You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your residence cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, since 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 review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Bartlesville, in addition to how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?
If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by contacting us at 918-333-0376. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will include details on what model of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It depends. If your air conditioning is cooling fine, you can continue to run it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling expenses!
If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it might cause a problem if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be higher-priced, as only reduced amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the phaseout of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it requires a varying pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to create global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some manufacturers have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming potential—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy expenditure by around 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 energy expenses.
Farris Heating & Air Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you require repairs. But as we discussed beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs may be more costly since there are the restricted levels that are accessible.
In addition to that, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re getting lots of other appointments for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses an outdated refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a hassle-free summer and can even decrease your electrical expenses, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Farris Heating & Air has many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 918-333-0376 to start right away with a free estimate.