You might not think often about how your air conditioner works, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Plover, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 715-504-0533. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will include information on what model of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, banned its creation and import in January 2020.
I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?
It varies. If your air conditioning is cooling properly, you can continue to use it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to operate 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 install a new air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, because only reduced amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it needs an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to contribute to global warming. Because of that, it might 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 the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some companies have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming possibility—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy use by approximately 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 bills.
Point Heating & Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you require repairs. But as we discussed previously, refrigerant repairs can be more expensive due to the restricted levels on hand.
In addition to that, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, typically on the warmest day when we’re receiving many other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on an outdated refrigerant or is aging, we recommend getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and could even reduce your cooling bills, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Point Heating & Cooling offers many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 715-504-0533 to get started today with a free estimate.