Should You Repair An AC Unit With Outdated Refrigerant?
Posted on: 28 September 2022
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There are many reasons to consider replacing a residential central air conditioning system. For example, installing a new compressor on older units is rarely worthwhile, and putting more money into a poorly-sized system may also be counterproductive. On the other hand, many problems are repairable, and fixing your old AC system can save you money while providing many more years of service.
Unfortunately, whether to repair or replace your system becomes a more complicated question if you have an air conditioner that uses an outdated refrigerant, such as R-12 or R-22. These refrigerants are either already banned or in the process of being phased out. If your system uses one of these refrigerant chemicals, you might wonder if keeping your old system running is worthwhile.
What's Wrong With Older Refrigerants?
Scientific organizations and regulatory bodies rank refrigerants based on their global warming potential, or GWP. These chemicals are potentially environmentally damaging, acting as strong greenhouse gases on par with or exceeding carbon dioxide. As a result, many countries (including the US) are using regulations and international treaties to ban their usage.
In addition to their environmental effects, regulatory action means that manufacturers can no longer produce these chemicals. For banned refrigerants, that means that the existing worldwide stock is all that is or ever will be available. This limitation causes many homeowners to think they need to replace their old systems, but the truth is a little more complicated.
Why Should You Consider Repairing Older Systems?
Your air conditioning system's refrigerant cycle uses a closed loop. Under ideal conditions, the refrigerant that goes into your system when you install it will be the same refrigerant that comes out at the end of its lifespan. In other words, the refrigerant in your system doesn't get used up or pushed into the atmosphere, where it can cause harm.
If a technician needs to remove refrigerant from your system for repairs, they will use special equipment to evacuate and store the old chemical, keeping it contained safely. In many cases, they can reuse this refrigerant, adding only a small amount to compensate for leaks or other problems. Recycling refrigerant in this way means the limited new stock is rarely an issue for homeowners.
Ultimately, you shouldn't let the refrigerant in your system dictate your repair vs. replacement choices. If your system is working well and only needs minor repairs, there's nothing wrong with running a system that uses older refrigerant. In many ways, keeping your old system in operation is the more environmentally-friendly choice since it keeps your equipment and refrigerant out of the waste stream.
Make an appointment with an AC repair contractor to see if your AC is worth repairing.