You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is subject to environmental rules, because of the chemicals it contains.
Depending on when your air conditioner was put in, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Newton, plus how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it likely contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 641-316-9803. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will include details on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging 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 creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It varies. If your air conditioning is running correctly, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning 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 yearly cooling costs!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, as only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the phaseout of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it needs a varying 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 result, it may also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some brands have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming potential—about 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 could be forwarded on to you through your utility costs.
Brookwood Inc Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you have to have repairs. But as we went over beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs might be more costly due to the restricted quantities available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner frequently stops working at the worst time, frequently on the warmest day when we’re getting many other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a phased out refrigerant or is aging, we recommend installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and can even decrease your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Brookwood Inc has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 641-316-9803 to get started now with a free estimate.
