Owners of Comfort Cooling, Commercial, and Other Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Equipment Frequently Asked Questions

A variety of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment may contain HCFC-22 (also called R-22) or its blends, including packaged air conditioners, chillers (e.g., air-conditioning systems for office buildings, hotels, shopping centers, and other large buildings), retail food equipment (e.g., supermarket food cases, walk-in refrigerators/coolers/freezers, ice cream machines, beverage vending machines, and stand-alone food/beverage display cases), cold storage warehouses, industrial process refrigeration, or transport refrigeration.

How can I ensure that R-22 supplies will be adequate to meet my future needs?

To plan for the future phaseout, you should establish a plan for your company to repair or replace leaking equipment and to recover and reuse the refrigerant from equipment that is discarded. With proper storage tanks, your company can store recovered HCFCs (i.e., from retired equipment containing R-22) for use in servicing other equipment in the future. In addition to recovering and reusing your own refrigerant, reclaimed refrigerant should be available after the production/import cut in 2010 and the production/import phaseout in 2020. Recovered refrigerant cannot be sold to a new owner for use as a refrigerant; instead it must be sent to a reclaimer prior to sale. Reclaimed R-22 is likely to increase in price as the U.S. continues to phaseout the production and consumption of R-22.

When should I convert my company's equipment to an alternative refrigerant?

Many businesses have already started to transition to alternative refrigerants. In deciding when to convert (or retrofit) to an alternative refrigerant, you should consider the amount of time that will be needed to finish all phases of the conversion. Keep in mind that production/import of R-22 will be cut in 2010 and phased out in 2020, so the availability of supplies will be uncertain. During the transition period, you have three basic choices: (1) convert your existing system, (2) buy a new one, or (3) continue to operate your existing system. Confirm with your equipment supplier that the system is retrofitted to use an ozone-friendly refrigerant and that all components are compatible with the new refrigerant. Buying a new, more efficient system may require more money initially, but may reduce your electricity bill and save money over time.

I plan to purchase a new refrigeration or air-conditioning system soon. Should I buy a unit with an alternative refrigerant or a more affordable unit containing R-22?

If you plan to purchase new equipment within the next few years, consider buying equipment that uses an ozone-friendly refrigerant. Your decision will likely depend on when you plan to purchase the new equipment and its expected lifespan. If you plan to operate the equipment beyond 2020, an alternative refrigerant may be the most economical decision over the long-term.

Owners of Comfort Cooling, Commercial, and Other Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Equipment Frequently Asked Questions

Other Frequently Asked Questions About the Phaseout of HCFC-22

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