Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it requires refrigerant to keep your home cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental regulation, because of the chemicals it contains.

Depending on when your air conditioner was put in, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Thedford, in addition to 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 possibly uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 519-296-4437. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will have information on what model of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also called R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes 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 differs. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that removing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling expenses!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it can create a problem if you need air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, since only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it requires a different pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the potential to create global warming. As a consequence, it may also eventually be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace 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 possibility—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy expenditure by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be passed on to you through your cooling costs.

Taylor's Heating & Air Conditioning Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you need repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs may be more expensive since there are the restricted amounts on hand.

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

If your air conditioner relies on an outdated refrigerant or is aging, we advise upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and might even decrease your cooling bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Taylor's Heating & Air Conditioning offers many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 519-296-4437 to begin now with a free estimate.