Air Conditioning Unit – Federal law might require you to replace it in 2021
This time of year normally means in Galveston and Harris County that your energy bill will increase with your additional air conditioning unit usage. Unfortunately this year, you might have to have an entire new air conditioning unit installed at your residence.
As of January 1, 2020, R-22 Freon has been completely phased out by the US Government and the EPA in favor of Puron refrigerant.
Freon is the coolant gas that almost everyone associates with air conditioning units, and now it has been banned. The reason for the ban is because it has been determined that R22 Freon is bad for the ozone.
Puron is also known as R-410A, Forane, EcoFluor, and Suva. It has been approved by the EPA as a new substitute for Freon. It’s much kinder to the ozone that Freon. One of the many advantages is that a Puron system operates under much higher pressure and therefore use less energy overall. It reduces your overall energy usage and is more environmentally friendly as a result. This also means there will be a reduction in your average energy bill.
Almost all of the air conditioning units built after 2010 have stopped using freon and are already using Puron. If you still have an ac unit older than 2010, it will cost you to replace it. Air conditioners can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the air conditioner unit you have installed.
OTHER OPTIONS
There is another option: An Affordable Air and Heat technician can drop-in a freon alternative, but it is not as efficient, does not work as well and we do not recommend it. If you're used to your air conditioning unit cooling at 50 degrees on Freon, it might blow up to 5 degrees warmer which will cost you more money to keep your house as cool as you are used to.
Even though it may seem like a less expensive option, it is a decision that you may regret. As the summer temperatures climb into and over 90 degrees, you might find that you are turning on the A/C more often and that it is taking longer to cool the house.
WHAT SHOULD I DO
If you have an HVAC system that has a leak and your system is older than 2010, you need to start planning for replacement of that legacy system, sooner than later.
A technician from Affordable Air and Heat can check your ac unit to see if it is currently using R-22 Freon or R-410A Puron. If your a/c unit is using Freon we can suggest an equal Heil R-410A Puron air conditioning system to replace it with.
We offer affordable financing options to help you with the cost of a new air conditioning system.
WHY USE PURON REFRIGERANT?
Puron Refrigerant is an excellent product to use for cooling. In fact, it is so well suited for this use that a lot of refrigeration manufactures have chosen it as the primary component in their cooling lines. For one thing, this refrigerant comes in a very handy color - purple. Not only will you find this particular color very pleasing on the eyes, it is also the favored color of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA.
This product is also one of the few that does not produce toxic fumes or dangerous emissions when used. This is important, especially if you are using the refrigerant for a space ship. That is why Puron is often used as a booster gas, first used for low pressure situations, then up to high pressure situations. Many NASA applications for the product have been developed using the refrigerant as the primary source of cold gas.
There are many other uses for Puron Refrigerant, however, in the food and beverage industry, the most popular use is for cleaning cooling lines. A strong vacuum helps remove dirt, scale and lint from the lines and prevents damage to the equipment. Many purists might disagree, but that is how far the product has come!
Call us today at (409) 925-8275 for a Free Estimate or to Schedule a Check-Up. You can even join our Preventative Maintenance Club. Whatever your air conditioning or heating needs, you can always count on Affordable Air and Heat to be there when you need us!