If you are own an air conditioning system, you’ve probably heard the word Coolant. But, do you know what it is and how it’s used?
Coolant is the cooling agent or refrigerant in many air conditioners or rooftop air conditioners. Coolant is necessary for your air conditioning system to cool your home.
The HVAC Coolant, R22
R22 is one of the most popular types of refrigerants used in cooling systems. However, it was found to have the potential of causing depletion of the ozone layer in the atmosphere. Because of the risks to the environment, R22 is being phased out. The United States is one of 190 countries participating in this phase-out.
What does this mean for Arizona homeowners with air conditioners that use R22?
January 1, 2015: There will be a ban on the sale and use of R22. There is an exception to service the needs of existing refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
January 1, 2020: There will be a complete ban on the production and import of R22 refrigerant, and it will no longer be available to homeowners.
After January 2020: Refrigeration and air conditioning systems that use R22 will have to depend on any stockpile of existing refrigerant available to them.
Homeowners will either have to continue to deal with rising costs of R22 as stockpiles become more depleted until it is no longer available or switch to an air conditioner that uses more environmentally-friendly hvac coolant.
Energy-Efficient Air Conditioners
Because today’s air conditioners are more energy-efficient than ever and are designed to use the newer type of air conditioner coolant, we at Bruce’s Air Conditioning highly recommend homeowners with older systems to consider replacement before the ban, which is on the horizon. If you are considering the purchase of a new air conditioning system, we highly encourage you to call us today.