You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, 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 Auburn, plus how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it possibly has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 530-885-8081. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your home. This sticker will contain information on what model of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It differs. If your air conditioning is cooling properly, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling costs!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it can lead to a problem if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be pricier, because only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
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 in good shape. Because it needs a varying pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to create global warming. Because of that, it may also eventually be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some manufacturers have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming potential—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy consumption by around 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 cooling expenses.
Forster Heating Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we discussed beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant might be more costly since there are the reduced amounts available.
In addition to that, your air conditioner typically breaks down at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re experiencing lots of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a phased out refrigerant or is aging, we suggest getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and can even decrease your electrical costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Forster Heating provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 530-885-8081 to start now with a free estimate.
