What Does the R22 Phaseout Mean for Consumers?

Availability of R22. The Clean Air Act does not allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of equipment. Therefore, R22 must be recovered and recycled (for reuse in the same system), reclaimed (reprocessed to the same purity levels as new R22), or destroyed. After 2020, the servicing of R22 based systems will rely on recycled refrigerants. It is expected that reclamation and recycling will ensure that existing supplies of R22 will last longer and be available to service a greater number of systems. As noted above, chemical manufacturers will be able to produce R22 for use in new A/C equipment until 2010, and until 2020, they can continue production of R22 for use in servicing existing equipment that was made before 2010. Given this schedule, the transition away from R22 to the use of ozone friendly refrigerants should be smooth. For the next 20 years or more, R22 should continue to be available for all systems that require R22 for servicing.

Cost of R22. 

While consumers should be aware that prices of R22 may increase as supplies dwindle over the next 20 or 30 years, EPA believes that consumers are not likely to be subjected to major price increases within a short time period. Although there is no guarantee that service costs of R22 will not increase, the lengthy phaseout period for R22 means that market conditions should not be greatly affected by the volatility and resulting refrigerant price hikes that have characterized the phaseout of R12, the refrigerant used in automotive air conditioning systems.

Alternatives to R22 in Residential Air Conditioning

As R22 is gradually phased out, non ozone depleting alternative refrigerants are being introduced. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA reviews alternatives to ozone depleting substances like R22 in order to evaluate their effects on human health and the environment. EPA has reviewed several of these alternatives to R22 and has compiled a list of substitutes that EPA has determined are acceptable. One of these substitutes is R410A, a blend of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), substances that do not contribute to depletion of the ozone layer, but, like R22, contribute to global warming. R410A is manufactured and sold under various trade names, including GENETRON AZ20®, SUVA 410A®, and Puron®. Additional refrigerants on the list of acceptable substitutes include R134a and R407c. These two refrigerants are not yet available for residential applications in the U.S., but are commonly found in residential A/C systems and heat pumps in Europe. EPA will continue to review new non ozone depleting refrigerants as they are developed.

Servicing existing units. 

Existing units using R22 can continue to be serviced with R22. There is no EPA requirement to change or convert R22 units for use with a non ozone depleting substitute refrigerant. In addition, the new substitute refrigerants cannot be used without making some changes to system components. As a result, service technicians who repair leaks to the system will continue to charge R22 into the system as part of that repair.

Installing new units. 

The transition away from ozone depleting R22 to systems that rely on replacement refrigerants like R410A has required redesign of heat pump and air conditioning systems. New systems incorporate compressors and other components specifically designed for use with specific replacement refrigerants. With these significant product and production process changes, testing and training must also change. Consumers should be aware that dealers of systems that use substitute refrigerants should be schooled in installation and service techniques required for use of that substitute refrigerant.

A Common Sense Approach To Servicing Your System

Along with prohibiting the production of ozone depleting refrigerants, the Clean Air Act also mandates the use of common sense in handling refrigerants. By containing and using refrigerants responsibly  that is, by recovering, recycling, and reclaiming, and by reducing leaks their ozone depletion and global warming consequences are minimized. The Clean Air Act outlines specific refrigerant containment and management practices for HVAC manufacturers, distributors, dealers and technicians. Properly installed home comfort systems rarely develop refrigerant leaks, and with proper servicing, a system using R22, R410A or another refrigerant will minimize its impact on the environment. While EPA does not mandate repairing or replacing small systems because of leaks, system leaks can not only harm the environment, but also result in increased maintenance costs.

One important thing a homeowner can do for the environment, regardless of the refrigerant used, is to select a reputable dealer that employs service technicians who are EPA certified to handle refrigerants. Technicians often call this certification "Section 608 certification," referring to the part of the Clean Air Act that requires minimizing releases of ozone depleting chemicals from HVAC equipment.

A Common Sense Approach To Purchasing New Systems

Another important thing a homeowner can do for the environment is to purchase a highly energy efficient system. Energy efficient systems result in cost savings for the homeowner. Today's best air conditioners use much less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid_1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save significantly on your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Products with EPA's Energy Star® label can save homeowners 10% to 40% on their heating and cooling bills every year. These products are made by most major manufacturers and have the same features as standard products but also incorporate energy saving technology. Both R22 and R410A systems may have the Energy Star® label. Equipment that displays the Energy Star® label must have a minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER specification, the more efficient the equipment.