You might not think often about how your air conditioner functions, but it needs refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Naples, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.
What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?
If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it probably has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by calling us at 239-244-3439. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will contain information on what kind 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 manages refrigerants in the United States, barred 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 running fine, you can continue to keep it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling costs!
If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it may create difficulties if you have to have air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be higher-priced, as only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.
With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to contribute to global warming. As a result, it might also ultimately be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?
In preparation of the end, some brands have started 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 lowers energy consumption by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that may be forwarded on to you through your energy expenses.
Speedy Air Conditioning Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs can be pricier because of the restricted quantities on hand.
In addition to that, your air conditioner typically stops working at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re getting many other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend upgrading to an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a trouble-free summer and might even reduce your electrical bills, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Speedy Air Conditioning offers many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 239-244-3439 to start right away with a free estimate.
