You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, since it contains chemicals.
Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Circleville, in addition to how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably contains Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by calling us at 740-474-5940. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will contain information on what type of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also called 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, banned its creation and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It differs. If your air conditioning is operating correctly, you can continue to keep it. With routine 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 summertime cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, since only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the discontinuation of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it requires a varying pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have begun 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 approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be sent on to you through your cooling costs.
Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you very much until you require repairs. But as we discussed beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs can be pricier because of the restricted quantities available.
Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re getting lots of other appointments for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses an outdated refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest upgrading to a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and might even lower your cooling costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling offers many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 740-474-5940 to begin today with a free estimate.