Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental laws, 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 Holdrege, in addition to how these phaseouts affect you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner uses it by reaching us at 308-995-8177. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your home. This sticker will include info on what model of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also known as R-22, has 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 production and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It differs. If your air conditioning is running fine, you can continue to run it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to last around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling expenses!

If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it might cause a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be pricier, since only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the end of R-22, most new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it needs a varying pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. As a result, it could also eventually be phased out. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?

In preparation of the end, some manufacturers have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy use by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be passed on to you through your cooling costs.

Durable Service Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you require repairs. But as we went over earlier, refrigerant repairs may be more expensive since there are the restricted quantities on hand.

Not to mention, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re experiencing many other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend upgrading to a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and might even lower your cooling costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Durable Service has many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 308-995-8177 to start today with a free estimate.