You might not think often about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is controlled by 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 Mount Pleasant, plus how these phaseouts impact you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?

If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it possibly uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner contains it by reaching us at 843-485-0967. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will include information on what kind of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its production and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It depends. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to run it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says 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 create an issue if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be pricier, as only small quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the end of R-22, many new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for a different pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a result, it might also sometime be phased out. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?

In preparation of the end, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy use by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be passed on to you through your energy costs.

Olde Towne Heating & Air Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about previously, refrigerant repairs might be pricier due to the reduced amounts on hand.

In addition to that, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the muggiest day when we’re experiencing lots of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a discontinued refrigerant or is aging, we recommend upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a trouble-free summer and could even decrease your cooling bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Olde Towne Heating & Air offers many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 843-485-0967 to get started right away with a free estimate.