Are Air Conditioning Refrigerants Being Phased Out?

You might not think often about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house fresh. This refrigerant is bound by environmental rules, as it contains chemicals.

Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, 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 Magnolia, 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 installed before 2010, it probably contains Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner uses it by calling us at 281-231-8768. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will contain info on what type of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider Freon to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls 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 operating as designed, you can continue to use it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy notes that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on annual cooling expenses!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it can create an issue if you have to have air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be pricier, because only small quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

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

However, Puron still has the potential to lead to global warming. As a result, it may also sometime be phased out. Although it hasn’t been disclosed yet for residential air conditioners, it’s anticipated sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take the Place of R-410A?

In preparation of the end, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy use by approximately 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 cooling expenses.

JTech Mechanical Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t impact you greatly until you require repairs. But as we went over previously, refrigerant repairs may be pricier since there are the restricted quantities on hand.

Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently malfunctions at the worst time, typically on the hottest day when we’re receiving many other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires an outdated refrigerant or is getting old, we recommend installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a stress-free summer and may even reduce your cooling bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, JTech Mechanical has many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 281-231-8768 to begin right away with a free estimate.