Is there an R22 shortage?
The R22 refrigerant shortage is coming, and it will be costly. Everything was great until the discovery that R22 was depleting the Earth’s ozone layer. The phase-out of R22 which began in 2003 and will be complete in 2020 is the result of that discovery. After 2020 ,only recycled R22 will be available.
Can you still use R22 refrigerant?
The U.S. government has placed restrictions on R22 and has issued the requirement that R22 refrigerant must be eliminated from use in cooling systems by the year 2020. At this point, R22 will no longer be manufactured and cannot be used as a refrigerant in new air conditioning systems.
Is there a drop-in replacement for R22?
In the USA there is no drop-in replacement for R22. The EPA guidelines state that there cannot be a drop-in replacement without modifying the system components.
Why is there a shortage of freon?
The overall shortage is compounded by the demand increase during the summer months, and it is affecting both after-market and OEM suppliers.” There is a new tax on R410a. This tax is based on the current price of the refrigerant, so when the price increases, so does the hefty tax (as high as 216% of the cost).
Why is R22 being phased out?
R22 is being phased out worldwide because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set January 1, 2020 as the date when R22 is banned from production and importation in the United States. R22 still in use in commercial HVAC systems will not be affected.
What is happening with R22?
According to the Federal government, the refrigerant can no longer be used. The government seeks to eliminate its use by the ear 2020. Manufacturers will no longer use R22 at this point. The replacement may come with several consequences for homeowners with older air conditioning systems in Massachusetts.
Can you still get freon 2021?
Is R22 Freon Still Available? Yes, recovered or recycled R22 is still available to purchase. However, the cost is getting higher and higher as the supply is diminishing.
Is R22 still available 2021?
The production (not use) of R-22 is being phased out. You are not required to stop using R-22 air conditioners nor to replace existing equipment.” In short, HVAC manufacturers are no longer allowed to produce equipment with R-22 or HCFC-22, But it is not illegal to buy or use.
What is the best replacement freon for R22?
R-407c
The best replacement for R-22 Freon is usually R-407c. It has a very low loss in capacity (0 – 5%) relative to R-22 and is less expensive than many other R-22 replacement refrigerants. If a system has R22 in it already you cannot use a replacement refrigerant to simply add to the R22.
What is the direct replacement for R22?
RS-44b
RS-44b (R453a) is the newest R22 drop-in replacement refrigerant in the U.S. market. RS-44b has been sold worldwide for the past 5 years, branded as RS-70 outside the US. It is the closest replacement to R22 that operates with very similar discharge pressure, cooling capacity and flow rate as R22.
Will we run out of Freon?
Refrigerant isn’t a fuel and an AC will not run out of it—normally. It will remain at the same level, known as the air conditioner’s charge, for the entire life of the cooling system. There’s one exception: leaks occurring along the copper refrigerant line or at connection points.
Is Freon in short supply?
R-22, a refrigerant commonly known as “Freon,” is scheduled to be completely phased out by 2020, which has created a shortage of the chemical and driven its cost through the roof.
When did they phase out the refrigerant R22?
On January 1, 2010, they approved a ban that began a gradual phase-out of the refrigerant R22. They slowly reduced the amount of R22 that could be brought into the United States as well as could be produced here.
When do I need to replace my R-22 air conditioner?
The refrigerant would soon replace R-22 in the new HVAC equipment. EPA regulations require a ban on the production and import of R-22 refrigerant by January 1, 2020. After 2020, any air conditioning or heat pump system using R-22 that requires servicing will have to depend on potentially expensive R-22 stockpiles or reclaimed refrigerant.
Is the R22 system still available in the US?
They slowly reduced the amount of R22 that could be brought into the United States as well as could be produced here. That timeline ended on January 1st, 2020 and now R22 can no longer be manufactured in the United States, now can we import it from other countries. Does that mean that I will not be able to make repairs to my older R22 system?
What are the service pressures for the R-22?
R-410A 387 R-427A 258 R-502 259 R-507A 295 (1), (3) These are minimum required service pressures. Cylinder manufacturers typically have a set number of service pressures they offer, so choose the next highest available pressure.
