You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner works, 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 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 New Castle, in addition to how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it likely has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 724-401-1843. You can also check the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will have information on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its manufacture and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It differs. If your air conditioning is working properly, you can continue to use it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling expenses!
If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it can create a problem if you require air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, since only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the discontinuation of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it calls for a different pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a result, it could also ultimately be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some companies have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy consumption by about 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 cooling expenses.
Central Heating & Plumbing Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you a whole lot until you need repairs. But as we mentioned beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant could be more expensive because of the restricted levels on hand.
In addition to that, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re receiving a lot of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and may even reduce your electrical bills, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Central Heating & Plumbing provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 724-401-1843 to get started today with a free estimate.