You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Depending 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 Odessa, 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 possibly uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by contacting us at 432-237-0168. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will contain details on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.
Freon, which is also called R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be damaging to 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 manufacture and import in January 2020.
I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?
It varies. If your air conditioning is cooling correctly, you can continue to keep it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling bills!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it might create difficulties if you require air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be pricier, because only limited quantities 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 in good shape. Because it calls for a varying pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to lead to global warming. As a result, it could also ultimately be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some companies have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming potential—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 might be passed on to you through your utility bills.
Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we discussed earlier, refrigerant-related repairs may be more costly since there are the restricted amounts on hand.
In addition to that, your air conditioner frequently stops working at the worst time, often on the hottest day when we’re getting lots of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we suggest getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and might even lower your cooling expenses, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 432-237-0168 to begin today with a free estimate.
