You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss 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 Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner uses it by contacting us at 812-663-7252. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will have info on what model of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also called R-22, includes 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 controls refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its manufacture and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It varies. If your air conditioning is cooling fine, you can continue to run it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling bills!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it may cause difficulties if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be higher-priced, since only reduced levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Since it calls for a different pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to contribute to global warming. Because of that, it may also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some brands have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy use by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be passed on to you through your energy expenses.
Wallpe Heating & Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you need repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, refrigerant repairs may be more expensive due to the restricted amounts available.
In addition to that, your air conditioner typically malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the warmest day when we’re receiving a lot of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend installing a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a trouble-free summer and might even lower your cooling costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Wallpe Heating & Cooling has many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 812-663-7252 to start right away with a free estimate.