You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your residence fresh. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental laws, as it contains chemicals.
Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, 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 Carson City, plus how these phaseouts have on influence on you.
What’s R-22 and Why is It Discontinued?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably contains Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 775-230-7628. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will have details on what type of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation 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 run it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning 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 expenses!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it might lead to an issue if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be pricier, because 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 created to keep the ozone layer strong. Since it needs an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. Because of that, it could also ultimately be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been announced yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have begun 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 reduces energy expenditure by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be sent on to you through your energy costs.
Anderson Heating & A/C Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you need repairs. But as we mentioned previously, repairs connected to refrigerant could be pricier because of the low quantities available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re getting a lot of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we advise getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and may even reduce your cooling expenses, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Anderson Heating & A/C offers many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 775-230-7628 to get started right away with a free estimate.