R22 Vs. R410A Air Conditioning Refrigerant

R22 refrigerant, also known as Freon, will become completely obsolete in the year 2030, much like other refrigerants that came before it. Refrigerants used to give air conditioning units their cooling qualities have been evolving since modern refrigeration came about. Early refrigerants were extremely detrimental to the ozone which led to them being continually improved upon year after year. The Environmental Protection Agency began phasing out R22 in 2004.

Today, R410A, also known as Puron, is being used to replace Freon. Here is what the timetable looks like, inspired by the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental agreement signed by the United States in 1987.

Year 2010: All new air conditioning equipment will be built to use R410A, not R22.
Year 2020: R22 will become illegal to produce.
Year 2030: Complete phase-out of R22.

This timetable shows the U.S. government’s dedicated effort to remove the air conditioning refrigerants that cause ozone depletion. Before R22 was used, there was a refrigerant called R12 that had an ozone depletion level of 1.0. R22 followed with a depletion level that was significantly less, 0.05, but still not optimal. With R410A, the U.S. government and other environmental agencies reached their goal: discovering an accessible refrigerant with an ozone depletion level of 0.

Transition to an R410A Air Conditioning System

If you currently have an air conditioning system that uses Freon, you should start looking into your AC replacement options. Your system won’t be illegal in 2020, but refrigerant will no longer be available to fuel it, so refreshing your coolant will be more expensive. If you still have a perfectly good R22 system with a warranty, keep it. Keep it until the warrant voids or you have enough money saved up to buy an R410A system. If you are a resident of Utah, the government is offering tax rebates to homeowners who upgrade to a new energy-efficient system. Take advantage of these rebates while you still can. Call Mountain Air today at (801) 773-7171(801) 773-7171 for more information.

If an air conditioning installation and repair company offers you advice that implies the contrary, be hesitant of their legitimacy. They could be using the R22 phase-out plan to make a quick buck. Rest assured that at Mountain Air, we always offer the best solutions to fit our client’s needs. We put the customer first and always look for cost-effective methods to ease you into getting a new R410A air conditioner.

For Utah air conditioning service and information on getting a new R410A air conditioner, call Mountain Air today or contact us online. Get ready for a cleaner, cooler future!