You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental regulation, because of the chemicals it contains.

Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Plover, in addition to how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 715-504-0533. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will contain information on what type 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 manages refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its production and import in January 2020.

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

It depends. If your air conditioning is cooling correctly, you can continue to use it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that removing 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 may cause an issue if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, because only reduced levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the end of R-22, most new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. As it requires a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. Because of that, it might also sometime be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy expenditure by around 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 costs.

Point Heating & Cooling Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you require repairs. But as we discussed earlier, refrigerant repairs can be more costly because of the restricted amounts available.

In addition to that, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re receiving lots of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and might even decrease your cooling costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Point Heating & Cooling provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 715-504-0533 to get started now with a free estimate.