You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental regulation, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Chelan and Wenatchee, 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 contains Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by contacting us at 509-284-4265. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will have info on what kind of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, banned its creation and import in January 2020.
Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?
It differs. If your air conditioning is operating properly, you can continue to run it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that replacing 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 create a problem if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be higher-priced, because only small levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.
With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer strong. Because it requires a varying pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it might also ultimately be ended. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the phaseout, some companies have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy consumption by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be passed on to you through your utility expenses.
Lakeside Heating & Air Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant repairs may be more costly due to the restricted amounts available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the warmest day when we’re receiving a lot of other calls for AC repair.
If your air conditioner relies on a discontinued refrigerant or is aging, we suggest getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and can even decrease your cooling bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Lakeside Heating & Air provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 509-284-4265 to get started right away with a free estimate.