How Does Air Conditioning Refrigerant Phaseout Affect Me?

You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, 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 Zelienople, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 724-425-5852. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will include details on what model of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 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, outlawed its production and import in January 2020.

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

It depends. If your air conditioning is operating correctly, you can continue to use it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting 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 cause a problem if you need air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, since only small quantities 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 known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for a different pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been disclosed 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 companies have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming possibility—around 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 may be sent on to you through your utility bills.

Knoechel Heating Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant repairs may be pricier due to the restricted levels on hand.

In addition to that, your air conditioner typically malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the muggiest day when we’re experiencing lots of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a discontinued refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a trouble-free summer and can even reduce your electrical expenses, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Knoechel Heating offers many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 724-425-5852 to begin now with a free estimate.