You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your home cool. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, because of the chemicals it contains.

Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll discuss the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Lexington, as well as how these phaseouts impact you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It No Longer Being Made?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly uses Freon®. You can learn if your air conditioner has it by contacting us at 336-853-6070. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your home. This sticker will contain info on what model of refrigerant your AC needs.

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

If you don’t install a new air conditioner, it might lead to a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be higher-priced, since only limited quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

With the phaseout of R-22, many new air conditioners now rely on Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was developed to keep the ozone layer strong. Since 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 potential to lead to global warming. As a result, it might also sometime be ended. Although it hasn’t been communicated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Take Over R-410A?

In preparation of the discontinuation, some manufacturers have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant is classified low for global warming possibility—approximately one-third less than R-410A. And it also reduces energy consumption by around 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 energy costs.

James Heating & A/C, Inc Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we went over beforehand, refrigerant repairs can be more expensive due to the reduced quantities available.

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

If your air conditioner requires an outdated refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This provides a hassle-free summer and can even reduce your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, James Heating & A/C, Inc provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 336-853-6070 to begin now with a free estimate.