You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it has to have refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Mount Pleasant, in addition to how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly has Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 843-485-0967. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your residence. This sticker will have information on what model of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also called R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates refrigerants in the United States, banned its manufacture and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It differs. If your air conditioning is working properly, you can continue to use it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling expenses!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it may lead to difficulties if you need air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, because only small quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the discontinuation of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it needs 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 could also ultimately be phased out. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming potential—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy expenditure by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be passed on to you through your cooling expenses.
Olde Towne Heating & Air Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you require repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs could be more expensive since there are the reduced levels available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the muggiest day when we’re getting a lot of other appointments for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and could even decrease your cooling bills, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Olde Towne Heating & Air has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 843-485-0967 to begin today with a free estimate.