Q&A About R-22

The worldwide phase-out of R-22 refrigerant has left contractors and their customers with several questions about obtaining and using the HCFC refrigerant for servicing installed systems. While manufacturers will stop producing cooling systems that use R-22 at the end of 2009, the refrigerant itself will still be available in limited quantities for the next few years.

That key phrase – “available in limited quantities” – is why many industry experts expect the cost of R-22 for servicing to rise. In fact, R-22 is already more expensive in many cases than R-410A, the refrigerant commonly being used in new HVAC equipment. Those rising costs are one reason many contractors have been advising their customers to replace their older HVAC systems with new R-410A units...before the old equipment fails or needs expensive maintenance.

Below are answers to some of the most common questions about R-22:

What is the difference between recovered, recycled and reclaimed R-22 refrigerant?

Recovered refrigerant has been removed from air conditioning (or refrigeration) equipment and stored in an external container without any testing or processing.

Recycled refrigerant has been extracted and cleaned for reuse without meeting the more stringent requirements necessary for reclamation.

Reclaimed refrigerant has been reprocessed using specialized equipment and tested to meet high standards for purity.

Can recovered R-22 be used to recharge equipment?

In some cases, yes. If the refrigerant is being charged back into the same unit or another unit that has the same owner, the used refrigerant does not need to be recycled or reclaimed. However, the recovered refrigerant cannot be sold to someone other than the original owner. Instead, it must be sent to an EPA-certified reclaimer.

Can R-410A be used in R-22 equipment?

No. Due to the differences in the refrigerant's characteristics, all units that use R-410A have been redesigned and operate at higher pressures. Therefore, the refrigerants cannot be interchanged. Alternative or “drop-in” refrigerants cannot be used in existing systems without modifying the system’s components (and voiding any warranty).

Can R-410A be released into the atmosphere, unlike R-22?

No. Even though R-410A does not contain carbon that can deplete the ozone layer, it is illegal to intentionally release any refrigerants into the atmosphere.

Do my customers need to stop using R-22?

No. Your customers can continue to use R-22 and the equipment that uses it. No new systems that use R-22 will be manufactured after December 31, 2009. Also, the available supply of R-22 for servicing is decreasing and its cost is expected to rise.

More information about the phase-out of R-22 and the use of R-410A equipment is available at www.lennoxcommercial.com.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: "What Technicians and Contractors Need to Know About Phasing Out HCFC Refrigerants to Protect the Ozone Layer"