The End Of Freon® (R-22).. and soon, Puron (R-410A)

Freon® (also known as R-22) is a refrigerant that has been in use for many decades but, since the “Clean Air Act of 1990” became law, the federal government has mandated its gradual demise. As of 1 January 2020, the production and import of Freon® is now officially banned in the US. Most homeowners have no idea that this happened and, therefore, most of them are not prepared for the future potential high costs associated with maintaining older air conditioning and heat pump units.

Prior to Freon, other types of refrigerants (such as ammonia) were engineered for use in refrigerators, however many of these early refrigerants were found to be toxic and flammable. Freon® was invented by DuPont® in 1930. Starting around 2003, most (but not all) new A/C and heat pump systems were manufactured to use Puron® (R-410A) as their refrigerant instead of Freon®. By 2013, nearly all new A/C and heat pump units were manufactured to run on Puron®. Puron® complies with federal laws. Generally, only Puron®-using A/C and heat pump equipment has been manufactured after 2010 although a few companies did make A/C and heat pump systems that utilized R-22 after that year but the equipment was shipped uncharged (with no Freon®) from the factory. Equipment that uses Freon® can not be converted to Puron® as these systems are engineered differently (Puron® systems run at a much higher pressure than Freon®) so a simple swap-out of refrigerants is not an option. Many older chest and upright freezers and dehumidifiers also use Freon® (R-22) however modern refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, etc. use different refrigerants.

When inspecting homes with older (R-22) based equipment installed, I always educate my clients on the Freon® and Puron® scenario in an attempt to prepare them. After Jan. 1st, 2020, when Freon®-based equipment needs to be recharged (such as due to a refrigerant leak), only Freon® recycled from old equipment or left over in HVAC warehouses will be available. This means Freon® will be in increasingly short supply (also meaning more expensive per pound) as we move further and further past 2020. Most residential A/C and heat pump systems use between 3~8 pounds of Freon®. The average price of Freon® is between $750~$150 per pound as of 2023 according to multiple HVAC professionals that I’ve asked. The pricing for R-22 (Freon®) and R-410A (Puron®) is expected to double in 2024 due to new EPA regulations go into effect. If you are low on refrigerant charge, that can also mean there is a leak in the lineset or one of the coils. If you go outside and look at your A/C or heat pump unit compressor manufacturer’s tag, it will list what type of refrigerant it uses, such as either “R-22” or “HCFC 22” (both are Freon®), or “R-410A” or “HFC-410A” (both are Puron®). Also, Freon® or Puron® should only be worked with, reclaimed, and properly disposed of by a qualified (and licensed in some areas) HVAC contractor.

Refrigerants allow the movement of heat energy using a refrigeration cycle which allows the refrigerant to change states from liquid to gas and vice versa. By compressing or expansion of a refrigerant allows it to become hot or cold. This basic principle is how air conditioners, heat pumps, dehumidifiers, and refrigerators/freezers work. They don’t create “cold”, instead, they move heat.

A/C and heat pump systems have a general design life of about 15 years. Since R-22 equipment is now over 10 years old, putting money towards a new A/C or heat pump system is wiser than spending it to repair older cooling equipment that is already beyond its design life. Also, new A/C and heat pump systems are more efficient than older systems, too, due to technological improvements. Even with a perfectly functional Freon® (R-22) based A/C or heat pump system, budgeting now for the replacement of an old Freon® cooling system is very wise.

What’s next?

As you likely have heard by now, even R-410A (Puron®) is also on its way out after less than 2 decades in use. Starting within the next year or so, you will begin to see some new refrigerants on the market used in new residential A/C and heat pump equipment. They are R-454-B [also known as “Opteon XL41” or “Puron Advance”] and R-32. They have no chlorine in them and are safer for the environment. R-410A systems can not be converted to use these new refrigerants. It appears that R-454-B will become the dominant ‘new’ refrigerant as we look ahead a decade or so. Before these new refrigerants (considered mildly flammable) can be used in residential applications, the building code needs to change to allow their use in homes. Carrier®, Trane®, and a few other major manufacturers have announced that they will be transitioning newly designed equipment for use with R-454-B.

HVAC companies will still be able to get R-410A to service brand new (as of 2023) systems. R-22 stockpiles should be available, at least, through 2030 and R-410A well beyond that according to current estimates. As stockpiles decrease, however, costs for replacement R-22 or R-410A will increase. Using R-22 or R-410A equipment is still legal. I’ve heard of some HVAC companies try to tell their customers that ‘it’s illegal to use these older refrigerants’ in an effort to try to get their customers to buy new systems. That is simply an unethical sales ploy and untrue.

You can read my article about ways of lowering your home’s cooling costs called Energy Saving Cooling Tips.

You can also read my article about Heat Pumps.

Matthew Steger is a Certified Level 1 Infrared Thermographer, an ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI), and an electrical engineer. He can be reached at matthew@thehomeinspectorsnotebook.com. No article, or portion thereof, may be reproduced or copied without prior written consent of Matthew Steger.