You might have been thinking about replacing your outdated R-22 air conditioner to improve your energy efficiency, save a little money, and do better by the environment via shrinking your home's carbon footprint. If so, make sure you do it by January 1st, 2020. On that day, the slow R-22 phase out will end, and the refrigerant becomes illegal to manufacture in or import into the United States.

Should You Upgrade to R-410A Now?

Probably. R-410A is a latest generation coolant. Unlike previous refrigerant formulas, it won't leak harmful particles into the atmosphere to destroy the ozone layer. As part of the Montreal Protocol, the United States and many other countries agreed to limit such emissions in order to prevent annihilation of life as we know it. Despite that, there are still a lot of US homes that use older coolants like R-22 and others. R-22 doesn't make an air conditioner more inefficient than R-410A, but, unlike R-410A, R-22 is going to be gone soon. It's already tough to find a new residential air conditioner that uses it.

Do I have to upgrade?

Technically, no, you don't. You can wait until years after R-22 becomes completely illegal. You won't be breaking any laws, so don't worry about that. What you will have is an air conditioner that can only be replaced, not repaired. Before 2020, as R-22 becomes more rare it will cost more and more to repair systems reliant on it. R-22 is already expensive now. It's only going to get worse as we get closer and closer to phase out. A new energy efficient heat pump or air conditioner with R-410A will not only be a better environmental choice, but it could save you a bundle.

More Questions About the R-22 Phase Out?

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