Which Air Conditioning Refrigerants Are Being Phased Out?

You might not think much about how your air conditioner operates, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental regulation, as it contains chemicals.

Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, 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 impact you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably has Freon®. You can discover 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 located outside your residence. This sticker will contain details on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, barred its production 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 correctly, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling expenses!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it can create a problem if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, because only limited quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the phaseout of R-22, most new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for a different pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a result, it might also eventually be ended. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?

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

Home Comfort Heating & Air Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you need repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant repairs might be more expensive because of the reduced amounts on hand.

Not to mention, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re experiencing many other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner relies on a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a trouble-free summer and might even decrease your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Home Comfort Heating & Air has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 763-276-0617 to get started today with a free estimate.