be passed on to you through your cooling bills.
Home Comfort Heating & Air Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you require repairs. But as we talked about previously, refrigerant repairs might be more costly because of the reduced levels on hand.
Not to mention, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re receiving lots of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise upgrading to a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and may even lower your electrical bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Home Comfort Heating & Air provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 763-276-0617 to get started right away with a free estimate.
