Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think much about how your air conditioner operates, but it needs refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, as it contains chemicals.

Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Huntingburg, in addition to how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

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

If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it possibly uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 812-200-5844. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will contain details on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.

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

I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?

It differs. If your air conditioning is cooling fine, you can continue to keep it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system 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 yearly cooling costs!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it can create an issue if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be higher-priced, because only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

With the phaseout of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it calls for an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the potential to create 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 Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming potential—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy consumption 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 costs.

Dearing's Service & Solutions Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you require repairs. But as we went over earlier, refrigerant repairs may be pricier because of the low quantities that are accessible.

Aside from that, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re experiencing many other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner relies on an outdated refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise upgrading to an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and can even lower your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Dearing's Service & Solutions provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 812-200-5844 to start now with a free estimate.