You might not think much about how your air conditioner functions, but it has to have refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was added to your home, 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 York, 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 likely uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by calling us at 717-383-4479. You can also check the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will contain information on what kind of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also called R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees 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 differs. If your air conditioning is operating as designed, you can continue to run it. With annual air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling bills!
If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it can cause an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, since only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer in good shape. As it needs a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible 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 ended. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—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 expenses.
Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you need repairs. But as we went over previously, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more expensive because of the reduced quantities that are accessible.
In addition to that, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re getting many other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and might even decrease your electrical costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning offers many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 717-383-4479 to get started right away with a free estimate.