Keeping Your HVAC System In Great Condition
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Keeping Your HVAC System In Great Condition

There aren't many things more frustrating than an air conditioning that refuses to run. A hot, muggy home can make your space incredibly uncomfortable, which is why I have always focused on maintaining my air conditioning system. Unfortunately, I still run into problems from time to time and I am sure that all of you do, which is one of the reasons I decided to build this website. Check out these posts for more information about keeping your system working beautifully, even if you aren't naturally good at fixing things. You never know, making the right changes could dramatically improve your summertime experience.

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Keeping Your HVAC System In Great Condition

Don't Delay: 3 Reasons to Replace Your R22 Central Air System Today

Herbert Franklin

Central air conditioning systems are generally very reliable, and the system that keeps your home cool may have been in service for years, or even decades. Unfortunately, while older central air systems can still provide efficient cooling, many of them rely on a type of refrigerant known as R22.

The harmful environmental effects of R22 have been well known for many years. The EPA has mandated a staged phasing out of R22 production, and since 2020, it has been illegal to produce or import R22.

If your central air system uses R22 refrigerant, replacing your system sooner rather than later is a very smart investment. Here are three reasons not to delay, and have your R22 central air system replaced with a newer model using safer refrigerants as soon as possible:

R22 Is Getting Rarer (And More Expensive)

Many homes and commercial buildings across the country still rely on air conditioning systems that use R22, so the use of R22 has not been banned entirely. However, the R22 currently used to recharge air conditioners is taken from recycled sources (such as old vehicle air conditioners), or stockpiled R22 supplies.

With no new production or importation of R22, these dwindling supplies of the refrigerant are becoming rarer and more difficult to source. R22 is therefore becoming more expensive all the time. Using R22 to recharge your central air system can be particularly expensive if refrigerant suppliers in your area do not stock it. 

Recharging a central air system's supply of refrigerant is a vital part of good air conditioner maintenance, and is especially important for older systems, which are more vulnerable to refrigerant leaks. This will make your air conditioner maintenance bills significantly more expensive as time passes. Purchasing a newer system now can pay for itself over time with lower maintenance fees.

R22 Is Environmentally Damaging

R22 is a CFC, a type of gaseous chemical notorious for dealing severe damage to the environment. They are powerful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and are also extremely damaging to the ozone layer, an atmospheric layer that blocks out harmful, cancer-causing UV rays.

If your central air system uses R22, it will damage the environment every time its refrigerant conduits spring a leak, or when R22 is accidentally released during maintenance. This is hardly ideal for the many homeowners taking great pains to make their homes more eco-friendly.

More modern refrigerant gases aren't something you want to inhale, but they are much less damaging to the environment if they are released accidentally. The sooner you replace your R22 central air system, the more the environment will benefit from your conscientiousness. 

All Older Central Air Systems Are Inefficient

Central air systems that use R22 have not been manufactured for over a decade, and since then, air conditioner technology has become considerably more energy efficient. Even if your R22-using system was top of the line when it was manufactured, it is likely to be very energy-hungry when compared to the latest mid-range models.

Replacing your R22 system as soon as possible can reduce your energy bills, putting less strain on your pocketbook during these difficult times. Talk to a professional air conditioning installation service to find out how much you can save with a new central air system.  


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