We’ve been talking for a long time about the phase-out of R-22 refrigerant throughout the country, but after a long time waiting it’s finally here! As of January 1st, 2020, hydrochlorofluorocarbons like R-22 refrigerant, which is used in many older air conditioning units, will no longer be produced and imported. The only way to get older refrigerant that is of this type is to purchase R-22 that’s already stockpiled. This could run up costs drastically and make your air conditioner useless if you’re not careful.
If you’ve got an older AC that you suspect might run on R-22 refrigerant, now is the perfect time to get it upgraded into something more efficient, dependable, and environmentally friendly that also won’t cost you an arm and a leg paying for AC repair in Winter Park, FL. Don’t wait until it’s too late, this phase-out is put in place to push people away from using R-22 refrigerant and for good reason!
“Why Is This Phase-Out Happening?”
Under Sections 601-607 of the Clean Air Act passed by congress, the production and import of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) will be issued on January 1st, 2020. This is because hydrochlorofluorocarbons like R-22 have a higher ozone depletion potential and can cause huge amounts of damage in the environment. Anyone seeking to purchase an air conditioner now will have to look for a system that runs on a more environmentally friendly and affordable refrigerant, such as R-410A.
“What Does This Mean?”
This means that supplies will dwindle when it comes to R-22 refrigerant, and the prices will begin to skyrocket. If you’re one of the lucky few with an old air conditioner that has been trucking along for 10, 15 or 20 years on R-22, your luck might be about to change. Any refrigerant leak or repair might now be devastatingly expensive if your system runs on R-22. Remember, unless you’ve got an evaporative cooler or some specific system that doesn’t cool your home conventionally, chances are your air conditioner has refrigerant in it that could potentially be R-22.
“What Do I Do?”
First of all, don’t panic. There’s a good possibility that this phase-out doesn’t concern you. Only the oldest air conditioning models from 15-20 years ago still use R-22 refrigerant. Unless you got a system second-hand, there’s a high chance that you’re already in good hands .
However, if you are one of the unlucky holders of a system that runs on R-22 refrigerant, we heavily advise you to consider upgrading it. Newer air conditioners that run on R-410A aren’t just more environmentally friendly, but they’re much more efficient as well. This could mean savings for you, not just from avoiding buying a refrigerant that doesn’t exist anymore, but from lowered energy costs from an incredibly efficient new air conditioner.
The choice is ultimately yours, but we’d like to be there with you every step of the way. If you’re concerned about your air conditioner’s functionality and think you might be one of the few people left using R-22, give us a call today.
There’s no need to panic when you can contact Gary Munson Heating & Air Conditioning! You will be more comfortable with the best!