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

Depending on when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Chadron, plus how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly contains Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by calling us at 308-832-4321. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will include info on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also called R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages 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 running properly, you can continue to keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC 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 annual cooling expenses!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you require air conditioning repair down the road, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be higher-priced, because only small quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. Since it requires an incompatible pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to contribute to global warming. As a consequence, it might also sometime be phased out. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?

In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming possibility—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy expenditure by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be passed on to you through your energy expenses.

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

In brief, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you require repairs. But as we discussed earlier, repairs connected to refrigerant may be pricier due to the low levels that are accessible.

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

If your air conditioner uses an outdated refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and might even reduce your utility expenses, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, MPC Heating & Cooling provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 308-832-4321 to begin today with a free estimate.