You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental regulation, as it contains chemicals.
Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Oxford, 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 has Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 662-281-1231. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will include info on what model of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also called R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It depends. If your air conditioning is working correctly, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling costs!
If you keep your air conditioner, it can lead to a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be higher-priced, since only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the end of R-22, many new air conditioners now rely on 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 need R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it could also ultimately be phased out. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some brands have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming potential—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy use by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be passed on to you through your utility expenses.
Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you require repairs. But as we discussed previously, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more costly since there are the restricted quantities available.
Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, often on the hottest day when we’re getting many other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and could even decrease your electrical bills, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 662-281-1231 to start right away with a free estimate.