Which Air Conditioning Refrigerants Are Being Phased Out?

You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it needs refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental regulation, since it contains chemicals.

Depending on when your air conditioner was added to your home, it may need R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll go over the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Hasbrouck Heights, plus 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 probably uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner contains it by calling us at 201-579-2562. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your house. This sticker will contain info on what kind of refrigerant your AC has.

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

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

It varies. If your air conditioning is operating fine, you can continue to keep it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to work around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy says that substituting a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling bills!

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

With the discontinuation of R-22, most new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it requires an incompatible pressure level, it doesn’t match air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the likelihood to contribute to global warming. Because of that, it might also ultimately be discontinued. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s expected sometime this decade.

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the phaseout, some manufacturers have initiated 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 lowers energy consumption by about 10%, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. That’s savings that could be passed on to you through your energy bills.

ACE Solutions Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you very much until you require repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant-related repairs can be more costly because of the low amounts that are accessible.

Not to mention, your air conditioner usually malfunctions at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re experiencing a lot of other calls for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a discontinued refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we suggest upgrading to a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a trouble-free summer and can even lower your electrical bills, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, ACE Solutions provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner work with your budget. Contact us at 201-579-2562 to get started today with a free estimate.