Switching From R-22 to R-410A

R-22 refrigerant, also known as Freon, has been in the process of being phased out for years. Due to environmental policies, all new HVAC units must be built to use R-410A (Puron) instead of R-22 as of 2010. If you want to know why, and whether your current unit supports R-22 or R-410A refrigerant, read on to learn more.

The Importance of Environmental Health

R-22 refrigerant, alongside a variety of refrigerants that came before it, is extremely harmful to the ozone layer. Halocarbons present in R-22 contribute to ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect. R-22 has an ozone depletion level of 0.05, while R-410A has a depletion level of 0. Not only is Freon less environmentally friendly than Puron, but it’s also less energy efficient.

What You Can Do

If you find that your current unit uses R-22, you should begin considering an air conditioner replacement. R-22 refrigerant will become illegal to produce or import into the United States beginning on January 1,  2020. This means that while your air conditioner won’t be illegal, repairs that require refrigerant will be hard to come by or expensive. You can choose to wait until your air conditioning unit requires an expensive repair, or you can proactively replace it with a newer, more environmentally-friendly unit now.

At Middleton, we’re here to help. One of our qualified technicians can tell you which refrigerant your unit uses, and explain your options depending on a variety of unique factors, including the age of your system and any necessary repairs.

If you think your air conditioner doesn’t support R-410A refrigerant, one of our technicians can help! Contact us today to set up an appointment online or give us a call at 1-800-404-0371.