Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental regulation, because of the chemicals it contains.

Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in West Jefferson, 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 put in before 2010, it likely uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by contacting us at 614-879-9091. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will have details on what model of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, banned its creation and import in January 2020.

I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?

It depends. If your air conditioning is cooling fine, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that removing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling bills!

If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it can lead to a problem if you need air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, since only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer in good shape. 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 likelihood to contribute to global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the phaseout, some brands have initiated 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 decreases 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 utility expenses.

West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you need repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more expensive because of the low quantities available.

Not to mention, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the warmest day when we’re experiencing lots of other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses an outdated refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and may even lower your utility costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 614-879-9091 to start right away with a free estimate.