As the heat rises across the Arizona desert, many news stations have been reporting on the planned phaseout of R-22 refrigerants. If you have a Gilbert air conditioning system which was manufactured before 2010, there is a chance that it uses R-22 to produce cool air. Unfortunately, it has been deemed an ozone-depleting substance and may be linked to global warming. In order to protect our environment, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has outlined a gradual reduction in the importation and production of this refrigerant. This phaseout complements the worldwide initiative established by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone, developed in 19871. Basically, production will be (and has been) decreased by a predetermined percentage, until the year 2020, in which production will cease completely1.

While manufacturers will be cutting back on production over the next eight years, supplies will still be available to Gold Canyon AC repair services for use in repairs and maintenance initiatives for customers with systems using R-22, also known as HCFC-22. This means that there should not be any direct affect for consumers for many years. Be sure to keep in mind that the laws of supply and demand may ultimately lead to an increase in price for R-22. Looking into the future, what are your options for getting around the R-22 phaseout? There are numerous substitutes you may choose to use, but unfortunately, your system may need to be retrofitted into compatibility with these refrigerants, such as the R-410A.

If your system is many years old, you may also choose to replace it with a much newer, more energy efficient model. We install a full line of high quality Carrier cooling systems capable of providing you with optimal results and reduced energy expenses. In order to determine if this phaseout will even affect you, you may inspect your outside condensing unit to see if it says on the metal nameplate which type of refrigerant is used, check your owner’s manual, or call Honest Air in Mesa to ask one of our knowledgeable associates about your system model.

Sources:

1Environmental Protection Agency; https://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html