Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think often about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.

Depending on when your air conditioner was installed, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Booneville, as well as 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 likely uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by calling us at 662-269-8716. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will include info on what kind of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also called R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its creation and import in January 2020.

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

It varies. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to keep it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system 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 yearly cooling expenses!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it might lead to a problem if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, since only small levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the discontinuation of R-22, most new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. Since it needs an incompatible pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. Because of that, it might also eventually be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming likelihood—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy expenditure by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be forwarded on to you through your energy expenses.

Booneville Heating & Cooling Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you a whole lot until you require repairs. But as we talked about previously, refrigerant repairs can be more costly because of the restricted amounts on hand.

In addition to that, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the warmest day when we’re receiving many other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner relies on an outdated refrigerant or is aging, we suggest upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and may even lower your cooling costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Booneville Heating & Cooling has many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 662-269-8716 to begin now with a free estimate.