Why You Will Replace Your AC In The Next 5-10 Years
Have you heard of R-134a refrigerant? No? Well, that’s the new freon in your car’s air conditioner. Freon has been phased out and is getting more expensive. Fortunately, cars can be converted.
Why do you care? I just learned some bad news from Angie’s List – the same thing is happening to your house’s air conditioner – and worse yet, it isn’t easily converted. That means you will probably be chucking the old AC and buying a new one sooner than you planned. The old refrigerant, HCFC-22 or R-22 (not to be confused with insulation R-value), is hard on the ozone layer and has been ordered phased out. The new refrigerant is called R-410A.
NOTE: I don’t sell air conditioners, so I’m not thrilled about this either and derive no financial benefit from this news. I’m glad for a change that my house doesn’t have air conditioning.
R-22 is still in production, sort of. According to the EPA, as of 1-1-10, usage consumption was required to be reduced 75% from the US baseline. By 2015, it must be reduced 90%. In 2020 it is effectively phased out with a 99.5% reduction. The only R-22 on the market will be recycled, and very expensive. That is only 8 years away!
This has meant that production of R-22 has been drastically curtailed and much of the market is running on recycled or reclaimed R-22. No R-22 is allowed to be released into the air during service, so at least this will maintain some sort of supply – except for all the leaky systems out there that need more R-22!
With production curtailed, the price for a pound of R-22 has jumped from $30 two years ago to $175 according to Angie’s List. Ouch! As the price goes up, it will push more people into new AC units.
To make matters worse, models made prior to 2010 can’t be retrofitted, so you have to buy a new one! There is a coolant that older models can be converted to, but it is only available in Europe, not the US, called R-407C.
So the skinny is this: plan on buying a new air conditioner soon, even if your old one is only 5 years old.
There is at least one small bright spot in this – new units are MUCH more efficient and at least stand a chance of paying for themselves in reduced electric bills.
Make that 2 bright spots – if you increase your insulation levels and air seal, you will be substantially more comfortable, meaning no more hot second floor, and you will save even more on energy bills. It also will allow for a smaller, less expensive unit to be installed, improving payback on the AC unit. (OK, the second one is brighter for admittedly selfish reasons.)
So now that the Pollyanna bright spots are said, I hate to add another line item to your budget, but keep in the back of your mind that a new AC will be in your future, pretty much guaranteed. Also, shockingly, it sounds like R-22 units are still being sold, so insist on one with R-410A.
I’d say you’re welcome, but you wouldn’t say thank you for bad news!
I promise the next blog entry will be more uplifting. Don’t forget to like the Facebook page so you’re sure to get the next update!
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