How Does Air Conditioning Refrigerant Phaseout Affect Me?

You might not think much about how your air conditioner functions, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.

Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Moline, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.

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

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it likely has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by reaching us at 309-323-9584. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your home. 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 harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs refrigerants in the United States, barred its production and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It differs. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that removing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling bills!

If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it can create an issue if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be more expensive, since only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. As it requires a different pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the potential to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it might also ultimately be ended. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the end, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming likelihood—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy consumption by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be passed on to you through your cooling expenses.

Freed Heating & Air Conditioning Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about earlier, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more expensive because of the restricted levels that are accessible.

Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently stops working at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re experiencing lots of other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner relies on an outdated refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a trouble-free summer and can even lower your electrical expenses, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Freed Heating & Air Conditioning provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 309-323-9584 to get started today with a free estimate.