What the R-22 Phase-Out Means for Your Air Conditioner

Air conditioners rely on refrigerant to cool the air in your Austin, TX home. As air conditioning technology improves, so are older types of refrigerant phased out in favor of newer, more efficient blends of refrigerant. Since January 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency has orchestrated a phase-out of the use of a specific blend of refrigerant called R-22 in all air conditioners bought and sold in the United States.

That poses a problem for anyone with air conditioners using R-22. The phase-out isn’t expected to be complete until 2020, but in the remaining time, this refrigerant blend will become much costlier and harder to find. If your system uses R-22, that means repairs are going to be much more expensive, and since refrigerant leaks are a common problem among older air conditioners, the issue becomes difficult. Indeed, given the drop-off we’ve seen in the use of R-22 during the last two years, the costs have become noticeably high.

Because of that, we believe that replacing an air conditioner using R-22 is a better option than repairing it. Eventually, the refrigerant will no longer be available at all, and unfortunately, air conditioners are set up to operate on one blend of refrigerant alone. The longer you delay, the more it will likely cost you to keep your air conditioner running, and the more you’ll pay in out-of-pocket expenses.

The good news is that there’s still time to act. With fall arriving in the area, you have plenty of time to schedule a replacement and have a new air conditioner installed. The sooner you do it, the better off you’ll be. If you’re not certain whether your system uses R-22, you can check the owner’s manual if you still have it, or speak to a trained service technician to find out if this action affects your home.

Call Intelligent Air Services for the answers to your questions!