If your home’s cooling system was manufactured before 2010, you should be aware that the refrigerant it uses, R-22, is being phased out by the federal government as a result of its negative impact on the Earth’s ozone layer. If you have a serious air conditioner malfunction with your older cooling system, you may want to give serious consideration to upgrading to an A/C that doesn’t use R-22, which sometimes goes by the brand name Freon.
Defining R-22
R-22 was the industry standard refrigerant for residential cooling systems for decades. This all changed as a result of international pressure to address the shrinking ozone layer, which many scientists believe is a major factor in climate change. R-22 is an HCFC, which damages the ozone layer when released into the atmosphere. Other damage to the ozone layer results from the manufacturing process of R-22. An international treaty, the Montreal Protocol, laid out a schedule for R-22 to be phased out of manufacture and use in countries that signed the treaty. This phaseout is already well under way in the U.S., where far less R-22 is being manufactured now than before the phaseout began. The supplies are expected to continue dwindling until 2020 when none will be manufactured. At that time, only recycled or repurposed R-22 will be available to recharge old A/Cs and heat pumps.
Because of the law of supply and demand, the shrinking supplies of R-22 are resulting in skyrocketing costs for recharging old systems with R-22. As a result, the decision to repair or replace after a serious air conditioner malfunction may be tilted toward the replacement option. The more a major repair costs, the more sense it makes to consider an upgrade.
Phaseout Options
Some homeowners may consider just replacing an ailing outside condenser/compressor with a component that uses the more environmentally friendly R-410A refrigerant, if that part of the system is failing. But in most cases, R-410A won’t work with the inside part of your A/C if it was engineered to use R-22. Retrofits are available as an option, though they can be costly, and your A/C probably will operate at whatever efficiency level the older component was designed for. In most cases, it’s preferable to replace your entire split-system A/C rather than trying to piece it out.
Your best course, as is the case with any significant A/C malfunction or issue, is to consult with a qualified HVAC technician before making a decision.
To learn more about the R-22 phaseout, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide quality heating and air conditioning services to the Twin Cities Metro area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Leigh Prather/Shutterstock”