If it’s been a while since you last replaced your HVAC system, you’ll notice that new air conditioners that use R-22 refrigerant are no longer available. Instead, all new air conditioners now use R-410a refrigerant.
There are many benefits to this new kind of refrigerant including cost savings, energy, efficiency, and environmental benefits.
Keep reading to learn more about what exactly R-410a is and what it can mean for you!
What is HVAC Refrigerant?
Your air conditioner contains refrigerant inside copper coils. As the refrigerant absorbs heat from the indoor air, it transitions to a high-pressure liquid from low-pressure gas. Air conditioning components send the refrigerant outside where your system’s fan blows the hot air over the coils and exhausts it into the outside air.
Then, the refrigerant cools down and turns back into a low-pressure gas. The fan located inside your home blows the air over the cool coils and distributes the cold air throughout your home. The cycle then repeats.
Freon (R22) Phase-Out
R-22, commonly called freon, has been the most common air conditioner coolant for decades, but it is currently being phased out in the United States, as well as all countries in the United Nations. It was decided during a U.N. meeting called the Montreal Protocol that R-22 is harmful to the ozone layer of our planet, so it should be phased out.
R-22 is made up of hydro-chlorofluorocarbons which break down over time and harmful atoms float up into the stratosphere thus depleting the ozone layer.
Keep Reading> Eco-Friendly Cooling Solutions So You Can Go Green
What is R-410a Refrigerant?
The refrigerant that has been decided to replace R-22 is called R-410a or “Puron”, and it is a hydrofluorocarbon that is not harmful to the ozone layer.
R-410a is currently the required coolant for new HVAC equipment in the United States.
Benefits of Puron R-410a refrigerant are:
More efficient, make higher SEER ratings possible
More cost-effective
Freon repairs are expensive as it continues to be phased out
R-410a release fewer emissions
Moving Forward
Replacing your R-22 unit with an R-410a unit is your best option moving forward. While the upfront costs of getting a unit new can be expensive, it is the most economical way to address obsolete equipment.
Ensuring that your AC is efficient and safe is essential to help combat climate change and improve our environment,
R-22 is Not Compatible with R-410a
Something else to consider is the difficulty in finding parts and getting maintenance performed on existing R-22 units. Parts and refrigerants are not interchangeable. Any retrofitting unless signed off on by the manufacturer of your unit can pose environmental risks and can decrease the performance of your system.
Should You Upgrade Your Unit?
If your air conditioner uses R-22, you’re cooling your home with an outdated refrigerant. While the EPA doesn’t require you to upgrade your HVAC unit immediately if a refrigerant leak occurs repairs might not be possible as R-22 becomes more difficult and expensive to find.
Instead of waiting for your older R-22 unit to break down, consider upgrading to a new high-efficiency R-410a unit now. You’ll find that the efficiency and reliability are worth the investment.
Related> HVAC Acronyms You Need to Know
Upgrade Your HVAC Unit Today
If your HVAC system uses R-22 refrigerant and you are planning to upgrade this year, call our team at Super Heat & Air! Investing in R-410a is an environmentally friendly way to keep your home cool and will give you greater peace of mind that you will have years of energy-efficient, comfortable, cooling. (813) 279-8213
