You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it requires refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental regulation, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Genoa, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 847-306-8990. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your residence. This sticker will include details on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, banned its production and import in January 2020.
I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?
It depends. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to run it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling expenses!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it might cause an issue if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, because only reduced levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the phaseout of R-22, many new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it needs an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to create global warming. As a result, it may also sometime be ended. 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 manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming likelihood—about 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 passed on to you through your cooling bills.
Assured Appliance & Heating & Air Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about previously, repairs connected to refrigerant might be pricier because of the reduced amounts that are accessible.
Aside from that, your air conditioner typically stops working at the worst time, often on the muggiest day when we’re experiencing lots of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires an outdated refrigerant or is getting old, we advise installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and may even lower your utility expenses, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Assured Appliance & Heating & Air provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 847-306-8990 to get started right away with a free estimate.
