The reign of R-22, or Freon, is coming to a fast close. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” certainly doesn’t apply here. By 2020, the chemical keeping your air nice and cool is expected to be completely phased out. What does that mean for you? Changing the Freon in your AC unit is about to get more expensive (compared to about $300 per replacement now!) and incredibly difficult. That leaves you with two choices:
- Pay high prices for replacement R-22 and AC tune-ups until you replace your current system.
- Put that money (hundreds of dollars…) toward a down payment on a new, compliant, environmentally-friendly unit.
The hot, humid weather is quickly approaching, so it’s time to decide. There’s no sense in paying for a pre-summer tune-up if you plan to replace your outdated unit.
The Obvious Reason R-22 is on the Way Out
R-22 isn’t here for much longer, and for a good reason. Due to the harmful impacts that R-22 has on the earth’s ozone layer, industry experts anticipate the chemical will be a thing of the past by 2020. That’s two years from now, everyone. Let’s all agree that we don’t want to hurt the ozone layer, considering it’s the only thing standing between us and the extreme power of the sun. To keep our earth well-protected, we recommend switching to an AC unit that supports a different, environmentally-friendly type of Freon called R-410a. Not only is R-410a better for the earth and your AC!
Compared to the outdated R-22 refrigerant, R-410a works better in temperatures of 90°F and above, removes more moisture and humidity from the air, and has a lower critical temperature. After January 1, 2020, R-22 will become illegal to produce in the United States. The U.S. will no longer manufacture the product, and any importing of the product will cease. Not saying it will be illegal to use the product, but it will be incredibly difficult to get it serviced, and it cost significant amounts of money to replace it due to a lack of supply. Demand will be high, and supply will be low, increasing the price.
Final Thoughts on Freon
Ultimately, your options are to either use R-22 until you cannot replace it anymore and then upgrade or upgrade and relieve yourself of any future stress. The choice is up to you, but we definitely suggest the latter. The next time your unit with R-22 needs to recharge, consider asking your tech for options to switch out your refrigerant for something that won’t be banned in the near future. The clock is ticking, be ahead of the game and consider replacing your freon or getting new AC!
