How The R-22 Refrigerant Phase-Out Might Affect Your AC?
Are you using an older air conditioning system? Like, older than a decade? If so, now might be a pretty good time to get around to replacing it. Summer is not far off at all, and with certain changes coming for refrigerant used in older air conditioners you may end up paying through the nose for repairs later on if you’re not careful.
Let’s take a look at the phase-out of R-22 refrigerant, what it means for air conditioners that still use the fluid, and why you should consider installing a new system.
Why Does The Phase Out Matter?
Okay, so chances are you’re not really sure what kind of refrigerant your air conditioner uses. We honestly couldn’t blame you if you didn’t even know what refrigerant did in the system. Still, though, it’s important for the purposes of this discussion that you do. Refrigerant is the fluid the air conditioner relies on to cool the home. By evaporating and condensing its refrigerant supply back and forth between its two constituent units, the air conditioner can move heat out of the home.
The problem with older air conditioners is that the refrigerant they rely on to operate isn’t being used anymore. If your air conditioner is ten years of age (or older), it very likely still uses R-22 refrigerant. This becomes a problem if and when something goes wrong with the air conditioner’s refrigerant system. Refrigerant leaks are not uncommon, especially with older air conditioners. Any refrigerant lost will need to be replaced, and you can’t just stick brand new refrigerant in a system that’s used to taking another type. You could try to find some R-22 somewhere to keep your system up and running. Honestly, though, that just ends up postponing the issue and costing you more money than it’s worth in the process. All this adds up to mean: your air conditioner probably needs to be replaced.
The Benefits Of A New AC
To be honest, though, installing a new air conditioner is probably something that you’re going to want to do once your air conditioner hits ten years anyway. Air conditioners typically get around 10-15 years of good service before they start to have some serious chronic issues. The older the air conditioner, the longer the list of problems. If your air conditioner is older than 10, whether it uses R-22 refrigerant or not, you might want to talk to a professional about options for installing a new one as quickly as possible. A newer air conditioner will be more efficient, less prone to problems, and generally be much more effective over the ensuing years than one that’s 10 years old and using refrigerant that isn’t even made anymore.
Climate Control Heating and Cooling, Inc. provides comprehensive air conditioning replacement services throughout Kansas City, MO. If you need a new air conditioning system installed in your home, contact us today for an appointment with one of our experts.
