You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your house cool. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.
Based on 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 Odessa, in addition to how these phaseouts impact you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner contains it by calling us at 432-237-0168. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will have details on what model of refrigerant your AC uses.
Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for 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 varies. If your air conditioning is cooling as designed, you can continue to keep it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to run 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 bills!
If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it can lead to a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be more expensive, as only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for a different pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the possibility to contribute to global warming. As a result, it may also sometime be phased out. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming likelihood—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy expenditure by around 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 cooling bills.
Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you require repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more costly because of the low levels on hand.
In addition to that, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re receiving a lot of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a discontinued refrigerant or is aging, we recommend getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a trouble-free summer and may even reduce your electrical expenses, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning offers many financing options to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 432-237-0168 to start today with a free estimate.
