You might not think a lot about how your air conditioner works, but it needs refrigerant to keep your residence cool. This refrigerant is subject to environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.

Subject to when your air conditioner was installed, it may use R-22, R-410A or R-32 refrigerant. We’ll review the differences and which air conditioner refrigerants are being phased out in Rapid City, in addition to 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 probably uses Freon®. You can find out if your air conditioner contains it by contacting us at 605-206-3915. You can also examine the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is found outside your house. This sticker will contain information on what type of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also known as R-22, contains 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.

Should I Replace My R-22 Air Conditioner?

It varies. If your air conditioning is cooling 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 notes that replacing a 10-year-old air conditioner could save you 20–40% on summertime cooling costs!

If you don’t get a new air conditioner, it might lead to a problem if you need air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs can be pricier, since only limited amounts of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is accessible.

With the discontinuation 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 healthy. Since it calls for a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that rely on R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the potential to contribute to global warming. Because of that, it could also sometime be phased out. 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 end, some companies have begun using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming potential—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 could be sent on to you through your cooling bills.

Street Heating and Cooling Can Help with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In short, the alterations to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t concern you a whole lot until you have to have repairs. But as we talked about earlier, refrigerant-related repairs might be more costly since there are the restricted levels that are accessible.

Aside from that, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, frequently on the muggiest day when we’re getting many other requests for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we advise installing an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This delivers a stress-free summer and can even lower your utility costs, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, Street Heating and Cooling offers many financing programs to make your new air conditioner fit your budget. Contact us at 605-206-3915 to begin right away with a free estimate.