You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it needs refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, as 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 go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Greensburg, in addition to how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly uses Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner uses it by contacting us at 812-663-7252. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will include details on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for 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 creation and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It differs. If your air conditioning is cooling correctly, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling bills!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it can lead to difficulties if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be higher-priced, since only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the discontinuation of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it requires an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the potential to create global warming. As a consequence, it might also eventually be ended. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the phaseout, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming potential—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers 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 energy costs.

Wallpe Heating & Cooling Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you a whole lot until you require repairs. But as we discussed previously, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more expensive due to the restricted quantities that are accessible.

Aside from that, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re receiving a lot of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend installing a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and could even decrease your electrical costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Wallpe Heating & Cooling offers many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 812-663-7252 to begin right away with a free estimate.