You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, because of the chemicals it contains.
Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Greensburg, in addition to how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner contains it by calling us at 812-663-7252. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will include details on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also called R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, barred its manufacture and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It differs. 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 last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting 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 cause a problem if you need air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be more expensive, since only small levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. Since it needs an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to create global warming. As a consequence, it could also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some brands have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy use by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be sent on to you through your utility expenses.
Wallpe Heating & Cooling Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we discussed earlier, refrigerant repairs might be more costly due to the low amounts available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re receiving many other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a discontinued refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend upgrading to a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and can even decrease your utility costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Wallpe Heating & Cooling offers many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 812-663-7252 to begin right away with a free estimate.