Is R-22 being phased out? YES. Will it become illegal to use? NO.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is following the tiered timeline laid out by the Montreal Protocol to phase out the importation and production of ozone-depleting substances (we will use import and produce a lot in this post).
In fact, the phase-out of R-22 actually began on the first day of 2010 (or Jan 1, 2010). There are three steps in the R-22 phase-out:
- In 2010, it was banned to manufacturer any new HVAC equipment designed for use with R-22. From there, there was an initial reduction in the production and importation of R-22.
- Each year since 2010, there has been a further reduction in the amount of R-22 that could be produced or imported.
- In 2020, all production or importation of R-22 will be banned.
Starting on January 1, 2020, there will be a complete ban on production or importation of the refrigerant R-22 (as well as HCFC-142b which is primarily used as a blowing agent foam but this refrigerant has no tie to HVAC).
The price of R-22 has significantly increased and been variable since before the initial reduction in 2010.
The reason R-22 is being banned is that it contains chlorine, which has the ability to deplete the Earth’s ozone layer. Our ozone layer, which is the molecule O₃, is a part of the Earth’s stratosphere and it absorbs most of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
When the final supply of R-22 is sold after the 2020 production and importation ban it will become impossible to legally buy R-22. So, a simple refrigerant leak in an R-22 HVAC system will force you into:
(i) a repair which could include a drop-in refrigerant replacement or
(ii) an entire system replacement.
As an owner of real estate, you are legally allowed to use refrigerant (including R-22) from any HVAC system you own on any other HVAC system you own. There are two ways to re-use refrigerant, recycling or reclaiming it (further details below).
If you are an owner of real estate and have multiple R-22 systems you should start to implement a strategy now to carry you into the future where R-22 cannot be purchased.
One option would be to start recovering R-22 refrigerant from any HVAC replacements you have moving forward. This will allow you to reuse that R-22 refrigerant on systems in need of additional R-22 refrigerant in the future. This can be done by asking the contractor to recover the R-22 into a recovery tank and storing it for later use.
Another option could be to start looking into R-22 refrigerant replacements which can include:
- Bluon TdX20 (R-458A)
R-22 replacements try to mirror the operating pressures and parameters of R-22, without containing any chlorine elements.
Frequently real estate owners are unaware of something as fundamental as what HVAC units sit on their properties.
Ravti’s first value add to our clients is providing the power of merely knowing what HVAC equipnent you have. We provide a web-based tool to catalog/inventory your HVAC equipment that sits on each property. While just the basic asset tagging is valuable, the metadata becomes even more powerful. From the unit model and serial number, we provide you with information on your HVAC assets including tonnage, age, refrigerant (R-22 or R-410a), amount of refrigerant (in ounces) and more. our asset tagging of the equipment.
If you want to be confident you’re getting the most out of your HVAC operations email us at r22@ravti.com. We would be happy to have a conversation with you about your HVAC inventory and operations.
Additional items in more detail:
R-22 is an ozone-depleting refrigerant. It depletes the ozone because R-22 contains the element Chlorine (Cl). R-22 is contained in a high-pressure HVAC system. When there is a leak in the high-pressure system the refrigerant is released into the atmosphere. When R-22 reaches the ozone layer each one of its Chlorine element creates a chemical reaction with more than one-thousand ozone molecule (O₃) and creates a new molecule. This new molecule is heavier than ozone and sinks back down to the Earth’s surface. So, each chlorine element of R-22 can deplete 1,000+ ozone molecules which leads to deletion of the ozone layer.
Recycling refrigerants — Recycling refrigerants is done by first removing the refrigerant from the system containing it, and then sending it through equipment that will “clean” it. Cleaning refrigerants entail removing the moisture and particles that make it toxic. Once recycling is done, the refrigerant can be put back in its original container, or it can be stored in a different container for future use in a different system.
Reclaiming refrigerants — Reclaiming refrigerants goes a step beyond simply recycling them by making sure that all impurities in the refrigerant are removed, thus returning it into its most pure state. This is according to standards set in the ARI-700, or the standards used for never been used refrigerants. Refrigerant reclamation makes use of more technical equipment, which also makes its services more expensive than recycling refrigerants.
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