Last summer we told you about the R22 phase out and with cooling season approaching, Peachtree Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning wanted to remind you of your choices.
RECAP:
If you have an air conditioner installed prior to 2010, it likely uses R22 refrigerant, which is what causes the air coming from your air conditioner to be cool and comfy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began phasing out R22 refrigerant in recent years because it was contributing to the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer.
Launching in 2010, the manufacturing and importing of R22 was prohibited and by 2020, R22 will pretty much no longer be allowed.
HIGHLIGHTS:
R22 refrigerant is no longer manufactured in North America.
You can get recycled R22 now for existing AC equipment that use this certain refrigerant.
The cost of R22 is going up because of the dropping supply, and will no longer be obtainable for use at all by 2020.
GOT IT? GOOD! SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
If your air conditioner was made after January 2010, the R22 refrigerant phase-out probably won’t affect you. However, if your air conditioner was manufactured before January 2010, you have some options:
1) Buy an upgraded, more environmentally-friendly system, which can use the approved AC refrigerant.
2) Call an HVAC company to replace the parts in your current air conditioning system to help make it compatible with approved A/C refrigerant. Understand, though, this is not recommended because it could void your warranty(ies).
3) Stick with using recycled R22 until 2020.
READY TO BE DONE WITH IT?
If you don’t want to stress about the trouble of your refrigerant being phased-out, or you don’t want to worry about the rising costs of said refrigerant, or you just want to love the environment with a non-ozone destroying refrigerant, call Peachtree Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today and we’ll come out and provide you a free in-home estimate on a new AC system, just in time for spring!