What You Need to Know About Using R-22 in HVAC Systems

R-22 was the most popular refrigerant in commercial and residential air conditioning for many years, but it was phased out in the U.S. beginning in 2010 because it is ozone-depleting. Here is what owners should know.

Once the EPA began reducing available quantities of R-22, fear of shortages drove manufacturers, distributors, and service companies to stock up, causing price spikes. As time passed and availability continued, prices stabilized. The R-22 phase-out regulation ended new production and import of HCFC-22 as of January 1, 2020. After 2020, reclaimed R-22 can be used for service and maintenance for the life of the equipment.

The reclaim and recycling industry acted early to ensure adequate supply. Hundreds of millions of pounds of R-22 are available in existing equipment — adequate to ensure full lifetime service needs. The bottom line is that the risk of R-22 demand exceeding supply is very low.

What should system owners do next?

Maintain your service and maintenance schedules for the expected life of the equipment. Proper maintenance helps prevent refrigerant leaks and, if a leak does happen, technicians will catch it early. Even if the price of R-22 climbs, the cost of replacing a few pounds will be relatively minor.

Owners who want to convert an R-22 system to a different refrigerant should proceed with extreme caution. An exact "drop-in" replacement for R-22 does not exist, so changing refrigerant is not as simple as changing the oil in a car — it requires an engineered approach. System efficiency losses and a voided warranty are some of the risks. Maintaining an R-22 system for its anticipated life span is the safest way to preserve efficiency and your warranty.