You might not think much about how your air conditioner operates, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Branchville, 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 likely has Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 862-345-6896. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will contain details on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, banned its manufacture and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It depends. If your air conditioning is running properly, you can continue to keep it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system 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 get a new air conditioner, it can lead to an issue if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, because only reduced levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it needs a different pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a result, it could also eventually 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 discontinuation, some brands have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming potential—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy expenditure 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 energy costs.
Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc. Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we went over beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant might be more costly due to the low levels available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner usually breaks down at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re experiencing a lot of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on an outdated refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise installing a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and may even lower your cooling bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc. offers many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 862-345-6896 to get started right away with a free estimate.
