You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner functions, but it relies on refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.

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

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it likely has Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 903-284-2612. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will have info on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also called R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that leads to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, outlawed its creation and import in January 2020.

I Have a R-22 Air Conditioner. Should I Replace It?

It depends. If your air conditioning is running properly, you can continue to keep it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that removing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling expenses!

If you don’t replace your air conditioner, it may create a problem if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, as only small quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the discontinuation of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer healthy. Because it needs an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to lead to global warming. As a consequence, it might also ultimately be ended. 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 companies have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming potential—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy expenditure by about 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 costs.

Goode Bros AC & Heating Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you require repairs. But as we went over previously, repairs connected to refrigerant may be more costly because of the reduced amounts available.

Not to mention, your air conditioner usually stops working at the worst time, typically on the muggiest day when we’re getting lots of other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is aging, we recommend getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and may even lower your cooling costs, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Goode Bros AC & Heating provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 903-284-2612 to get started right away with a free estimate.