Does your home have a central air conditioning system that was installed before 2010? If so, you could be looking at hefty AC repair costs come January 2020. Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), R-22, the industry-standard refrigerant found within most central AC systems, acquires illegal status in the U.S. as of January 1, 2020. If you know your unit needs repair or has a persistent leak, fixing it may be cost-prohibitive with the new law in effect.
What Are Your AC Repair Options?
Major AC repairs almost always require recharging of the unit’s refrigerant. With the R-22 phase-out in full effect, acquiring the extremely popular refrigerant can prove a challenge. What can you do to make sure your AC continues functioning without a hitch? Essentially, you have three options:
- Convert outdated R-22 equipment to reflect the new standards. Use EPA-approved equipment and refrigerant.
- Replace your current system with a unit that does not use R-22.
- Wait until you system requires a major repair. If your AC shows no signs of impending leakage or failure, you may continue using it, but will be unable to acquire refrigerant. When your system finally needs a major repair, you’ll need to retrofit or replace it altogether.
What if You Only Have a Small Leak?
If your system has been limping along with a small leak, incremental addition of new R-22 refrigerant may allow you to skate by for a few months. However, you should start thinking about possible replacement refrigerants that may work with your existing setup. R-421A refrigerant may be a long-term replacement option that you can discuss with AC service provider. As an alternative, R-421A does not contain harmful hydrocarbons, is non-ozone depleting and can replace R-22 effectively with no modifications to your existing system.
If you hope to enjoy a cool, comfortable summer season, it’s time to think about trading in your existing R-22 refrigerant for a more environmentally friendly product or replacing your system to reflect the new EPA standard. Schedule service, at Quality Service, Inc., give us a call today or visit us online for more information about our services.
