You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is subject to environmental rules, because of the chemicals it contains.
Based on when your air conditioner was installed, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Philadelphia, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 267-277-3851. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will include info on what type of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, banned its creation and import in January 2020.
I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?
It depends. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to keep it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that removing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling expenses!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it can create difficulties if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be more expensive, as only small amounts 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 made to keep the ozone layer in good shape. As it requires an incompatible pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it might also eventually be phased out. 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 end, some brands have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy consumption by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be sent on to you through your energy expenses.
Retro HVAC Service & Installation Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In brief, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we discussed beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more costly due to the restricted levels that are accessible.
Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re getting many other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses an outdated refrigerant or is getting old, we advise installing a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a hassle-free summer and could even reduce your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Retro HVAC Service & Installation provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 267-277-3851 to start right away with a free estimate.