You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it requires refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is subject to environmental rules, since it contains chemicals.
Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Carson City, as well as how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it likely contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 775-230-7628. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your residence. This sticker will have information on what model of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, banned its production and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It varies. If your air conditioning is operating 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 notes that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling expenses!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it can cause an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, because only reduced amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the discontinuation of R-22, most new air conditioners now have 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 isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to create global warming. As a result, it may also eventually be phased out. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy use by approximately 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 bills.
Anderson Heating & A/C Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we went over beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more expensive because of the low quantities available.
In addition to that, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re receiving a lot of other appointments for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a discontinued refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and might even lower your cooling expenses, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Anderson Heating & A/C provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 775-230-7628 to get started today with a free estimate.