How Does Air Conditioning Refrigerant Phaseout Affect Me?

You might not think often about how your air conditioner works, but it requires refrigerant to keep your home fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, because of the chemicals it contains.

Depending on when your air conditioner was installed, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Crystal and Twin Cities, plus how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was put in before 2010, it likely contains Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 763-535-2000. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your residence. This sticker will contain details on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be damaging to the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, banned its creation 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 cooling as designed, you can continue to use it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on yearly cooling costs!

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it might cause an issue if you require air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs might be more expensive, since only small levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the phaseout of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer strong. As it calls for an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t work with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

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

What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?

In preparation of the phaseout, some manufacturers have initiated using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming possibility—around one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers energy consumption by approximately 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be sent on to you through your utility bills.

GV Heating & Air Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you very much until you have to have repairs. But as we went over beforehand, refrigerant repairs may be pricier since there are the restricted quantities on hand.

In addition to that, your air conditioner typically stops working at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re receiving a lot of other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a discontinued refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest getting a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a trouble-free summer and can even lower your cooling bills, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, GV Heating & Air provides many financing solutions to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 763-535-2000 to begin now with a free estimate.