Identifying If Your Air Conditioner Uses R-22 Refrigerant
Do you have an air conditioning system in your home that’s obsolete? If you have an AC system that needs refrigerant this year and your air conditioner uses R22, the cost is going to be high. To learn more regarding the phase-out of R22 and to learn whether your AC equipment uses R22, continue reading.
It is never a good idea to use air conditioning equipment that is obsolete. Old air conditioners not only use more energy than newer models, but they’re also prone to poor performance and high repair bills.
R22 Air Conditioners: Repair Vs. Replacement
Contents
- 1 How To Determine If Your Connecticut Air Conditioner Uses R22 Refrigerant
- 1.1 1. Check The Manufacturer Date Of Your Air Conditioner
- 1.2 2. Find The Installation Date Of The Air Conditioner
- 1.3 3. Check Specifications Provided By The Manufacturer
- 1.4 4. Contact The Air Conditioner’s Manufacturer
- 1.5 5. In Connecticut, Ask Wilcox Energy, Your Trusted Local HVAC Contractor
- 1.6 Phaseout Of The EPA’s R-22 Refrigerant
- 1.7 For Homeowners In Connecticut, What Are The Available Options?
- 1.8 Conclusion
Furthermore, older air conditioners that rely on R-22 refrigerant will be costly to have repaired if they have a refrigerant leak. Therefore, if your AC unit develops a coolant leak, you’ll be faced with the choice of either repairing or replacing your outdated cooling system.
With the government phaseout finalized, R22 refrigerant has become incredibly expensive. A recharge can cost 50% or more of what it would cost to upgrade your cooling system to something newer and more energy-efficient. Clearly, if you want to save money, replacing your old air conditioner is recommended.
The first thing you’ll need to do is find out if your air conditioning system uses R-22 refrigerant. For those with an air conditioner that was manufactured after 2010, there might be repair options that are more economically prudent. After this date, manufacturers started incorporating the alternative refrigerant R-410a or Puron into units. Air conditioning units manufactured before 2010 typically used the R22 refrigerant. To determine the best repair option for your circumstances, you’ll need to know the type of refrigerant used by your cooling system.
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that even if you have an older air conditioner that seems to be working fine, you should begin to prepare. After January 2020, R22 refrigerant was no longer legal for production or importation, meaning that supplies will be limited. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start planning for an AC replacement as soon as possible.
In this article, we’ll discuss some standard methods you can use to determine the type of refrigerant used by your current AC system. Additionally, we’ll cover important information regarding the phaseout of R-22.
How To Determine If Your Connecticut Air Conditioner Uses R22 Refrigerant
1. Check The Manufacturer Date Of Your Air Conditioner
The easiest way to determine if your air conditioner uses the R22 refrigerant is to simply find the manufacture date. There should be a data plate on the air handler or condenser unit of your air conditioning system. If the date of manufacture was before 1996, it uses R22 refrigerant. However, if the manufacture date is in the range of 1996 to 2009, it could use either R-22 or R-410A. Therefore, you’ll need to do a bit more research. Air conditioners manufactured after 2010 all use R-410a refrigerant.
2. Find The Installation Date Of The Air Conditioner
The installation date of your air conditioning unit can help in determining whether it uses R-22 refrigerant or R-410A refrigerant. According to the R-22 phaseout regulations from the EPA, the installation of an air conditioner unit that utilized R-22 refrigerant was illegal from 2010 to the present. If you have an AC unit that was installed in 2010 or later, it’s likely that it doesn’t use R-22 refrigerant.
3. Check Specifications Provided By The Manufacturer
Manufacturers of air conditioners clearly indicate the specific refrigerant that the unit uses. This information can usually be found on the nameplate placed on the unit’s condenser. Therefore, checking the nameplate can help you determine if your air conditioner uses R-22 refrigerant or R-410A. Additionally, most air conditioners have certification stickers attached to the unit, and this sticker should indicate if the air conditioner is R-22 free. A quick check will let you know if your AC uses R-22 or not.
4. Contact The Air Conditioner’s Manufacturer
If you have trouble finding the nameplate or you’re not clear about the refrigerant your air conditioner uses, the unit’s manufacturer should be able to help. The staff at the customer service number should have the information you need. However, to tell you what type of refrigerant your AC uses, they’ll need you to tell them the specific make and model.
5. In Connecticut, Ask Wilcox Energy, Your Trusted Local HVAC Contractor
It’s always an excellent idea to make sure that your air conditioner has a tune-up each year. When the HVAC technician arrives to service your AC, ask them whether or not your air conditioner unit uses R-22 refrigerant. A certified HVAC technician will know how to determine whether your air conditioning system uses R-22. Additionally, they’ll know every make and model of air conditioner that uses the R-22 refrigerant.
Phaseout Of The EPA’s R-22 Refrigerant
The EPA slowly phased-out R-22 refrigerant out of the market. It’s not illegal to continue using an air conditioning unit that uses R-22. However, it can definitely be expensive. It’s no longer legal for manufacturers to make R-22, so there is a massive shortage of this particular refrigerant. Of course, this also means that the cost of acquiring some of the R-22 that is still available will be extremely expensive. Currently, homeowners who need an R-22 recharge for a medium-sized air conditioning unit will pay almost half the cost of what a new energy-efficient air conditioner would cost.
For Homeowners In Connecticut, What Are The Available Options?
Homeowners who have air conditioners that use R-22 might find that replacing their cooling unit is often their best option. For one thing, only older air conditioners use R-22. R-22 units are typically inefficient and will likely break down frequently, making a new energy-efficient air conditioner a great value.
Additionally, the cost of recharging an air conditioner that uses R-22 is incredibly high. Therefore, if you want to save money, you might want to consider replacing your old R-22 air conditioner with a new energy-efficient unit. You’ll save money with lower energy bills and repair costs. Make sure to choose a competent HVAC contractor for your AC replacement.
Many HVAC companies offer excellent financing options for homeowners with proper credit. Fortunately, even if you don’t have the cash to pay for a new installation, affordable financing, as well as convenient payment plans, can help.
Conclusion
Wilcox Energy is not only a trusted HVAC contractor that offers affordable HVAC services for both commercial and residential customers in the area. We’re proud of our exceptional service and are here to help with all of your heating and cooling needs. We provide HVAC installations, tune-ups, and repairs.
We pride ourselves on being a step above our competition while providing friendly service and affordable prices.
If you want to learn more about the systems and services we offer, please call Wilcox Energy today. We’ll gladly schedule a free consultation so you can meet one of our service professionals. We’ll discuss your heating and cooling concerns and find the best solutions for your specific circumstances. Give us a call now.
For more information about our HVAC services, be sure to contact Wilcox Energy. You can click here to contact us or you can call us at (860) 399-6218 to find out more. We offer a full line of heating and cooling repairs, maintenance services, and installations.