You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner works, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.
Based on when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Bloomfield, plus how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it probably has Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 812-825-8695. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will contain information on what model of refrigerant your AC has.
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 prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, banned its creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It varies. If your air conditioning is operating as designed, you can continue to keep it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it might lead to difficulties if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, as only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the end of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. Since it needs a different pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to contribute to global warming. Because of that, it may also ultimately be phased out. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some manufacturers have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy use by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be forwarded on to you through your energy expenses.
Stanford Heating & Cooling Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you need repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant repairs might be more expensive due to the restricted quantities on hand.
Aside from that, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re getting lots of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is aging, we recommend getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and can even reduce your cooling bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Stanford Heating & Cooling has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 812-825-8695 to start today with a free estimate.
