You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, because of the chemicals it contains.
Depending on 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 Dresden, in addition to how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by contacting us at 1-866-781-0111. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will have info on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, banned its manufacture and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It depends. If your air conditioning is running properly, you can continue to run it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it may lead to a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be more expensive, since only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it requires an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. Because of that, it may also eventually be phased out. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have started 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 decreases energy consumption by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be forwarded on to you through your cooling bills.
McFadden Heating & Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you require repairs. But as we discussed previously, repairs connected to refrigerant can be pricier due to the low amounts that are accessible.
In addition to that, your air conditioner frequently breaks down at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re getting lots of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a trouble-free summer and could even decrease your electrical costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, McFadden Heating & Cooling has many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 1-866-781-0111 to start today with a free estimate.
