R-22 refrigerant supplies are an endangered species. Refrigerant-22, better known as R-22, was the HVAC industry’s primary refrigerant for more than 40 years. All air conditioners manufactured during that time span were designed to operate with R-22 as the lifeblood of the cooling process. When R-22 was discovered to be detrimental to the ozone layer, however, it was scheduled to be gradually phased out by 2020. That timetable has been accelerated and the phaseout is no longer gradual. Prices of R-22 have soared as stockpiles dwindle. In early 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced still another cutback in availability of R-22.
What does the wholesale disappearance of R-22 refrigerant supplies mean at the consumer level?
If your A/C or heat pump is over three years old, it probably utilizes R-22. Models made after 2010 use a new refrigerant formula, R-410A, that’s considered better for the environment. If you have an A/C that’s older than 10 years, in addition to nearing the end of its normal service life, that unit is now at risk to become unserviceable – or at best, exorbitantly expensive – in case of a malfunction requiring the addition of refrigerant. Even simply topping up the system to get through the summer could be impractical.
Now more than ever is the time to cut the risky dependence on obsolete R-22 equipment and upgrade to a new air conditioner or heat pump that utilizes R-410A refrigerant. In addition to the assurance that your air conditioner can be promptly serviced at realistic prices should the need arise, upgrading to a standard efficiency R-410A A/C unit with a SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) ranking of 13 will deliver as much as a 30 percent increase in energy efficiency over your old R-22 unit. High-efficiency air conditioners offer even greater savings, increased comfort level and an array of options not available on older units.
Paitson Bros. Heating and Air Conditioning. in Terre Haute is the Wabash Valley’s trusted cooling and heating provider since 1922. Contact us to learn more about better alternatives to the shortage of R-22 refrigerant supplies.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Terre Haute, Indiana about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about R-22 refrigerant and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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