Why You Will Need to Purchase a New Air Conditioning Unit by 2020 |
Posted: May 19, 2018 |
Chances are your house has some kind of air conditioning. If that is the case, then it's important to be aware of a regulatory deadline that could affect the ability to have it repaired in the near future, or even call for a full unit replacement. Well, the issue is with the ozone-depleting refrigerant well known as Freon. The most common type of Freon is known as R-22. About 28 years ago, the United States Environmental Protection Agency mandated the phase of this ozone-depleting refrigerant, obviously due to environmental concerns. The production of new units that utilize R-22 ended back in 2010, and by the year 2020, the servicing of air conditioning units based on this refrigerant will rely on reclaimed or recycled refrigerants. So, where does all this leave you? Well that depends: There are a number of factors that will ultimately impact your course of action. The purpose of this article is not to just educate you regarding the phase-out, but to also help you understand your options. That being said, let us answer a few questions you might ponder. Can You Still Buy New Air Conditioning Units Charged by R-22? As mentioned earlier, No. The EPA prohibited the production and installation of any new appliances using the refrigerant, including central air conditioning units. Of course, you can still continue servicing units that use R-22 and buy self-contained systems such as window unit, systems manufactured before 2010 or second-hand units. However, since they are no longer produced, you'll have to rely on previously owned or reclaimed quantities to keep your R-22 air conditioning unit running after 2020. Will You Have to Stop Using R-22 in your Home Air Conditioning Unit? The simple answer is No. The regulations in place don't forbid the continued use of commercial or residential air conditioning units that utilize R-22 after January 1st, 2020. This alteration regarding the ozone-depleting refrigerant is nothing new in the industry and people have prepared for it for a number of years. Refrigerant makers and distributors, as well as equipment manufacturers, have been preparing for this deadline by creating more eco-friendly air conditioning units and alternatives to R-22. Are There R-22 Alternatives That Don't Harm the Ozone Layer? Yes. There are numerous refrigerants that have been developed and are being used worldwide in consumer and commercial applications. R-410A is the most common alternative, known by its trade names Forane® 410A, SUVA 410A®, GENETRON AZ-20® and Puron. However, all of these alternatives have their downsides, and there's no single retrofit or replacement refrigerant with the R-22. These downsides are usually in the form of trade-offs in efficiency, capacity, flammability, higher pressure and any one of the alternatives could be lower or higher in each of the categories. Ideally, there's no replacement that can be mixed with R-22 in any air conditioning system. Mixing these substances tends to degrade the performance of the units and ruins any chance of reclaiming pure R-22. Determining the Type of Refrigerant Your Unit Uses The type of refrigerant that a unit uses is usually labeled on the system's nameplate located on the outdoor condenser. Other ways to determine the type of refrigerant your air conditioning system uses include contacting the salesperson or the company that sold you the unit, the manufacturer with the unit's model number and reviewing the owner's manual that shipped with the unit. Manufacturer websites can ideally provide this information. AC Crossroads Well, despite the seriousness of the 2020 deadline, there is no need to panic. Commercial building owners and homeowners have various options going forward, each with their own ups and downs. It all boils down to one of the following primary alternatives. Depending on your situation, one may be a clear choice. This is where the extensive knowledge and experience of a professional AC company can be of great help. Repair Getting rid of an entire central AC unit is enough to make an average homeowner's bank account break. One option is to replace a malfunctioning R-22 compatible compressor with the same or similar functioning model. The Environmental Protection Agency regulations permit the owners of existing R-22 systems to replace the condensing unit if it sustains damage. However, even though it deals with the current problem, it leaves you dependent on the future availability of R-22 and its expected increase in price. As such, you should consider repair as a temporary fix. Retrofit Planned retrofits from Bluon Energy are usually better than emergency ones. Most people can't afford to buy new equipment without the substantial lead time and so, planning for a unit upgrade is always better than having to deal with an unexpected expense when the air conditioning unit fails. Improving your current system with a better retrofit has the benefit of improved efficiency as well as increased potential utility savings. Replacing the whole outdoor unit but leaving the indoor components intact, however, only works if they are compatible with the latest R410A. Fortunately, most of the units produced after 2005 are compatible with both R-22 as well as R-410A. Replacement This is one of the best options, as the R-22 deadline gets closer. Today's AC units not only consume less energy, but they have reduced maintenance costs in addition to offering an environmentally friendly solution to older Freon units. While retrofits and repairs may give temporary solutions, they also call for more maintenance over time and tie to R-22 dependency. Sometimes, a total replacement of the entire AC unit with a more environmentally friendly system is the most cost-effective solution. If your current AC system has the following characteristics, then you may want to consider an entire replacement. 1. The system is inconsistent when it comes to cooling 2. It has been serving you for 12 years or longer 3. Calls for more maintenance, i.e three or more considerable repairs 4. Increased energy consumption. This can be noticed by an increase in utility bills. Also, by availing experienced HVAC experts, they can be able to help you understand whether replacing your system with a modern and eco-friendly unit is the right move for you now, or later on.
|
||||||||||||||||
|