How Does Air Conditioning Refrigerant Phaseout Affect Me?

You might not think often about how your air conditioner functions, but it requires refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.

Depending on when your air conditioner was put in, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Brookfield, in addition to how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

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

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner uses it by contacting us at 203-357-5913. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will include details on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also called R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It depends. If your air conditioning is operating properly, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC 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 yearly cooling costs!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it might cause a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be pricier, because only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the discontinuation of R-22, most new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it needs an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to contribute to global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the phaseout, some manufacturers 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 lowers energy consumption by approximately 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.

Central Air LLC Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you need repairs. But as we went over previously, refrigerant repairs may be pricier because of the low amounts available.

In addition to that, your air conditioner frequently breaks down at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re getting many other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest upgrading to an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a trouble-free summer and may even decrease your electrical expenses, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Central Air LLC provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 203-357-5913 to get started now with a free estimate.