You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it needs refrigerant to keep your home cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental rules, as 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 Kearney, 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 possibly contains Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 308-624-3485. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will contain information on what type of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also called R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, barred 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 operating fine, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC 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 get a new air conditioner, it may lead to difficulties 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 available.
With the discontinuation of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it requires a varying pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. Because of that, it might also eventually 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 discontinuation, some companies have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—about 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 might be forwarded on to you through your energy costs.
Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you a whole lot until you require repairs. But as we went over previously, repairs connected to refrigerant might be pricier since there are the restricted levels that are accessible.
Aside from that, your air conditioner typically malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the warmest day when we’re receiving many other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a discontinued refrigerant or is aging, we suggest getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and may even lower your electrical expenses, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning offers many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 308-624-3485 to get started now with a free estimate.