You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, since it contains chemicals.
Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, 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, as well as how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it likely contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 1-866-781-0111. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your home. This sticker will have details on what type of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also referred to 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, outlawed its production and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It differs. If your air conditioning is cooling as designed, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling costs!
If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it might cause a problem if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be more expensive, because only reduced levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the discontinuation of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it requires a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it may also ultimately be phased out. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy consumption by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be passed on to you through your cooling expenses.
McFadden Heating & Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs can be more expensive due to the restricted quantities that are accessible.
Aside from that, your air conditioner typically malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the warmest day when we’re experiencing a lot of other appointments for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we suggest upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a hassle-free summer and may even reduce your utility expenses, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, McFadden Heating & Cooling provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 1-866-781-0111 to start now with a free estimate.
