Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, because of the chemicals it contains.

Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Payson, plus 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 uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 928-263-8570. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will have information on what type of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls 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 depends. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to use it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that substituting 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 lead to an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be higher-priced, as only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the end of R-22, many new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it needs a varying pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the likelihood to create global warming. As a consequence, it may also eventually be discontinued. 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 end, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming potential—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy expenditure by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be sent on to you through your utility bills.

North Mechanical Heating and Cooling Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you require repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant-related repairs may be more expensive due to the restricted quantities on hand.

Not to mention, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re experiencing lots of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses an outdated refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend upgrading to a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a hassle-free summer and might even decrease your utility bills, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, North Mechanical Heating and Cooling provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 928-263-8570 to start right away with a free estimate.