You might not think often about how your air conditioner operates, but it depends on refrigerant to keep your residence cold. This refrigerant is controlled by environmental laws, since it contains chemicals.

Based on when your air conditioner was added to your home, 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 Mission Viejo, plus how these phaseouts impact you.

What’s R-22 and Why Is It Phased Out?

If your air conditioner was added before 2010, it probably has Freon®. You can discover if your air conditioner has it by calling us at 949-204-0859. You can also inspect the name plate on your air conditioner condenser, which is located outside your residence. This sticker will have details on what kind of refrigerant your AC has.

Freon, which is also referred to as R-22, contains chlorine. Scientists consider this chemical to be harmful to the earth’s ozone layer and one that contributes to global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency, which controls refrigerants in the United States, banned 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 fine, you can continue to keep it. With routine air conditioner maintenance, you can expect your air conditioning to operate around 15–20 years. However, the Department of Energy reports that removing 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 may cause a problem if you have to have air conditioning repair in the future, specifically for refrigerant. Repairs could be more expensive, since only limited quantities of recycled and reclaimed R-22 is available.

With the phaseout of R-22, most new air conditioners now use Puron®. Also referred to as R-410A, this refrigerant was made to keep the ozone layer in good shape. Because it needs a varying pressure level, it isn’t compatible with air conditioners that use R-22 for cooling.

However, Puron still has the possibility to contribute to global warming. As a result, it could also sometime be phased out. 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 brands have started using R-32 in new air conditioners. This refrigerant ranks low for global warming potential—about one-third less than R-410A. And it also decreases energy use 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 cooling costs.

1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning Can Provide Support with All Your Air Conditioning Needs

In summary, the modifications to air conditioner refrigerant probably won’t affect you very much until you require repairs. But as we went over previously, refrigerant repairs can be more expensive due to the low levels available.

Aside from that, your air conditioner often malfunctions at the worst time, often on the warmest day when we’re receiving lots of other appointments for AC repair.

If your air conditioner requires a phased out refrigerant or is more than 15 years old, we recommend getting an up-to-date, energy-efficient air conditioner. This ensures a hassle-free summer and could even reduce your utility costs, especially if you select an ENERGY STAR®-rated air conditioner. Plus, 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning provides many financing options to make your new air conditioner even more affordable. Contact us at 949-204-0859 to start right away with a free estimate.