What Will Happen to R22 and How it Affects You

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010 and you don’t know what R22 is then you should probably learn. R22 refrigerant is a chemical that keeps the air coming from your air conditioning system cool, so it’s certainly incredibly vital. Most air conditioning units older than 10 years have an AC refrigerant called R22 that’s commonly recognized as Freon*, and is referred to by the EPA as HCFC-22. In this blog, we’ll use the name R22. This refrigerant was introduced in the 1950s and became the leading AC refrigerant in the residential heating and cooling industry.

The Montreal Protocol

Several decades later the world realized that R22 refrigerant was aiding in the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer. That’s not great. So, the U.S. EPA, in cooperation with other agencies and groups around the world, began a phase out of several ozone-depleting agents as part of an international agreement known as the Montreal Protocol. The regulation lists many HCFCs and CFCs (different types of refrigerants that deplete the ozone layer), but R22 is believed to be one of the worst offenders.

Timeline and R22 phase out progress in 2018

In 2003, the phase out of R22 production and imports began. By early 2010 the production and import of R22 became prohibited. However, servicing current, existing equipment is still acceptable as long as there is an available supply of R22. To confirm the public’s compliance with the new law, all sales of R22 must be acquired by a certified technician R22 refrigerant will be available to service existing air conditioners after 2020.

The graph above shows the EPA’s consumption allowance of R22 by percentage. The limits on R22 consumption were implemented in 2010 and follow a declining trend until 2020.

So how does this affect prices?

If you’re thinking that this sounds like a great case study for an economics professor teaching supply and demand, then you are on the right track. As you can imagine, older air conditioners may have more leaks and need repairs. Any systems that are older than 2010 are more likely to use R22, which means there’s a lot more demand for it, and a very limited supply. Prices have only increased due to scarcity.

Recall that in order to obtain R22, you must be an EPA-certified technician. So, the typical homeowner is unable to purchase a cylinder themselves. In addition, there are some strict regulations now on how refrigerant must be reclaimed and recycled, which increases expenses. This fee is passed on to the homeowner as companies must cover the increased overhead associated with R22 repairs. There are requirements for importing, labeling, record keeping, reporting, destruction and reclaiming of R22 from existing units.

So, how does this impact you?

The cost of R22 is considerably increasing because of the declining supply, and new refrigerant will no longer be available for use at all after 2020, except from recycled quantities.

If you’re thinking, “Wow, this is starting to sound expensive,” you’re correct, it is. This is why when our professionals come out to assess your unit we check to see what refrigerant your unit uses, and lots of cases, we’ll recommend an upgrade as a result of the increasing cost of taking care of an R22 air conditioner.

How do I know if my unit uses R22?

If your home has an air conditioning system that was built before 2010, your AC will likely have R22. However, if you installed your air conditioner after January 1, 2010, then your air conditioner may not have R22. You can check the type of refrigerant your system runs on by reading the appliance’s nameplate. This nameplate is usually found on the outdoor condenser of your central air conditioning system. If you can’t locate it, you can read your user’s manual. Alternatively, you can call your local Service Experts center. If you have a maintenance agreement with us, we also have your information on hand and a tech can let you know right away if your unit uses R22.

Instead of Freon, use Puron

The industry has made the switch from R22 to R410a, which you may recognize by the brand name Puron. In the remainder this article, we’ll use the name R410a (although Puron is a recognized brand, there are other companies that make R410a). There are some serious benefits to switching from an R22 air conditioning unit to one that uses R410a. It provides a higher safety rating tests than R22.

You may have heard of “drop-in” replacements for R22. We strongly advocate against this option. Usually a homeowner who is uneasy about the cost of replacing their air conditioner seeks out an alternative, and this appears to be an easy solution. It often costs the homeowner more money, and virtually always voids the manufacturer warranty. The truth about “drop-ins” is that there is no “drop-in” solution where you simply swap out the refrigerant. The phrase “drop-in” is suggesting retrofitting a unit, which when done properly can cost the homeowner as much, or more, money than buying a new unit that uses R410a. In part, this is because different refrigerants work at different pressure levels and demand different parts to run, which means the technician is forced to replace the most expensive components of your system to work with the new refrigerant. If this critical step is skipped, your system will quickly stop operating, and you’ll end up installing a new unit anyway. If you are insistent on exploring retrofitting, then consult with an HVAC company to determine your best alternative.  

Your manufacturer will possibly not pay for the parts to make this transition because retrofitting your AC system will likely void the warranty. It’s usually just a temporary fix, but purchasing a new upgraded AC system will probably benefit most homeowners in dependability, satisfaction, and long-term comfort.

It’s better to discuss pricing choices with your HVAC provider if you’re worried about cost. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer financing that makes a replacement affordable, and we watch for any manufacturer and utility rebates that would make it easier to manage a surprising replacement. To reduce the chances of an emergency on a hot day, many of our customers choose to do a pre-emptive replacement, and replace an old unit before it breaks down. If you’re thinking the same thing, then you’re in good company!

If your unit was built after 2010, you’re probably safe

If your heating and air conditioning system was built after January 2010, the R22 phase out dilemma may not apply to you, because it’s likely that your system uses the new, approved replacement refrigerant, R410a. However, units installed after 2010 might use R22, so it’s ideal to check with an HVAC Expert. You can always check for this and the refrigerant type by reading the nameplate on your condenser (the condenser is the outside unit).

What do I do if my air conditioner uses R22?

To summarize, if your HVAC equipment was produced prior to January 2010, especially if it’s older than a decade, you have these options:

1. Buy an upgraded, more environmentally-friendly system that uses R410a.
2. Contact an expert to replace the parts in your current air conditioner to help make it compatible with an approved air conditioner refrigerant. This is not what we recommend.
3. Keep using recycled R22 and burn money like it’s the ozone layer.

To be clear, the EPA regulates the production and use of this refrigerant, but not your AC. The law doesn’t require you to replace your air conditioner. Eventually, your AC will not work and it will need to be replaced, and only R410a units will be available for sale.

The ideal option is to buy a new, upgraded air conditioner, particularly if your current air conditioner is already more than 10 years old. Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning has several financing options that help to meet your budget, and again, we look out for rebates from HVAC manufacturers and local utilities to make it easier on you. New AC equipment will also be more efficient and give you superior comfort, helping to lower your energy costs.

You could also choose the status quo and continue using recycled R22 air conditioning refrigerant for the time being. While this sounds like a nice alternative, the price of servicing old R22 A/C systems is starting to surpass several hundred dollars (easily a down payment on a new system). You may also see the prices climb as demand continues to rise on a substance that is no longer produced or widely obtainable.

If you aren’t aware of what type of AC refrigerant your air conditioning system uses, our team is here. Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today and we can provide an inspection to determine if you are currently using R22 and, if so, what you can do.

The good news

While making the transition to an approved AC refrigerant may intimidating, it’s helping to save the ozone layer. These regulations will help protect the ozone layer in the Earth’s atmosphere, which helps block radiation from the sun and prevents serious illnesses, such as skin cancer. It’s not implausible to say that you, as a homeowner, are a large part of this by replacing an old R22 unit with a newer, ozone friendly unit.

If you have any questions, please contact us for a free, in-home consultation by filling out the form below.

*Freon is a registered trademark of the DuPont Corporation

Sources:
1.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/12/24/2013-29817/protection-of-stratospheric-ozone-adjustments-to-the-allowance-system-for-controlling-hcfc