You might not think much about how your air conditioner functions, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, since it contains chemicals.

Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, 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 Chadron, in addition to 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 put in before 2010, it likely has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by reaching us at 308-832-4321. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will have information on what kind of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, barred its production and import in January 2020.

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

It varies. If your air conditioning is running correctly, you can continue to run it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling costs!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it may cause a problem if you require air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, as only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the discontinuation of R-22, many new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer strong. Because it calls for a varying pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a result, it may also sometime 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 phaseout, some manufacturers have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy use by approximately 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 cooling bills.

MPC Heating & Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you need repairs. But as we went over earlier, refrigerant repairs can be pricier due to the restricted amounts that are accessible.

Aside from that, your air conditioner typically stops working at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re getting many other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we suggest installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and might even reduce your electrical costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, MPC Heating & Cooling has many financing programs to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 308-832-4321 to begin right away with a free estimate.