You might not think much about how your air conditioner functions, but it needs refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is bound by environmental regulation, because of the chemicals it contains.

Subject to when your air conditioner was put in, 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 Manassas, as well as how these phaseouts have on influence on you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it possibly has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner contains it by calling us at 703-260-1148. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your home. This sticker will have information on what type of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, includes chlorine. Scientists consider R-22 to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that results in global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which manages refrigerants in the United States, barred its creation 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 keep it. With regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your AC 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 annual cooling costs!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it may cause difficulties if you require air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs may be pricier, because only reduced levels of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

With the end of R-22, a lot of new air conditioners now have Puron®. Also called R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer healthy. As it needs a varying pressure level, it doesn’t match 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 ended. Although it hasn’t been mandated yet for residential air conditioners, it’s likely sometime this decade.

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

In preparation of the phaseout, some brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming likelihood—around 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 may be sent on to you through your cooling costs.

Air-Right Energy Design Can Assist with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In brief, the changes to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you greatly until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about previously, refrigerant-related repairs can be pricier since there are the reduced amounts on hand.

Not to mention, your air conditioner typically stops working at the worst time, frequently on the hottest day when we’re experiencing a lot of other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires an outdated refrigerant or is aging, we advise upgrading to an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a trouble-free summer and could even decrease your utility bills, especially if you get an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Air-Right Energy Design provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 703-260-1148 to begin now with a free estimate.