How Does Air Conditioning Refrigerant Phaseout Affect Me?

You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner works, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home cool. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.

Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Lawrence, plus how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

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

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner contains it by reaching us at 785-269-0465. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will contain info on what model of refrigerant your AC uses.

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

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

It varies. If your air conditioning is operating correctly, you can continue to keep it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to operate 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 expenses!

If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it can lead to an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be pricier, as only limited quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the end of R-22, most new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it calls for an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the likelihood to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it may also ultimately 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 phaseout, some manufacturers have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming potential—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy consumption 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 energy expenses.

Scott Temperature Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you very much until you require repairs. But as we went over earlier, refrigerant-related repairs might be more expensive since there are the low levels on hand.

In addition to that, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re receiving a lot of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires an outdated refrigerant or is aging, we advise getting a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a hassle-free summer and might even decrease your utility expenses, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, Scott Temperature provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 785-269-0465 to start today with a free estimate.