You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental regulation, because of the chemicals it contains.
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 Wharton, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 979-323-6130. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your residence. This sticker will contain information on what model of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains 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 regulates refrigerants in the United States, barred its manufacture and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It depends. If your air conditioning is cooling fine, you can continue to run it. With annual air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to operate 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 expenses!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you need air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be higher-priced, because only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the end of R-22, most new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Since it requires a different pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. As a result, it might also ultimately be phased out. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some companies have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming possibility—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy use by about 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 cooling expenses.
Faust Air Conditioning and Heating Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you need repairs. But as we discussed previously, refrigerant repairs might be more costly due to the restricted quantities that are accessible.
Aside from that, your air conditioner frequently needs repair at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re experiencing many other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is aging, we advise installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and could even lower your energy costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Faust Air Conditioning and Heating provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 979-323-6130 to start today with a free estimate.