For 30 years air conditioners have required a hydrochlorofluorocarbon called difluoromonochloromethane or Chlorodifluoromethane also known as R-22, HCFC-22 or Freon, to keep blowing cold air. Freon is very effective as a coolant, and therefore, is often used for heat pumps, air conditioners, and other appliances, but it is most commonly used in manufacturing HVAC systems.
Because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) soon discovered that HCFC is a very powerful greenhouse gas that depletes the ozone layer, in 1987, the US called for an international reduction of HCFC production and in 1994; it was banned from use in creating new systems and appliances. However, there are many vehicles manufactured before then that still rely on R-22 to keep their air conditioners running. Therefore, a plan was constructed to fade out the use of R-22 starting 2004 and it was banned from being used to build new HVAC systems in 2010.
Despite the fade-out process, the production of R-22 continued as it is necessary to service older air conditioning units that still exist. But, due to it being so hard to get, in spite of the low quantities, prices to obtain the gas rose drastically and in 2015 the cost nearly tripled when the next step to phase out R-22 was triggered that further reduced its production and import. By 2020, it will no longer be available to manufacturers, thus by 2030 R-22 will be completely obsolete, the only thing you’ll be able to get is a recycled brand.
This can be a big problem for homeowners and car-owners with older units that require Freon to keep their systems blowing cool air. However, there are r22 replacement alternatives that we will discuss in this article.
Why Your Unit Would Need Freon
A common misconception is that your AC unit will eventually run out of Freon and need to be topped off in order to blow cool air again. This is not possible because Air conditioners never use up the refrigerant. Therefore, your unit never really needs more Freon added to it just to make it blow cooler air.
The truth is if your AC unit is not blowing cool air or just not working right, then it probably has a leak. The worst part is, some air conditioning techs will go along with you and agree you need Freon then have you pay a ton of money for 1 to 2 pounds of Freon and then charge you even more for labor.
When something like this takes place, either the tech doesn’t know what he’s doing or he is scamming you, most likely he is a scammer because a good technician knows that you should never have to add more Freon to your AC in order for it to blow cooler air.
Because most people don’t know this they will pay for the Freon and the labor, then later when it’s still not working right will call the same technician back who will get even more money out of them by finally doing what he should have done in the first place and fix the leak.
Does Your Unit Use R-22/Freon
Although the majority of both household AC units and motor vehicle air conditioners (MVACs) built before the mid-1990s use R-22 to blow cool air, models after that and before 2010 may not contain Freon; therefore, you will need to check your unit to find out what refrigerant it requires.
This information can typically be found on the nameplate located on your unit’s outdoor condenser or check your owner’s manual. If you weren’t able to determine which refrigerant your system uses, then try contacting the manufacturer or a certified service agent and if you find that, it does use R-22, then you need to start considering your options.
What Are Your Options if You Have a Unit That Uses R-22/Freon?
If you have a unit that uses Freon, then you have a few options, you can…
- Continue to use your unit
- Have your unit retrofitted to an ozone-friendly refrigerant
- Buy a new unit
1. Continue to use your unit
Of course, you can continue to use your old AC unit or MVAC, but you better hope that it doesn’t need servicing. Keep in mind that most AC units only have a working life of approximately 10 to 15 years. Thus, if it should happen to spring a leak or need service for any reason, it will cost a lot of money to fix, not only for Freon but also for service charges as technicians need to recycle and clean R-22. Also, Freon could cost you hundreds or, in a few years, even thousands to purchase, and after 2020, it will be almost impossible to get or the only thing that will be available is recycled Freon that could cost you a fortune.
2. Have your unit retrofitted to an ozone-friendly refrigerant
Unfortunately, it is not so simple to just transition from one cooling agent to another. This will require a trained professional, as they must know what they are doing. For example, to switch from an R-22 unit to an R-410A it would take the following:
- Replace the unit’s furnace and evaporator coil
- If the copper lines that connect the components can’t handle the high pressure of the R-410A, they will have to be replaced.
- To ensure the system is free of leaks, a specialized vacuum must be used to completely remove the moisture from the system making sure all traces of water vapor are gone, which could take several hours.
All of the above must be done accurately or the system could fail.
3. Buy a new unit
With the price you will pay for the Freon and repair charges to fix an old unit, you could probably buy two brand new units. Even retrofitting your unit can cost a pretty penny and after the transition, it may not perform as well as it did, which could result in higher energy bills. New units are not only made with ozone-friendly refrigerant, but they are also more energy-efficient as well; therefore, you will also save a lot on energy bills with a new unit. You might want to consider replacing your old unit if…
- It is ten or more years old
- It has had serious issues in the past
- Your energy bills are increasing
- It is no longer working
Ozone Friendly r22 replacement alternatives to Freon
The EPA reports there are several ozone-friendly coolants available to replace R-22 that are already being implemented by many today. In fact, new HVAC units are being produced with these refrigerants. The most commonly used are as follows:
- GENERATION AZ-20® also known as R-410A
- SUVA 410A®
- Forane® 410A
- Puron®
