You might not think much about how your air conditioner functions, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house cool. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Pflugerville, in addition to how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 512-355-1482. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will have details on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also called R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its production and import in January 2020.
I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?
It differs. If your air conditioning is cooling properly, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that replacing 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 may lead to a problem if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, since only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the phaseout of R-22, many new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Since it requires a different pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. As a consequence, it could also ultimately be ended. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have started 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 reduces energy expenditure 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 costs.
Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you require repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more costly due to the restricted amounts that are accessible.
Aside from that, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re getting 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 getting a modern, 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 model. Plus, Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 512-355-1482 to get started now with a free estimate.
