You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your home cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.
Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may require R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Pocatello, in addition to 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 uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by calling us at 208-621-0129. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your house. This sticker will include information on what kind of refrigerant your AC has.
Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, barred 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 properly, you can continue to keep it. With routine 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 annual cooling costs!
If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it might cause a problem if you need air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be more expensive, as only limited levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.
With the end of R-22, most new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it requires an incompatible pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.
However, Puron still has the potential to create global warming. Because of that, it may also ultimately be ended. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.
What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?
In preparation of the discontinuation, some manufacturers have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming likelihood—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces 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 utility bills.
Vogts Heating & Air Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs
In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you require repairs. But as we went over earlier, repairs connected to refrigerant might be more expensive due to the restricted levels available.
Aside from that, your air conditioner often stops working at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re getting lots of other requests for AC repair.
If your air conditioner requires an outdated refrigerant or is aging, we advise installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a hassle-free summer and can even lower your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Vogts Heating & Air has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 208-621-0129 to get started now with a free estimate.