You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your residence fresh. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, since it contains chemicals.
Based on when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Pacheco, in addition to how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by contacting us at 925-233-6238. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will include info on what type of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also called R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, banned its manufacture and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It depends. If your air conditioning is running correctly, you can continue to run it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it can cause an issue if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, because only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it requires a different pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. Because of that, it could also eventually be phased out. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some brands have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming possibility—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy consumption by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be sent on to you through your cooling costs.
Clean Air HVAC Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you need repairs. But as we talked about previously, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more costly due to the restricted quantities on hand.
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 appointments for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and could even decrease your cooling costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Clean Air HVAC provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 925-233-6238 to get started right away with a free estimate.
