You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it has to have refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, because of the chemicals it contains.
Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Sandpoint, 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 added before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 208-578-4258. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will have info on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical 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, outlawed its creation and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It differs. If your air conditioning is working as designed, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling expenses!
If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it may create an issue if you require air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, because only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the discontinuation of R-22, most new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer strong. Since it calls for an incompatible pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to create global warming. Because of that, it might also sometime be ended. 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 end, some companies have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy use by approximately 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 bills.
Age Heating & Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you a whole lot until you need repairs. But as we reviewed previously, refrigerant-related repairs might be more expensive since there are the restricted amounts on hand.
Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re receiving a lot of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend installing a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and might even decrease your utility costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Age Heating & Cooling provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 208-578-4258 to start right away with a free estimate.