Which Air Conditioning Refrigerants Are Being Phased Out?

You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it requires refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.

Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, 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 Siloam Springs, plus how these phaseouts impact you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it probably uses Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 479-308-8176. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your home. This sticker will have information on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which governs 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 depends. If your air conditioning is cooling as designed, you can continue to use it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling expenses!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be pricier, as only small amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is on hand.

With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it calls for a different pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the potential to contribute to global warming. As a consequence, it could also eventually be ended. Although it hasn’t been disclosed 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 ranks low for global warming potential—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy consumption by around 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that might be forwarded on to you through your energy bills.

Siloam Springs Heating & AC Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you greatly until you require repairs. But as we went over beforehand, repairs connected to refrigerant can be more costly due to the low levels on hand.

Aside from that, your air conditioner frequently breaks down at the worst time, frequently on the warmest day when we’re receiving lots of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and can even reduce your cooling bills, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Siloam Springs Heating & AC provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 479-308-8176 to start now with a free estimate.