You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner operates, but it needs refrigerant to keep your house cold. This refrigerant is bound by environmental laws, as it contains chemicals.

Based on 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 Muldrow, as well as how these phaseouts affect you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Discontinued?

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it possibly has Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 918-212-8943. You can also look at the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is situated outside your residence. This sticker will have info on what kind of refrigerant your AC uses.

Freon, which is also known as R-22, has chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be bad for the earth’s ozone layer and one that prompts global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, barred its manufacture and import in January 2020.

I Use an Air Conditioner with R-22. Do I Need to Get a New One?

It depends. If your air conditioning is running correctly, you can continue to run it. With yearly air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your system to run around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that replacing 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 may cause a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair later on, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be more expensive, because only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also known as R-410A, this refrigerant was created to keep the ozone layer strong. As it requires a different pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that need R-22 for cooling.

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

What Refrigerant Will Replace R-410A?

In preparation of the discontinuation, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant rates low for global warming likelihood—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also lowers 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 utility expenses.

Air Service Co. Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you require repairs. But as we talked about beforehand, refrigerant-related repairs might be pricier because of the reduced levels available.

Not to mention, your air conditioner frequently breaks down at the worst time, often on the hottest day when we’re experiencing a lot of other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner uses a phased out refrigerant or is getting old, we suggest upgrading to an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a stress-free summer and might even decrease your cooling bills, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated system. Plus, Air Service Co. provides many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 918-212-8943 to get started now with a free estimate.