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Keep Your Cool
Planning for the R-22 Phase Out
Presented to the Tennessee Valley Building Owners and Managers Association March 31, 2010 by Mike Banks, President, Conditioned Air Solutions
What is R-22 and Why Should You Care?
R-22 is the industry name for the primary refrigerant used by cooling equipment
manufacturers for the last 50 years. Most people call it Freon®, which is the DuPont
trademark name for their line of hydro chloroflourocarbon (HCFCs). In the HVAC
industry we use many refrigerants, but R-22 has been the workhorse for years and
years. As of January 1, 2010, HVAC manufacturers can no longer manufacture
products that use R-22. This change is going to impact decisions all business
owners make about repairing or replacing their HVAC systems.
Refrigerants have been successfully phased out before
Back in 1987, the Montreal Protocol identified CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) as
contributing to the depletion of ozone in the Earth's stratosphere. Among the first to be
phased out were R-12 and R-11. R-12 was used primarily in auto air conditioners and
refrigerators. R-11 was used in large equipment and chillers. These phase outs didn't
impact most people much because they were used in equipment people tend to replace
every 7-10 years.
But the phase out of R-22 will be a bit different: R-22 has been around a very long time
and most HVAC systems have a much longer life cycle (10-15 years compared to 5-7
for most average cars). As of today, the vast majority of HVAC units in service are still
using R-22.
Refrigerant is a controlled substance
Anyone who works with refrigerant is required to keep scrupulous records of how the
chemicals are managed. This includes how much is used, recovered, recycled and
disposed. Venting, or releasing refrigerant into the air is strictly prohibited?everything
must be accounted. All of this takes more time and training, which of course is more
expensive. Any technician that works with refrigerant must be certified.
Transition over the next 10 years
The manufacture of new R-22 equipment ended January 1st of this year. Suppliers still
have new equipment in stock (wise deals can be found!). Repair parts for your existing
equipment will continue to be available for the foreseeable future; the actual R-22
refrigerant will be available until 2020.
So you have the next 10 years to transition to non-R-22 equipment. That gives you
plenty of time to manage the transition wisely. You can continue to service and maintain
your current R-22 equipment in good working order using drop-in replacement R-407A
(but it is not the perfect replacement). The new refrigerant that is intended to replace
R-22 in new equipment is R-410A.
Decision criteria for repair or replace has changed
As a business owner, your natural inclination is usually to repair your HVAC equipment
and postpone replacement until absolutely necessary. If your equipment is less than 10
years old, most of the time it will make sense to repair it. For older equipment, you are
more likely better off replacing with new equipment rather than repairing the old
equipment. In general, you should begin to question the assumption that repair is always
a better choice than replacement.
Be smart, educate yourself
Learn the basic differences between R-407A (retrofit substitute for R-22, but not a perfect
solution) and R-410A (replacement for R-22). Using R-407A will allow you to extend
the useful life of your current R-22 equipment, but less efficiently. Converting to new
R-410A equipment takes advantage of the newer technology and gets your equipment
transitioned to the updated refrigerant.
We expect there will be counterfeit R-22 available. Be very wary of anyone who offers
you a stash of R-22 refrigerant. Because HVAC contractors are heavily monitored by the
EPA, business owners will make better targets for these unscrupulous counterfeiters.
Work with a professional you trust
You have plenty to do and don't need to become an expert in refrigerant! That is why you
need to work with an HVAC professional, someone you trust to advise you on your
equipment. Just like auto mechanics, the days of just popping the hood and changing the
oil yourself are gone. The equipment is more complicated, there are regulations to be be
followed, and most of all, there are safety and financial considerations as well.
If you need experienced HVAC service, call or email us at Conditioned Air Solutions.
We also have commercial divisions in plumbing and electrical. We have the toolbox of
experience, resources and service mindset to help you with any of your HVAC, plumbing
and electrical needs. Yeah, we can fix that!
