How Does Air Conditioning Refrigerant Phaseout Affect Me?

You might not think much about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your home cool. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, since 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 go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Moline, as well as 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 likely uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by contacting us at 309-517-7511. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your residence. This sticker will contain info on what kind of refrigerant your AC needs.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation and import in January 2020.

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

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

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it may cause an issue if you need air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be higher-priced, since only reduced quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

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

However, Puron still has the potential to lead to global warming. Because of that, it might also sometime be phased out. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the phaseout, some companies have begun 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 expenditure by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be forwarded on to you through your cooling costs.

J.L. Brady Company LLC Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we went over earlier, refrigerant-related repairs might be more costly because of the reduced levels on hand.

Aside from that, your air conditioner usually breaks down at the worst time, often on the muggiest day when we’re receiving a lot of other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend installing a modern, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and could even lower your electrical expenses, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated model. Plus, J.L. Brady Company LLC provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 309-517-7511 to get started today with a free estimate.