You might not think often about how your air conditioner functions, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, because of the chemicals it contains.
Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Northglenn, plus 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 possibly uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by contacting us at 303-452-4146. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your home. This sticker will include info on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also called R-22, has 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 controls refrigerants in the United States, outlawed 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 running as designed, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling expenses!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it can lead to difficulties if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, because only small levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer strong. Since it needs a different pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it may also sometime be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates 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 could be passed on to you through your utility expenses.
Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you need repairs. But as we talked about previously, refrigerant-related repairs might be more costly due to the low levels on hand.
Aside from that, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re experiencing many other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a discontinued refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and could even reduce your utility bills, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 303-452-4146 to begin now with a free estimate.