Yesterday, the outside part of our air conditioner stopped working (compressor/condenser?). The furnace motor would start, and when the compressor tried to start, the circuit breaker would trip. Letting the breaker sit, and allowing the entire unit to cool down before resetting the breaker did no good.
I called our local utility, and they will have someone out in the morning to replace the compressor unit (we have appliance coverage with our utility company), and the cost is covered.
We've had the unit since 2000, with no problems, and we keep the unit well-ventilated, and the cooling fins washed and cleared.
I'm assuming we have R-22 refrigerant, and it's being phased out in favor of R-410A, according to most news and information sources.
If the replacement unit is charged by R-410A, will the coil assembly on top of the furnace have to be replaced also? Also, am I overthinking this, and compressors using R-22 are still available to install. I've read conflicting information.
Thanks in advance.